A TEAM of 30 paddlers and support staff recently ventured to Ravenna, Italy to represent Manly Dragon Boat Club at the International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships.

The championships in September saw the Bayside club compete among 163 clubs from 30 countries, including 24 clubs from Australia.

Two crews from Manly Dragon Boat Club competed across two classes: a mixed crew of 20 competing in Senior C (aged 60+) and a crew of 10 women also competing in Senior C.

Club member Peter Brown acted as team manager for the championships, also competing in the Senior C mixed class.

“It’s just a great experience,” Peter said.

“Just being there amongst the competition, it was exciting.”

Both crews raced in three events across 200m, 500m and 2km.

The Senior C women’s team came fourth in the 200m final, fifth in the 500m and 12th in the 2km, while the mixed team came 10th in the 2km.

Peter said clubs from countries including Canada, US, Germany, Ukraine, New Zealand and Hong Kong proved difficult opposition.

“We didn’t do badly,” he reflected.

“We were certainly competitive amongst the Australian crews, but it’s a lot tougher on the world stage.

“It was competitive but really friendly and great to meet people from other countries with at least one common interest being dragon boating.”

Manly Dragon Boat Club had been preparing for the World Championships, which is held every two years, since qualifying at the 2023 National Championships in Albury Wodonga, again competing at the 2024 National Championships in Perth in April.

“Between April and September was pretty intense training both in the gym and three or four sessions on the water per week in the middle of winter,” Peter said.

He said the remainder of 2024 would consist of regular monthly club regattas before attention turns to next year’s National Championships.

For more about Manly Dragon Boat Club, visit www.manlydragons.com.