Dragons return to Barwon River

DRAGON boat crews from across Victoria made the Barwon River their arena on Sunday for the annual Battle of the Barwon.

Over 350 competitors took part in the annual rowing regatta well serviced by local traders, as racing took place throughout the entire day.

Host club Geelong Dragon Boat Club vice president Margaret Harry said the Battle of the Barwon is always a jolly occasion, now a regular fixture in the dragon boat calendar for over 10 years.

“It’s less structured than most other regattas and there is a bit more time for people to get around and socialise with each other, so it’s a fun and sociable event for sure,” Ms Harry said.

“There’s a lot of interaction amongst the club in one way or another.”

Geelong Dragon Boat Club runs the event in conjunction with Dragon Boat Victoria, the sport’s governing body in the state.

The club receives a large amount of kudos for running the regatta each year, often good feedback from competitors in attendance.

“The club is always very proud to run this event each year, it unofficially launches the season for our members, and we’ve been blessed with good weather over the last few years,” Ms Harry said.

“It’s also a relief to get the event under our belt, because it is a big job for the club.”

The next major event for the dragon boat community is Dragon Spirit which will be held in Victoria Harbour, Docklands on October 14.