23 May, 2014 12:24PM AEST    By Damien Larkins

A Gold Coast dragon boat team is champing at the bit to represent the city on the world stage.

The Broadwater Dragon Boat Club is in final preparations for the 2014 Taipei International Championship later this month.

Club president Terrie Elekana says they are ready to go.

"Having team bonding, having focus, having a big smile on your face and a good attitude," she said.

"Get you through anywhere."

Friday, 23 May 2014 3:00 PM


The Broadwater Dragon Boat Club will represent the Gold Coast when it competes at the 2014 Taipei International Dragon Boat Championship next month.

Mayor Tom Tate met some of the crew members today ahead of their journey to the Gold Coast’s sister city.

"It is only through our sister city relationship with Taipei that the Broadwater Club is able to participate in this international cultural event," he said.

Our mission statements states that Broadwater Dragons Paddling Club “Seeks to provide and promote dragon boating as a healthy and fun lifestyle sport for members of the community”.
Teams entered from across our community with over 300 people consisting of family, friends, work mates and sports minded people spending  the day at Emerald Lakes, many trying Dragon Boating for the first time.
This event encompassed our mission and showed the true spirit of the Dragon Boating Community with representation from Hulanesian Fitness and the Chinese Cultural Society providing lunch time entertainment and our teams being represented not only from local schools and businesses but also by families from New Zealand and Samoa
Missed out on this sensational event ……. Well register your interest on our website for our next come and try day.

In September 2010 I started Dragonboat Racing in Tasmania. 2 months later I had my first  race at Panpacs as a guest of the Broadwater Paddling Club (how ironic). Day one  I raced 13 x 500 m races and Day 2,  I competed in 11  x 200m races and as a result tore my intercostal  muscle off my rib cage and was out for 6 weeks.

For those who know me, the length of time I have been in Australia is the length of time that I have been paddling. I started paddling on the 23 September 2010. The day I arrived!! My dad was coach then and I did not have an option to stay home because I was too young. But my real motivation for doing the sport came when my dad was nominated to represent Australia for the Worlds in Tampa 2011. One of his camps was held in Tallebudgera and I got the chance to see the whole Australian team train.