On behalf of the Aoraki Board and our wider paddling community, we extend our warmest congratulations to Meri Gibson on your appointment as Senior Vice President of the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF).
Your election to this role reflects the highest level of governance within our sport globally. The IDBF operates across three key tiers:
• The Executive Committee, which oversees the organisation’s daily operations;
• The Council, comprising the Executive Committee along with representatives from the Continental Federations and affiliated organisations such as the IBCPC and Ice Dragons; and
• The Congress, which serves as the governing body of member nations.
Having previously represented the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission (IBCPC) on Council as Associate Vice President, Meri already carried an influential voice in shaping the direction of the sport.
Meri was nominated by three countries and selected from eight candidates for only four Vice President positions an outstanding endorsement of your global contribution. To then be elevated to Senior Vice President, effectively the second-highest position in the organisation.
This appointment acknowledges decades of dedication, It is clear that your leadership continues to shape not only how races are run, but how the sport itself evolves on the world stage.
In short, this is a significant role carrying major responsibility, including one of your long-held ambitions strengthening the pathway toward Olympic inclusion for our sport.
Congratulations, Meri. This is a remarkable milestone.
