Aoraki Dragon Boat
Association (Inc)
Christchurch, NZ

Teams entered:

Open
Abreast Of Life (Chch BCS)
CPC Canterbury Dragons
Ridge Riders
Sampan Warriors
Simply the Breast (Blenheim)
Give it a Go (Spreydon Baptist)
Tu Meke
Tu Meke Development
Waimak Attack

Corporates
Airways (Paddlateers)
Beca Carter (Crewsaders)
Canty Prisons (Screws Loose)
CCC (Cruisers)
P & N (Evacut)

Schools
Avonside Girls HS (y12)
Avonside Girls HS (y13)
Christchurch Girls HS
Hillmorton High
Marian College (G)
Riccarton HS (G)
Shirley Boys
St Margarets 1
St Margarets 2
St Bedes College
Villa Maria (Villians)

Schedule:

Team Briefing at Lake Hood at 10 am; first Race scheduled for 10:30 (although there was delay in setting up the starter pontoons); 15 minutes between races, and 15 to 20 minutes between rounds; Second round, all teams race 250 m sprints (no finals, just race times). Adults compete for “Hell for Leather” Cup. Finals are from about 5 pm to 6 pm. Teams help secure the boats before the prizegiving.

Aoraki hosts the presentation of medals and trophies (back at the Ashburton Hotel followed by The After Party). For results, click here.

South Island Dragon Boat Champs 2010

Competitively, the 'main event' for the Aoraki teams was the "South Island Dragon Boat Regatta", a last chance hit-out for local Corporate, Open and School teams before returning for the Nationals on 27 & 28-March-10. Teams had just competed at the Early Bird Regatta at Pegasus.

Rather than have the adults and schools days split into two, we ran both grades on the same day. Many adult teams really enjoy the energy and spirit that the school teams bring. Lake Hood, just out of Ashburton, is a fantastic venue for racing. We had all local crews plus Simply the Breast from Blenheim so approximately 800 paddlers, coaches and managers over the Saturday.

Races

In 2010 adults and schools race on the same day - Saturday 6-March-10. A set of local trophies are at stake, including the "Hell for Leather" trophy for the Sprint series.

Twelve Christchurch adult teams and eleven School teams competed, plus we were very pleased to play host to "Simply The Breast" from Blenheim.

In the Corporate Final, Beca Crewsaders (on 2:15.26) edged out Airways Paddlateers (2:16.56). Evacut Express were third (2:18.63) and CCC Cruisers (2:23.96).

In the Open Grand Final, Ridge Riders U23 (2:13.52) were 0.26 seconds ahead of Tu Meke (2:13.78) followed by Tu Meke Development and CPC Canterbury Dragons.

Aoraki also introduced two more "Finals" - Men's Final (where "Tu Meke Tane" fielded a team to race against St Bedes and Shirley Boys High), and the Women's Final (where "Waimak Express" (a collaboration between Waimak Attack and Evacut Express) raced against Simply the Breast, ABOL, "Tu Meke Wahine" and "CCC/Beca all-comers".

The Partington Cup has traditionally been presented to the fastest of any adult Canterbury crew, but in 2010 Aoraki commissioned an updated trophy. In past years, teams have had to come straight from a Corporate/Open final and back it up with a very hardout race. From 2009, the Partington is presented to the fastest times on the day in the 500m course by a Christhurch adult crew. That time might be recorded in any race (heats or final).

Schools

Note, in 2010 adults and schools race on the same day - Saturday 6-March-10. Qualifying is the same as adults - that is, three timed heats determines positions in a Finals for Boys/Mixed/Girls. At the 2008 Christchurch Regatta, Aoraki Board member Scott Johnson kindly donated "The Johnson Challenge Cup" for the best Christchurch Girls team at the Christchurch Regatta, i.e. the winner of the girls final. Note that if a girls team is visiting and wins, the trophy is for the first Christchurch Girls team across the line.

Hillmorton High School entered a new team, the only Mixed team, so they raced along with the "Girls B Final".

In the "Girls Grand Final", Christchurch Girls High beat Marian, with Avonside Y13 in third, just ahead of their Year 12 team.

In the Boys Grand Final, Shirley Boys edged out St Bedes.

Facilities

Teams set up their tents and shelter on the western side of the lake just south of the Ashburton Rowing Club building. Local food vendors (including coffee, Ice Cream and a BBQ fundraiser for Long Beach Playcentre of Ashburton) set up to serve the paddlers, their supporters and spectators. Two portaloos are already on site (plus a new toilet block to the west of the tent area, on the road in) but another 8 are available for each end of the tent area.

What do I need to fill in?:
A list of all "Squad" members (up to 25 including drummer and sweep) must be submitted at least ten days before each event. Photo verification of crews will also be in place, so teams must provide a passport size photo of each crew member. Aoraki will print photo sheets of each team, and Crew Marshalling will check them at crew loading. Any changes to this must be notified, in writing, at least one hour prior to the first race. Your on-the-day race crew must be selected from your "squad", with three members of your squad used as reserves who may be taken in or out of the race crew at your leisure.

The Schools’ prize giving was held within an hour of the completion of the day with the presentation of the fiercely competed for cups and medals. At the ‘after party’ at the Ashburton Hotel, Aoraki presented a newly commissioned carving of a new trophy, “South Island Champion”. This carving was completed by Alex Mc Leod from Tu Meke. Alex is a master carver and he has produced a stunning piece to adorn anyone’s trophy cabinet, fittingly the first recipients of the trophy were Tu Meke Dragons.

Regattas are run under NZDBA Race Rules