What an extraordinary campaign across the 2026 State and National Championships.
Great Lakes Pearl Dragons—take a bow.

As a regional dragon boat club built on a clear philosophy—inclusion, fun, and competition (in that order)—this team continues to defy expectations. We don’t just participate; we consistently perform well above what most would predict.

In 2025, our group of determined and supportive senior paddlers earned selection to represent Australia at the Club Crew World Championships in Taiwan. It was an exciting and proud moment - but also one that raised an honest question: could we truly compete at that level?

To confirm our place, we needed to qualify at the National Championships. Adding to the challenge, we qualified in Senior A Open - an over-40 category with no restriction on male paddlers in a 20 seat boat.
A notable contrast for our club, where the average age is 64 and men make up less than 25% of the crew.

State Championships – Sydney International Regatta Centre

With clear fitness and strength goals in place, our focus was to perform strongly at States and build from there.

Racing at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC) in challenging, windy conditions, we entered three 500m events on Saturday:

•Senior A Open (20s): 2:24 – 4th place

•Senior B Mixed (20s): 2:29 – 4th place

•Senior C Mixed (20s): 2:31 – 5th place

Sunday brought 200m racing—and even stronger winds:

•Senior A Open (20s): 0:58 – 4th place

•Senior B Mixed (20s): 0:58 – 4th place

•Senior C Mixed (20s): 0:56 – 5th place (an outstanding time)

•Senior C Open (10s): 1:01 – 🥉Bronze Medal

That bronze marked our first State medal in some time, and with relatively new crews, it was a significant achievement. A result that reflects both commitment and belief.

Australian Championships – Lake Kawana, Sunshine Coast

Just weeks later, we took that momentum north to the Australian Championships at Lake Kawana—six intense days of racing against clubs from across Australia and New Zealand.

Representative Highlights

•Caitlyn Murray competed in the newly formed youth Kangaroo Squad, progressing to semifinals in Mixed 10s .The team also reaching the 500m final in Small Boat Women. A strong performance at a national level.

•Marika and Mike, representing the Northern Region, delivered exceptional results at the State vs State competition—2 golds and 1 silver, contributing to NSW retaining the perpetual trophy.

•Club President Michelle earned selection into an elite NSW Premier Development Squad (future Emerging Athletes pathway to the Auroras). Her crew outperformed multiple state and development teams—a significant benchmark.

These achievements highlight the growing strength of our club beyond club racing—and should challenge others to step forward for regional and state selection.

Club Crew Competition Results

Tuesday – 500m Events

•B Mixed Small Boat: 5th place – 2:32

•C Women’s Small Boat: Semi-finalists – 4th place, 2:41

•A Open Standard Boat:🥉Bronze Medal – 2:24

Wednesday – 200m Events

•C Mixed Small Boat: 3rd in semi-final – 1:00

•B Women’s Small Boat: 1:08 (repechage)

•A Open Standard Boat:🥉Bronze Medal – 0:58 (continued improvement across rounds)

Thursday – 2000m Turn Racing

In difficult wind conditions and tight turning courses, this race demanded composure and technical precision—particularly from the sweep.

Under the guidance of Peter Reed, the crew navigated superbly to secure 🥉Bronze. In a race where many crews struggled, this was a standout performance built on skill and trust.

Final Reflection

Across both championships, one theme stood out:

We improved every time we stepped on the water.

That is not luck—that is preparation, mindset, and culture.

This campaign has reinforced something important:
Great Lakes Pearl Dragons are not just a social or regional club—we are a genuinely competitive force, built on inclusivity, resilience, and collective effort.

And perhaps most importantly—we are a team that continues to enjoy the journey.

Proud to be a Pearler.