Paddlers powering to nationals

Redcliffe’s dragon boat racers are on the crest of a wave as they prepare for next month’s national championships.

The Pink Snapdragons and Red Dragons crews have powered to medals and titles in readiness for the Lake Kawana titles on April 18-24.

Redcliffe Red Dragons brought home an impressive six medals from eight events and had every crew reaching finals at this month’s Queensland Championships.

In fact, the Senior A Mixed 10s and Senior B Women 10s are dual 2026 State Champions in both the 500m and 200m distances.

Medals:

Gold - Senior A Mixed 10s 500m, Senior A Mixed 10s 200m, Senior B Women’s 10s 500m and Senior B Women’s 10s 200m; Silver - Senior C Mixed 10s 200m; Bronze - Senior C Mixed 10s 500m.

Red Dragons’ Senior A Open 10’s 500m finished fourth, Senior A Open 10’s 200m fifth, Women’s 10s 1km 15th and Open 10s 1km 10th.

Ten members have also been selected for Queensland: Senior C - Iciar Argus, Marina Denaro, Vince De Gregorio. Senior B - Candice Heine, Craig Munce, Gary Mcdougall, Norman Heine, Renee D'Arcy, Sharon Weise, Tina Ikenasio.

Meanwhile, the Pink Snapdragons breast cancer survivor crew showed “strength, determination and heart” to finish third in its 500m and 200m races.

That gave the Snappies third place overall among seven breast cancer survivor teams at the Queensland Championships.

Before the States, Pink Snapdragons triumphed at the Battle of the Paddles Regatta in Broadbeach, improving times in challenging conditions to win the final.

Red Dragons had four crews in 200m events and one in Around the Island. The Mixed 20s were second in both heats and seventh overall, the Open 10s third and second in heats for seventh overall.

The Women’s 20s crew had two seconds in their heats for fourth overall but put in an outstanding display to take the final in 59.17 seconds — just 0.21 seconds ahead of Gold Coast and 0.43 seconds ahead of Coomera.

The Mixed 20s were 15th overall in the Around the Island event.

Two weeks later Snapdragons won their heat and final at the Te Waka Dragons Regatta on the Gold Coast.

Remarkably, just two years ago the club was in caretaker mode, uncertain about its future, but today is a “strong and growing survivor team”.