Another successful regatta for CYSM Sea Dragons 🐉 

27 Sea Dragons, 2 furry friends and 6 companions (kids count too 😉) geared up and drove over 300km to Gateway Lakes, Wodonga to race in the Australian Cross Border Championships, where 15 of 11 different clubs showed how much they wanted it. 

Saturday began with 1km pursuits which tested our women and opens crews in terms of communication, team strategy and camaraderie on the water, securing us a bronze and 6 juicy points in the competition. And proud to say the ladies made the opens work very hard to catch up to them 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼 

Then we had the 200m relays, where contact with the water and attention where paramount to success. Unfortunately, our crews missed the qualification to the major final by 0.02 seconds to YRD, followed by a getting 4th in the final with Komodo, who we were tided to with 11 points. 

Italian dinner last night helped with the morale boost, as everyone had a great time of chatting although some forgot what they ordered 😅 and of course, gelato on the way home could not be missed. 

The second half of the competition started with another early race, and overdose in antihistamines, as grass pollen became more of a rival than other clubs. The team was ready to charge and smash the 100m sprints. The crews got together and assembled as our powerful mixed 20s, paddled their hearts out and secured a spot in the major final, with the aid of MUDS pushing Komodo down to the minor final by a whisker. Nonetheless, the crew kept it together and got a second bronze and 6 more points to the score. 17 points in the pocket!!!

Finally, the distance the club has been working on since last season. The 500m races begun. The crew did sooo well that we not only secured another major final, but also clocked the exact same time in both heats!!! Now, that is consistency!!! Our rivals of the event, Komodo, were also in the major final, with hunger to redeem themselves. Even so, Sea Dragons showed them each stroke counts and that this time we were not going to give them a chance again, making it 3rd the 500m races. 

With a final score of 23 points, CYSM Sea Dragons has successfully defended the overall bronze at CBC, third time in a row. Well done team!!!!

Official results:
Dragon Head division - low median age - 8 crews
- 10s women/opens - 1km pursuits - 🥉
- ⁠10s women/opens - 200m relays - 4th
- ⁠Mixed 20s 100m - 🥉
- ⁠Mixed 20s 500m - 🥉
- ⁠ACBC 2025 overall, Dragon Head division - 🥉