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Paddles Ready is your go-to podcast for everything happening in the world of paddle racing.
Hosted by Dougie and Hando, the show brings you inside the sport with race reviews, real-time commentary, and conversations with paddlers from across the globe. Whether it’s breaking down major competitions, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, or hearing directly from the athletes shaping the sport, this podcast keeps you connected to the pulse of paddle racing.
From elite races to grassroots scenes, Paddles Ready covers it all, giving you insight, perspective, and the stories you won’t hear anywhere else.
What you’ll hear:
Honest race reviews and analysis
Conversations with paddlers and industry voices worldwide
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Stories from the front lines of paddle racing
If you follow paddle racing or want to understand it better, this is where you stay informed.
👉 Visit paddlesready.com for more episodes and updates.
Woo Dougie.
When I become president, I said I want to bring back dragon boat at home.
Why DBF President in Macau
Dragon Boat has been incorporated in Hong Kong.
Wow. The club paddlers are basically the future of dragon boating going forward, and then that will lead into the elite national team.
Dragon Boating's evolved where I've seen it from that team building to festivals.
And what do you want your legacy to be and where do you want to leave Dragon boating globally?
I,
oh, great question.
So this is what I want to say to all our ERs.
Claudio. That is amazing.
Paddle's ready.
This is Paddle's Ready, the Global Voice of Paddle Sport. Live commentary, race coverage, athlete stories, and expert analysis from across the world of paddling, from dragon boat racing to ocean ski. This is where the competition, the culture, and the stories come together. Let's get into it.
Well, Nico, new segment on the show.
Ah,
Hando Phantom call. Yeah, so what I spoke about it in an earlier podcast, and what we're going to do is we're going to engage everybody at home or in the car or wherever you're watching in the office. You are going to call a race. It's a 100 meter race, so it's a sprint.
It's the a hundred meter gift, the gift that keeps on
giving a hundred meter paddles ready, gift down the line. People will subscribe, they'll name will come out. You call the race if that person wins or if that club wins.
The prizes, the giveaways,
prizes, shirts, you name it.
Could be cash, could be Bitcoin.
You never know
it's coming your way, wherever it's doing.
Okay,
so just for the people at home and for us, and we're gonna test this out. I've given you now your first, uh, start list and here we are for hand tell. It's
almost like a race call. It is and it is
OSes Phantom call. So over, ah,
the phantom calls over to me.
Come on. Little piece of
paper. They're just arriving. They're just arriving at the top of the start line and the sweeps are getting 'em in position. So I'm over to
you. Okay. This is a standard boat open final. The a hundred meter paddles ready gift didn't won the RO warriors. A hundred from New Zealand Falls Creek.
Settling in good in two Stormy from Hong Kong. Different strokes in three ER in four. Philadelphia in five, and the dolphins from the UAE under Phil Reader start. Battle's ready? They're off. Stormy's gone away quite well. Different strokes out and then dolphins left behind in Philadelphia coming from behind as they usually do.
Falls Creek picking Bit Crow. But the WA do a hundred warranty. Warriors are flying up. It looks like different strokes and Acura coming. Acura bringing it Falls Creek. And the oh, Philadelphia's just got over the line. Ker second. And the Wao a hundred water warriors in third. That's your first taste of the hand Os
Phantom call.
Phantom call.
And that was beautiful.
Paddle's ready.
Woo Dougie. How are you here, Dave? Uh, I'm, I'm always good. I'm always good. I've, I've, we've got a very special guest. Yeah. We have, you know, we've got the, we've, we've got the president, we've got the big kahuna. We've got, uh, Claudio sc, president of the International Dragon Boat Federation. Claudio, welcome to Paddles Ready.
Thank you very much. Uh, I'm very ready to be with you.
This is gonna be fun.
Ready to, I'm ready to paddle with you. You are paddle ready? I'm ready to paddle with you.
Well, that's one of my things, Claudio, that one of the things Nick and I spoke about, we want you to have initially your paddling brain on.
When you were paddling, but then we need your president brain and we are going to extract a few, will we extract some paddling, um, insights out of you from when you paddled. But then we really want to get down into what it's like to be president, um, for dragon boating.
Uh, speaking of that, I had Claudio, he went to the Diggers 'cause he goes to Dubai.
Sometimes I put him in the boat. I've got videos of Claudio in seat five or six with the Dubai diggers. Remember that? Claudio? Yes.
