Victorian paddlers compete

Victoria Harbour was filled with dragon boats last month when it hosted the Victorian Dragon Boat titles on March 29.

With 12 clubs from across Victoria participating, competition was fierce.

Local clubs represented included the Yarra River Dragons, Dragons Abreast Melbourne, Dragon Masters, CYSM, Southern Storm and the Melbourne Flames.

They were joined by teams from across Victoria, with regional representation from Geelong, Albury/Wodonga, Ballarat and Bendigo.

“The racing was incredible, with the highlight being the hotly contested 2000 metre race, which saw nine crews battle it out around the rectangular course,” Dragon Boat Victoria’s Melissa O’Brien said.

“The boats set off at 15 second intervals from slowest to fastest, which makes for some serious pursuits and lots of action on the turns.”

The next event on the Dragon Boat calendar is the Australian Dragon Boat Championships, which are set to be held in Perth this month.