Previously known as the "Akaroa 10s" this year's Le Mans races is at Shelley Beach in Picton Harbour. This event is being hosted jointly by Simply the Breast (STB) Dragon Boat team and Aoraki Dragon Boat Association.

The event is open to all affiliated Aoraki teams (in the South Island) as part of their Season Fees. Other New Zealand teams are invited to enter (subject to an out-of-region Entry Fee). And we can also find spaces for individual paddlers that want to join a team for the day, or make up a composite team (again, subject to an Entry Fee). At close of Entries we have 18 Teams (see attached Draw): 5 Open Teams, 11 Women, and two BCS. See below for the link to the Race Draw.

Christchurch Teams are encouraged to drive up to Picton on the Friday evening, or on Saturday, and stay in Picton area on Saturday night.

Racing will start fairly promptly on Sunday morning, and we aim to have racing completed by about 3 pm, to allow a leisurely drive back to Christchurch by about 8pm.

We ask that teams are set up in their tents by 7:30 am, for an 8 am welcome and Karakia which will be lead by Justin Carter (CEO/ Pouwhakahaere of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui), Nadine Taylor (Marlborough District Council Mayor) and Stuart Smith (MP for Kaikoura).

There will be a briefing at 8:30 with the first three teams called down at 8:45, then the first race underway by 9 am. 

Racing will be in Small Boats (Swift Festival boats) and will be 200m Sprints, from north (about the start of the 5 knot zone) heading southwards towards Shelley Beach Marina, alongside the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club buildings. Sweep plus 8 to 10 paddlers per boat plus a Drummer (seats and Drums will be fitted). This will involve two heats plus a (Divisional) Final for all teams. We want to make this a great spectacle for the people of Picton, so all boats will be fitted with Heads and Tails, a seat and Drum. If a team does not have a Drummer, Aoraki will allocate one. 

After the Straight Line Races we will have "Le Mans" races. Two or three boats will Start from the beach by the northern end of the QCYC Building. That is, the boats sit on the beach. The paddler from Seat 5 Right of each boat is about 10m back, on the beach. On the FIRST hooter, one of them will run up to jump into Seat 5. The boat can have already started, or they can wait till their paddler is seated. After a 15 second interval the hooter sounds again, and the runner for the Second boat can start. Then 15 seconds later the runner for the Third boat can take off. All boats race northward, turning left around two buoys, and then race southward towards the pontoon, and then a slight left turn onto the swimmers' beach. The Caller on the bow jumps off and runs about 10 metres up the beach to the Finish Line. Note, the seat and Drum is removed for these races.

Race times for the Le Mans will be timed, so that teams will then be seeded for a series of Finals, again organised by Divisions.

See tidetime.org and tides.niwa.co.nz