Yes. I remember, I remember I did. Well that time, just the, uh, timing was, uh, a little bit uncomfortable for me because, uh, uh, when they said, uh, let's go train together. So, okay, see you tomorrow morning.
Yes. At four o'clock I will, we will be under your, uh, house in Dubai and under your hotel in Dubai. So four o'clock in the morning. Uh, I, but I went, I was on time and I did all my job.
It was good. Bella Bella.
Yes, the only time good because it's too hot in Dubai, so we must train very early in the morning.
Good. Say, that's why we've gotta train at 4:00 AM
So fir, first of all, I want to, first of all, I want to say where I am because, uh, you see is I'm not a, it looks like I seen the, in the, in the video looks like a saint that, but, uh, I'm not a saint, but. Be behind me. I am in the, uh, secretary o office of the, on the seat of the Macau, uh, uh, uh, dragon Boat Federation.
Ah, Macau.
Yes. I'm in Macau in this moment. So, uh, I've been in Hong Kong. Hello, Peter. Yes, Peter is around here, is working in the other, even if today's the first may, nobody should do work, but we are here for Dragon Boat. It's not a work, it's just a pleasure.
And you've just been at the sixth Asian Games, Claudio, you've just finished in at seia.
Yes. So a lot of things, new things, and there's a good, uh, opportunity, uh, to stay with you. Thank you for the invitation because there are new things I've been, uh, uh, I've been, uh, to the six Sian games. Very important that, uh, that's was representing by the International Dragon Boot Federation and by the Asian Dragon.
Federation was organized the event and was very successful. We had super special guests including the past president. Um, and today, honor already president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach. Uh, there was the Minister of Sport of China, president of the Olympic Committee, uh, of China, uh, president Gao and, uh, uh, the president of the Olympic Committee of um.
O of, uh, uh, Indonesia, the President of Olympic Committee, um, of Hong Kong, and, uh, the president of the Olympic Committee of Albania. So, uh, really a lot of people including, uh, some member of the IOC, uh, Gula Limberg from Sweden. Uh, and others. So it was a great part there to show up. Uh, the, our dragon boat and the event was fantastic because, uh, all race very tight.
The, the, the, the Indonesians and the Chinese and, and, and the Thai teams were amazing. The racing was at that. So with that, where you were, is Dragon boating today in a really good position? And, and, and where do you see it going? You mentioned. ICF Internet you mentioned, uh, Olympic committee. We've had, we've had some discussions on it.
We'd love to see it.
Well, it sounds by Nick, by what Claudio's just said. It sounds like it's well and truly global.
Yes, the, the, the, the Dragon boat now is becoming really global. I didn't mention the ICFI didn't mention change the ICF on purpose. And I, uh, would avoid to, to mention ICF. We, we, uh, this year is 35 years of the International Dragon on Boat Federation.
It is Dragon Boat. Of the modern era exists is because, um, we have an ancient origin, uh, 278 before Christ, as you know, with the Legend of Chew one and after in 19 76, 278, before Christ, you didn't know the legend of Chew. Huh. So two, one was, uh, uh, man, I knew it
was 2000, but when you throw in Christ, that makes it a whole different story.
Yes. 278 before Christ. So that's is and, um, his side on the fifth date of the fifth Moon. Um, and, uh, all the fishermen and the, and the farmer. Went to try to look for his body in the, in the, in the river, uh, near, um, in the Unan Province in Milo, in, uh, in the Unan province. Uh, where LA last year we had the work cup.
And, uh, so the fifth day of the fifth moon that was celebrating with the drum to, to, to. Uh, to make sure that, uh, to avoid that the fish, uh, eat his body and, uh, to remember this, uh, this historical day because he was very much loved by the, the people and, uh, uh, uh, and he, he wanted to, uh, to show his, uh, solidarity in a way that of, of course, uh, is, uh, uh, today is not acceptable.
But at that time was a very strong message, uh, to the politician and, uh, uh, of that time. In 1976, so coming all this story that, uh, in all US and all China, this was a festival Dragon boat with so many different kind of boats. As you know, the dragon boat has a lot of tradition boats in, uh, 1976. So 50 year ago in Hong Kong, there was the first international festival of Dragon Boot.
So the, uh, the British asked to participate to the, to the, the, the race in, in China, in Hong Kong, and that's become international. A lot of invitation was start to spread all around the world and the international crew start to practice this kind of sport in 1991. A number of, uh, nations decided to found, uh, the International Dragon Boat Federation.
