NZDBA National Dragon Boat Championships

The New Zealand Dragon Boat Association brings the National Champs to Lake Hood for the first time ever.

Here is a great opportunity to see who takes the prize of the top Dragonboat team in the country. The grassy banks of Lake Hood provide a superb view of these elite Dragon Boat crews as they battle out for top honours.

Team haka, loud chants and the beating of the traditional drums create an electrifying atmosphere as Adult crews battle it out on Saturday 27th, and then the High Schools take to the water on the Sunday (28th March 2010).

Venue for Racing will be the international-standard rowing course at Lake Hood, 5 minutes from Tinwald, Ashburton. Teams compete in 500m race distances, to IDBF (International Dragon Boat Federation) standards.

Schedule: Formal proceedings for each day start at about 9 am with a Captains' briefing. Then Racing starts shortly after, with each crew having three or four heats - teams drop one race-time to determined their place in the finals. Categories will be Mixed Schools, Boys Schools, Girls Schools, and Adult finals. If entry numbers allow it, there will also be a "Development Grade - Under 23" final.

Races are run at about 10 minutes intervals, with five or six boats per race. Note, Saturday races include Company-backed teams, Sports club teams and BCS (Breast Cancer Survivor) teams in the same heats.

Food vendors near the tent area will sell chinese food, pizza, hot dogs and fries, coffee, ice cream etc.

This NZDBA-controlled race is run in conjunction with Aoraki Dragon Boat Association Inc, the body who run the sport in Christchurch.

Event listed by Noel Anderton

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