Henley Dragons impress at World Championships

TEN members of the Henley Dragonboat and Outrigger Club represented Great Britain at the 17th IDBF Dragon Boat World Championships, held in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany. One member of the club also represented Sweden.

This year’s event was the largest yet, with more than 5,000 competitors from 33 nations competing.

For the first time, the championships spanned six-and-a-half days and featured all boat classes, distances and competition divisions, including juniors, seniors, Paradragons, and breast cancer paddlers.

The Henley athletes had been training intensively with the wider squad from all over the country in the months leading up to the competition. Many had previously competed in a successful European campaign in the Czech Republic last summer and the Dragon Boat World Cup in Milou, China, in late 2024.

The Henley paddlers were part of the GB Premier Team, which emerged as one of the most successful Premier squads to compete at a World Championships in recent years.

Often racing against professional and well-funded teams, GB’s goal was to reach at least one grand final across the eight race categories they had entered. In the end, they exceeded expectations by making it to five major finals and placing in the top eight nations across all categories, including the three time trials over 2km — in both small and standard boats — and the 1km standard boat event.

The Henley paddlers formed a significant part of the GB Premier Team, with several also taking on vital roles off the water to support the squad’s success.

GB vice-captain and Henley paddler Dayne Matthews said: “It was a brilliant week of competition, and the team’s performance on the water was a direct reflection of the sacrifices, hard work and commitment shown by both athletes and the management team over many months in the lead-up to the championships.”

Great Britain didn’t leave empty-handed, with other age categories securing two golds, two silvers and four bronze medals.

Back in Henley, the club are currently preparing for their next British Dragon Boat Racing Association race day in London at the end of August, followed by the National Championships in Nottingham in September.

Anyone interested in joining Henley Dragons should email henleydragons@outlook.com for more details.