NZDBA National Dragon Boat Championships 2011

The New Zealand Dragon Boat Association returns to Rotorua for the national champs. Here is a great opportunity to see who takes the prize of the top dragonboat team in the country. The tiered grassy banks of Tikitapu (the Blue Lake) provides 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 and high schools battle it out on. Note, schools were due to race on a separate day (Sunday 27th) but entry numbers allowed us to race all teams on one day.

Venue for racing will be the scenic Blue Lake (Tikitapu), 10 minutes southwest of Rotorua. Teams compete in 200m, 500m and 2,000m race distances, to IDBF (International Dragon Boat Federation) standards.

Schedule: Formal proceedings start at about 9 am with a captains' briefing. Then racing starts shortly after, with each crew having at least six races in 200m, 500m or 2km distance (see below). Categories will be mixed schools, boys schools, girls schools, adult, BCS (Breast Cancer Survivors) and a new "women's" division.

Round 1: 500 m Heat 1
Round 2: 500 m Heat 2
Round 3: 500 m Finals
Round 4: 200 m Heats (and a second heat, if time allows)
Round 5: 200 m Finals
Round 6: 2,000 m Finals (in "flights‟ of 8 to 10 boats - watch for lots of screaming at the turning buoys!)

Races are run at about 10 minutes intervals, with four to six boats per race. Note, 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 coffee, gourmet burgers, sandwiches, coffee, pizza, hot dogs and fries, more coffee, ice cream, etc.

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

Event listed by Noel Anderton

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