The Australian Dragon Boat Championships, which ended on Monday, saw up to 2500 paddlers from nearly 50 clubs around Australia attend the five-day competition at Gateway Lakes.

Wodonga mayor Anna Speedie said a computer program calculation based on factors such as the number of participants over how many nights created that figure.

“It comes up with a pretty conservative but real number,” she said.

“Because it’s not just accommodation, clearly it’s food and if they go and visit any attractions, of course that all has a multiplier effect.”

Visiting paddlers told The Border Mail they’d been spending about $80 to $100 a day each on accommodation, food, fuel and coffees.

The regatta ended with two days of premier and junior racing, which followed the seniors and state events late last week.

Brisbane club Te Waka Dragons earned the most sportsmanlike club award while the fastest mixed crew came from Melbourne’s Yarra River Dragons.

Sydney Zodiacs won fastest junior crew and Pacific Dragons (Pyrmont) and Komodo Paddle Club (Canberra) took out the fastest open and women’s team sections respectively.

Rain challenged participants at times over the five days, but did not greatly affect the schedule. And possibly added to the spending, according to members of Adelaide Sea Dragons.

“I think you’ve probably sold quite a few umbrellas and gumboots,” vice-president Louise Gordge said, smiling.

About 40 paddlers from the South Australian club attended the championships.

Ms Gordge praised the Gateway Lakes facilities, saying the regional setting gave the championships more prominence in the community and citing a man in Thurgoona who helped them with directions.

“He said, ‘Are you with the dragon boating?’,” she said.

“There was nothing to give us away, we were in the car, but he knew that it was on and that was quite nice for a change.”

Diamond Phoenix paddlers Paula Gonzales and Denise Blayden, said teammates with competition days off had visited places like Rutherglen, Beechworth and Bonegilla.

Ms Blayden said their club, which had 20 to 25 competitors each day, had received a warm welcome from the community.

“The woman at Woolworths was chatting to me and excited that we’ve all been there,” she said.

“The people are friendly everywhere.”