So you see 1 78 to today. We are in 26. 50 years ago in 76. Started, uh, uh, the, uh, dragon boat of the modern era with the International Festival in 91, 35 years ago. Uh, start, uh, the International Federation. And this is something that I have to announce now. You are the first, uh, exclusive, exclusive information for you.
We like this. We like this. Claudio
29, 29, April, uh, 2026. When I become president, I said I want to bring back Dragon boat at home, so that from 29 April, 2026, dragon Boat has been incorporated in Hong Kong. So now the seat, the headquarter of the International Dragon Boat Federation is already in Hong Kong.
That, uh, will be celebrated during, uh, the Hong Kong Festival that, uh, will be on the 27th, 28th of June. And, uh, we will have an executive committee here in Hong Kong. We will try to make sure that, uh, coming to Hong Kong, opening an office, starting to work together here in front of Hong Kong, there is Macau, where there is the Our Secretary General that we can really start to, uh, to, to be an hub for, for Dragon Board
Claudio.
That is amazing and congratulations. 'cause I first met Mike Hussle in Hong Kong in the, in, in, in, in the nineties. So you, your vision and with the whole global Dragon boat vision to bring it back home. Congratulations to Hong Kong. Wow.
Hey Nick. It's just a, it's only, uh, you and I were having a chat about my old man.
He has got photos from the 1986 Dragon Boat Festival. He's still got negatives in his cupboard with his wife, Kerry, and he's gonna send them down to you and I so we can get them, um, taken off a negative. Use them on the podcast and maybe send 'em over to Claudio. But that's 1986 International.
Well, Paul Langley, they paddled for the Navy in 19 70, 76, the Australian Navy in Hong Kong.
So there you go. What a history. What a
history and they sat and they, I think they sank in the Victoria Harbor 'cause the Glos, they were too heavy.
That is, I wasn't in that boat. This is, no, this is the message. This is the message. Because at the beginning, the difference is that arrive people from Australia, from Grape Britain and from Italy, from a lot of nations, try to beat these fishermen.
But we always lost because we were not in the team mentality. So, um, all the, the, the team coming and. Now I can say something about the ICF. Let's say ICFI was a kayaker and for me to move to dragon boat was a real change as a person because, um, kayaker is an individual sport that I love, kayak, but
kayaking as in C one or, or full kayak
kayaking?
No, that was Cano. I was Kayak. K
one.
I was in K one, K two, K four. I did a lot of, uh, competition. Okay. And I was very good coaching kayak back. Um. I had a very good friends also paddling in, uh, uh, in, uh, in, uh, Australia, like, uh, uh, grand Kelly, clin Robinson and all this people of the time. Okay. And uh, uh, because I was the coach of one very famous kayaker that is very much love at the Italian kayaker.
That was much, much love in Australia. That is Daniella Scarpa. He won Olympic Games in 1996 and, um, and, uh, he was very much, uh. Australian, let's say even is an Australian
Italian. An
Australian Italian, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes. So I mentioned him, he would be happy that I, I mentioned him in this moment of remind, but the difference, the difference is that the kayaker is in the, the individual mentality.
The difference with the, with the fishermen is that they are used to work together and everybody has to do its job. And this is the message of Dragon Boat today is very, very. It is a very actual, uh, message because today you can't run a company on your own. You can't, um, play football on your own. You can't do anything on your own.
And nothing more than Dragon Boat represent the teamwork.
Dragon Boating's evolved, but I've seen it from that team building to festivals to to international events. Let's talk about the club crews. Have the club crews every two years and then the internationals. How important is club crew, uh, to dragon boating as a whole, do you think?
Dougie, you, you, you, you can touch on a, a, a couple more things here. I think we wanted to really pick Claudio's mind about that, that club crew.
Yeah. Well, like Claudio, think, you know, you, you go Claudio.
No, uh, that is, is a very simple reply because, um, in other sport, uh, when they do the world championship, they would, the most important, uh, uh, championship are the most national champion.
The World Championship for national team, for us is important to continue to respect the the team. For the reason that I said before, the idea of the teamwork. So for us, the crews are important as they are. So we, it is important to have the World Championship for national team, but it is even more important to maintain and to balance the world championship for clubs because in the clubs there is the real spirit of dragon boat in the clubs.
