Auckland, New Zealand – 27th January 2025 – The Auckland Anniversary Dragon Boat Regatta, part of the wider Auckland Anniversary Regatta, was an exciting day of 200m racing, bringing together 14 standard crews and 30 small crews to compete on the sparkling waters of Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. The event not only showcased incredible athleticism but also celebrated the spirit of teamwork, drawing large crowds of enthusiastic spectators who cheered on the paddlers.

The Auckland Anniversary Regatta is New Zealand's largest annual maritime event, featuring a variety of water-based activities such as sailing, tug boat racing, and dragon boat racing. The dragon boat races were full of exciting moments, with some nail-biting finishes in both the standard and small boat divisions.

Standard Boat Grand Finals - 200m

• In the Breast Cancer Survivors Grand Final, Boopops claimed victory with a time of 61:02, narrowly defeating Pink Dragons (62:09) and Busting With Life (62:15). The competition was incredibly close, with just seconds separating the top three.
• The Mixed Grand Final saw BOP Flyers take first place with the fastest time of the day at 50:38, followed by Lion Pride at 50:78 and Steel Dragons at 51:12. The tight finishes kept the spectators on the edge of their seats.
• In the Women’s Grand Final, Women of Steel crossed the line first with a time of 55:21, beating the Jaffettes (56:41) and Bay Dragons (59:34) in another close contest.

Small Boat Grand Finals - 200m

• In the Princess of the Harbour (Breast Cancer Survivors), Waikato Treasure Chests took the win with a time of 63:54, followed by Boobops Moana (69:08) and Boobops Aroha (75:68).
• The Queen of the Harbour (Womens) saw Women of Steel (55:68) take the win, ahead of Jaffettes Beaches (59.55) and Hauraki Blues (59:58). Steel Divas also put in a strong performance, finishing fourth with a time of 60:28.
• The Ace of the Harbour (Mixed) was a fierce competition, with Flyers Paneke finishing first at 54:06, followed by Flyers Turuki at 54:49 and Steel Malakas at 55:02. A special mention goes to Lion Pride, who finished with an impressive time of 52:40 in their Minor Final.

A big thank you goes to the incredible volunteers who gave up their public holiday Monday to ensure the smooth running of the event. Their dedication and hard work were vital to making the regatta a success, and we couldn’t have done it without them.

For the full race results, please click the document below.

Looking ahead, we are excited for the Auckland Regional Championships, scheduled for 22nd-23rd March at Lake Pupuke, Takapuna. We look forward to seeing many of today’s competitors back on the water for another weekend of thrilling dragon boat racing

Contact:
Holly Claeys
Auckland Dragon Boat Association
Email: events@adba.co.nz