CYSM Sea Dragons made history at the 2018 Australian Championships, achieving personal bests in all categories entered and was awarded medals for the hard work and effort put in for the entire 2017/18 season! However, this rise to the national level did not happen overnight, but was instead a long 3 season journey for the team.

2015/16 Season

2 seasons ago, we began the transition from a social club into a competitive club. This was spurred by our existing paddlers who wanted to be more competitive at the races. Unfortunately, we did not place in many races and we did not attend the Australian Championships, but we did change our mindset. We went to races not for the medals, but for the invaluable experience we would gain. We also had a successful season, with 4 of our paddlers making it into the Victorian State Team.
 

Our 2015/16 season is showcased in the following video.

2016/17 Season

Last season, there was a shift in the club committee, new captains were instated and our training became more vigorous. Our captains emphasised the importance of training both on and off the water. During the Winter Season, many paddlers trained at the gym to get physically stronger. During the Summer Season, paddlers trained on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays on the water with intense drills. All of this work did not go to waste as we won placings at Victorian level regattas! We also had 14 paddlers that made it into the Victorian State Team and we made our first ever final at the 2017 Australian Championships, coming 5th overall in the Premier Open 10s 200m small boat race and our mixed crew made the semi-final for the Premier Mixed 500m standard boat race!

Our 2016/17 season can be summarised by the following video.

2017/18 Season

We had 3 goals at the start of this season.

After the 2018 Australian Championships, we can proudly say that we achieved 2 of our goals! We have come 2nd and even 1st in races at the Victorian State regattas and we moved one step closer in every single race category since last year’s Australian Championships! Furthermore, we came 2nd in the Premier Open 20s 200m small boat race, 3rd in the Premier Open 10s 500m small boat race, 3rd in the Premier Open 10s 2km sweeps race and 4th in the Premier Mixed 10s 200m small boat race! Can you believe that 10 of the 12 paddlers (including reserves) were the same people who paddled 3 years ago when we were just beginning the transition to a competitive club? It just goes to show how much a club and its people can change with the right mindset and will to improve. We also had an incredible 21 paddlers in the Victorian State Team at various levels. The 2017/18 season has been the culmination of 3 seasons of hard work, dedication, determination and sheer perseverance and we have finally been awarded for our efforts.

Read some encouraging words from our members for this season’s campaign:

“Has been a heck of a ride last few days Sea Dragons! For those who have been in the club for at least 2 years, you know how special this AusChamps is. We had to redefine and rebuild. It has been a challenging 3 year journey. Thank-you for standing by each other.”

“Thank-you CYSM Sea Dragons. Joining the team was the best decision I have ever made. The club never fails to give me the most positive experiences with so much love, happiness and energy. I cannot imagine how I could push through without this important part of my life. You are my inspiration and real sunshine.”

“Thank-you captains for leading us and taking us on this incredible journey with you and hopefully with more new heights to reach and personal records to break. This is not the end but the beginning. Love the commitment, hard work and dedication everyone has put into making this possible. Be proud of yourself and your team. We are one unit in mind, heart and strength!”

“The last 6 odd seasons have been interesting to watch from the sidelines. There have been many highs and just as many lows. You guys have rebuilt and refocused the team in a very short time. This in itself is a great achievement. 2017 we put all the teams on notice. 2018 we gave them a taste of what to expect in 2019.”

“Thank-you team for making the most successful AusChamps with many more in the foresight. Many thanks to the Captains and committee for leading us towards the way forward. The most important lesson I’ve learnt the last few years is believing that we can do it and we’re up there with the best of the nation. This is just the beginning of our journey for more glory!”

“Thank-you everyone for the tremendous effort contributed to the AusChamps. Your hard work has been acknowledged and respected by the DB community. It was a humbling experience to watch the club compete against the best in the country. This is my second season in dragon boating and is by far my favourite. Keep up the good work everyone!”



On behalf of CYSM Sea Dragons, we would like to thank our Head Coach Joe, Captains Carlos and Cathy, Vice-Captain Eric, our coaching staff, club committee, Chinese Youth Society of Melbourne, volunteers and other dragon boat clubs for their continued support and belief in us!

The 2018/19 season has just begun so get your paddles ready for another amazing season of dragon boat racing!