9th November 2008

At the World Dragon Boat Championship in Sydney September 2007 members of the NZDBA (Dave Elliott, Darryn Anderson, Shane Petley and observer Frans Roosendaal) met with IDBF Executive Chairman (Mike Haslam) and AusDBF President (Jon Taylor) to formally discuss the idea of setting up an Oceania Dragon Boat Federation. As the NZDBA were accepted as a full member of the IDBF, this had created an opportunity to expand the Sport of dragonboating around the Pacific region.

Mike Haslam had indicated that the NZDBA and AusDBF could work together in setting up Oceania as neighbouring cousins, heading up a Continental Body with its own Constitution and Statutes inline with IDBF rules. A steering committee would initially be set-up to form the main structure of ODBF and then will implement a strategy to involve other Pacific Nations to join in as members. The IDBF will offer a support role where required.

At  the NZDBA AGM held in Christchurch in June 2008 we were joined by incumbent AusDBF President Kel Watts(NSW) and AusDBF technical director Melanie Cantwell(NSW) to discuss where we saw dragonboating heading in the South Pacific and in particular competitions between Oz and NZ being a possibility in the near future.

Both NZDBA and AusDBF agreed a Trans-Tasman bi-annual series between both countries would be a move forward to advance dragonboating with the first competition being held in Canberra in 2010 and 2011 NZ. Both parties agreed this would be a great starting point and dates would be confirmed at a later date. This would be open to teams/ club crews to compete.

Both NZDBA and AusDBF and their affiliate clubs and associations acknowledge that teams who want to compete in this event will need to start organising themselves as apart of this competition

A meeting was convened in Wellington NZ on July 11th and 12th 2009 with representatives of AUS DBF to establish the Oceania DBF and to determine a constitution for this new governing body.

Kel Watts (AUS DBF Chair) was elected the inaugural Chair of the new Oceania governing body. 

Further information to follow.