Nine clubs from Mount Beauty, Albury-Wodonga, Melbourne, Geelong, Forbes and Wagga competed in the 24-race program, part of the Dragon Boats Victoria season.

Hosted by Brave Hearts Dragon Boat Club, the day featured mixed, women’s and open events with crews of 10 racing over 200 metres and 20-paddler crews tackling the 500m course.

Brave Hearts head coach Mike Beazley said the regatta formed part of his club’s preparation for state and national championships.

Brave Hearts and fellow Albury-Wodonga club Warriors finished first, second or third in “pretty much every event they entered” while new club Mount Beauty continued to develop.

Beazley said the weather did not get too hot, with conditions proving ideal for racing.

“Rain towards the end of the day, but we enjoyed the rain more than we hated it, it kept us cool,” he said.

The coach said the Australian championships held at Gateway Lakes in April had helped raise the profile of dragon boating in Albury-Wodonga and increased club memberships.

“With all the spectators there, it really let people see what the sport was all about, so that’s wonderful,” he said.