Dragon boats day bigger and better

Dragon force: Action from the women’s final in last year’s Grafton Dragon Boat Races. Organisers are tipping the number of entrants and spectators in the 2010 event to be even greater than last year.

PREPARATIONS for the 2010 Dragon Boat Races and Family Fun Day are well on course, Clarence Community Events Inc (CCE) president Mark Butler said.

The event, organised by the CCE and traditionally held in late-October in the river near Grafton's Memorial Park, has unofficially kicked-off Jacaranda celebrations since its beginning in 2003 and Mr Butler said this year's races, to be held on October 24, were shaping up to be the biggest ever.

“Obviously we always hope that it will grow and this year is looking no different,” Mr Butler said.

“Each year we've noticed growth; when we first put the event on we estimated we had three, maybe four thousand people as a rolling crowd throughout the day and we started out with about 17 teams competing.

“We're now up to 30-plus teams competing and our estimations on last year's crowd was about 12,000-plus.”

The event, for which The Daily Examiner is this year a major media sponsor, involves teams of 20 people paddling narrow longboats in 200-metre races.

Mr Butler said the day wasn't just about the boats and racing – it is also aimed at being a family day out.

“We'll have huge market stall areas in Memorial Park; something there to suit every person from the very young right through to grandma and grandad, there's also entertainment on stage so there'll be music happening all day too,” he said.

Mr Butler said the event was designed to give something back to the community and money raised from the day would be donated to the Grafton Base Hospital.

He also encouraged anyone interested in either sponsoring or volunteering to help out with the event to contact CCE on 66429700 for more information.