They grow together, they live together, they become friends. Together. And so for this reason to maintain the idea to have every two years, um, club Crew Championship, that is our way to acknowledge and respect the teams as they are. Because sometimes, sometimes in our sport, and I don't think there is another sport, uh, that can, can say this, sometimes club teams are stronger than national teams.
That was gonna lead into my next question. So with the sport rapidly growing so much. The club paddlers are basically the future of dragon boating going forward, and then that will lead into the elite national teams.
Yeah, so the, uh, every, uh, nations follow a different system to select national teams. Uh, most problem in China, they really, uh, respect the, the, the concept that a team is a team.
So, um, I think they have internal, um, trials and, uh, from that competition they select the best team and goes as it is in other nations. Uh, the, the teams come from different city and they train together with some training camp. Everything, uh uh, is different and I can tell you which is the rules in every, uh, in every nations.
But for sure, some nations try to promote as a national team, the best team as it is. Or at least they try to change that team as less as possible because tourists start from scratch. A new team, you, you put the 20 best partner individual. Not always you get, uh,
no, no,
the, the something better.
So for example, um, early on.
You'd have in Australia, you'd have the national championships, and whoever won that premier for their division, they represented Australia. So if you had Gold Coast Dragons that won the national title, they were representing Australia back in the day. Um, the, the, the UAE, um, uh, great Britain, they had, uh, some of the northern teams and then they'd represent, but I think things have changed and evolved and they try and get the best paddlers.
They go to training camps like in Canada or America. Um, you know, breast, breast cancer, paddlers. Uh, they have, we, we, you know, we, we've had Mary, she's your vice president. She, she alluded some amazing stuff that those powerful women are doing. Um, but so that, that's, that's the club crew, uh, worked up. Doug.
Doug, where, where, where's your next one for Claudio. We love,
well, I wanted to just roll into this one. Nick. I was very interested. What, Claudio, what is the single biggest opportunity for Dragon boating right now? Is it the Olympics? Is it youth growth? Is it media exposure, or is it sponsorship? Where, where, where right now does dragon boating need to go?
We, we need to balance all these things because we need, uh, uh, rebranding and sponsorship policy because, uh, uh, we need funds to grow as an organization. We can't continue to be just completely a material, so we need some, uh, professional too. Give values to the big, uh, um, to the big message that is together with Dragon Boat, we have, uh, dragon Boat, uh, as I say, is not only a sport, is a message of friendship, is a bridge between east and west is, um, um, uh, is a way of life.
Sometimes I say because, uh. Um, the dragon boat is a huge family. Uh, when we in, there is no other championship that, uh, no other sport that in a single championship can have 6,507,000 athletes. You can find this numbers, uh, for example, in a marathon. But the marathon, you arrive in the morning and you finish out after three, four hour, everybody's back home in uh, uh, in a big marathon.
You can go to the New York Marathon. There's beautiful, the thousand even more. But, uh, the issue is that, uh. At the Olympic Games, you find, uh, seven, 8,000, uh, 10,000 people. That stays for a few days, but no other single sport allowed this. And the Dragon Boat, when we have a championship every year, we put together six, 7,000 people, 5,000 people that stays for 10 days together.
So this is really a community and this is really a positive message. So I love the spirit of Dragon Boat. Very much energetic. I was, uh, speaking, uh. Yes, I think I was speaking with you on, um. A few days ago when, uh, I was describing the feeling that I have when I do prize giving. So for me, uh, I'm always happy to do prize giving because when I do prize giving, I feel that, uh, I give all my, uh, I try to give all the attention and the.
To make, feel the, at the athletes, uh, at the top of their career. But at the same time, I receive from them so much energy. So after a championship, I really feel recharge of energy is a real positive exchange of energy, of, uh, culture, sport, um, everything. So I'm,
and that brings it all together?
Yes. All together.
The culture, the energy, the passion, um, all the different, all the different disciplines from, from the youth, the, the universities, the schools, the para dragons, the the breast cancers of. It's a plethora of it. Dragon Boat is global.
The other point that that is, was only the beginning of my reply, but the question is, where do you want to go?
Olympic games is the, our final focus of course, but you know, at the Olympic Games, there are limited number We want to stay and this is our policy. We want to be IOC recognized because we are not, and this is the message to all the patterns in the world. We are not a discipline of canoeing. We are not a discipline of paddle sport.
