Aoraki Dragon Boat
Association (Inc)
Christchurch, NZ

Christchurch city venues

Kaiapoi, North Canterbury

Sweep and Coach of Evacut Express, Rick Smith, has been very active in developing more Dragon Boat opportunities in his 'backyard' of Kaiapoi and the northern outskirts of Christchurch

Part of that is involves setting up a base on the banks of the Kaiapoi River, with secure storage for at least one boat. So from early 2009, various Kaiapoi people got together to build a mini-compound. In about June they received funding from Community Trust to complete the work, including grading the site and putting down shingle - the compound was finished in July.

Aoraki Dragons then arranged for one of the old style boats to be shipped from Owles Terrace to Kaiapoi in November 2009. This is the "Graffiti Boat", which actually belongs to NZDBA.

Aoraki's Peter Mitchell has been in contact with Kaiapoi High School and Rangiora High School to set up teams. Rick hopes to get some help from his Evacut crew to get them up and going in the season.

Meanwhile, Evacut will practice on the Kaiapoi each Monday at 6:00. Soon we hope to take Kaiapoi High out for a trial.

Rick says "having a boat here will generate a lot of interest in the sport and I am hopeful that we will get enough extra people to start another team. I’m thinking they could come under the umbrella of Evacut for this season but would obviously have to be an open team.  Eventually I would like to see another club set up here that would compete in their own right".

NOTE: the September Earthquake has resulted in significant polution levels in the Kaiapoi (and Avon) River, so training is temporarily transfered to Lake Pegasus, North Canterbury.