The Grafton Dragon Boat Regatta, held during the Jacaranda Festival, is one of our main racing outings for the year.

This year Clarence Coast Dragon Boat Club partnered with the Tweed Dragons to create a combined team. And what a great partnership it was. In our two women’s 200 metre race heats, we were third across the line, very commendable efforts. Like many heats-based sports, times in heats are what get you into the finals and the Clarence/Tweed team were delighted to qualify as the fifth of five finalists. We put our best efforts into the final and lifted again to be third across the line.

Getting to races and finals is based on our regular training sessions. Races and winning are not the only reason to get involved in a sport. Exercise, maintaining fitness, social participation and companionship are increasingly identified as important for our health and wellbeing, especially as we grow older. There is evidence that exercise can help prevent and manage adult chronic disease and there is increasing evidence of its importance for preventing dementia. If you want to improve your fitness and make friends while paddling on our beautiful Clarence waterways, come and join us at a training session – Saturdays from the Yamba boat ramp at 7.30am, Wednesday 4.30pm at Hickey Island boat ramp. Details are on our website.

Chris Evans