Dragons Abreast Bendigo recently put on a golden performance at the 2022 Australian Masters Games.
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The 21-strong crew of paddlers travelled from Bendigo to Perth to take on some of the best dragon boat athletes from across the country and wrapped up the tournament with a gold and silver medal.
DAB member Margaret Keech OAM said the top of the podium result was testament to the determination of the group's members.
"We're all breast cancer survivors and the whole premise of what we do is about working together and achieving as a team," she said.
"We couldn't be prouder of our effort in Perth as we competed and did very well."
DAB won gold in the BCS open 10 200m as well as a silver medal in the BCS open 20 200m event.
Dragon boat racing involves racing a 12-metre long boat similar to a canoe which can sit approximately 20 people, in addition to a "sweep" which steers the boat and a drummer who sets the rhythm for the paddlers.
The event at Perth had been long-awaited by the team as it had originally been scheduled to be held late last year but was delayed due to COVID-19 border restrictions.
The minor setback only motivated the team even more as they upped their training sessions to three per week leading up to the Masters which paid off with double medals.
Now that the dragon boat racing season slows down as we head into winter, the DAB paddlers are eyeing some minor regattas during the colder months before they prepare for one of their biggest tournaments to date.
In March 2023 they will attend the IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival in New Zealand on the Domain River.
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