We are dragon boat. We are a sport. We are a sport, not a discipline of another sport. We have different traditions. So, uh, the kayak come from, uh, from, uh, Eskimos, the canoeing from, uh, Indians, uh, in, uh, in America. Uh, dragon boat come from China. Dragon boat from come from the legend of two I one. We have.
2000 year history, we are our identity and we develop the sport. Including so many people involved, if you think that, uh, uh, well, I have a board of director of five people and an executive committee of 12 people. And I have, um, uh, 20, uh, four people, 20 people in the, in the council. We have, uh, international, uh, uh, we have Continental Federation in all the five continents.
That includes, uh, maybe 15, 16 people in the council. We have six, 600, uh, uh, international race official prepared and qualified by the IDBF. So we are a community, organizing a community even bigger. So that is the, the, the issue. Uh, and for this, I'm proud to say that Dragon boat is a sport. We are ready. And uh, when I was invited to the 100 year of the International Canoe Federation, I was invited.
I still say thank you for this opportunity. I had the opportunity to speak and I make a, a speak, uh, speech, become, um, a little bit famous that I am, I want to underline always one family throughout. So let's say that we are a child that we grow, we are 30 5-year-old, and it's not healthy. Even if we love our family of the paddle sport, it's not healthy that we live with our parents.
We have our own house. Our own house is International Dragon Boat Federation. This is our house. Then at Christmas, Easter, and in big occasion, like the Multisport games, we can stay together. We can join together, we can cooperate together because we are a family, but we are, we have our own identity and we don't want to.
Uh, withdraw our identity
and bringing it back home to Hong Kong is only gonna strengthen that.
Strengthen that. And then that leads me into a, another question, which just hearing your passion, Claudio hearing your passion, just then I'm gonna know the answer. And so is everybody at home. But I'm going to give it to you anyway when your presidency is complete.
What do you want your legacy to be and where do you wanna leave Dragon boating globally. Oh,
great question.
I And, and you're not, you're not leaving
yet. You're not leaving yet. Claudia.
Let's say, let's say that I am at the big, no, let's say that I'm at the beginning of the journey. Uh, I serve the athletes and the members.
So I am, I believe in what, uh, uh, I write. I begin. I believe that, um, when somebody stands for president, he must say. Something, uh, it must have something to say or something to deliver. So when I will finish my term, I will say, when I stand four years ago, I wanted to do these things now. Over 20 points we have done 5, 10, 12.
Okay. We have achieved this step by step. So we have an idea now we have to do these other things. So if you want, we can continue. If you want to change the, the, the, the direction. Very good. Yeah, of course. But I think that, uh, today with the incorporation in Hong Kong, we make, um, really a milestone for our federation because we are the first international Sport federation to incorporate in Hong Kong to welcome us.
They change the law and this will apply also to next International Sports Federation that big decide to incorporate in Hong Kong. They, uh, have allow for three years. For three years. They give us a support of $100,000 to, uh, specifically for, to open, uh, a seat, to open an office, and with two resources for the office to work for the Dragon Board.
Now our federation. We are member of the, of the aims. Uh, the, we are member of the sport accord before the name was, uh, global, um, guys, global Association of International Sport Federation. And uh, so that means we are. Part of the Olympic family, but we are not recognized by the Olympic Committee in, uh, in this process.
We have never had a real office thanks to. Now I am here in the office of the Secretary General because, uh, in Macau, the, the, the environment is fantastic. I can show you after I take the computer and I walk around, so I show you what's happened here because this is real. This is the Heart of Dragon book.
Before I said I. Take the energy, um, when, uh, when uh, I receive energy, when I do prize giving. But when I come here, I really, um, this is really the place where you get the, in inspir when you get inspired.
2010 was the club crew. Club. The club crew was in Macau 2010. I paddled there.
2030 dragon boat. There is the lake.
There is no competition. I said, why there is this, uh, or the lanes already on place? Oh no, this is for training. So in Macau, we have a racing course always on place. Yesterday night from my hotel, I saw 20, 30 boats training. And uh, I said, what is this? What is it? Some program? No, this is normal. Every evening at seven o'clock they train in Hong Kong is the same.
So we are here in the hub and we are opening the, the, we didn't, we never had an office before. And now we an a real office, an international drug board federation office with on the door written international drug about federation. Now we are going to have this, yes, we, we make this real. The next step is to make sure that this will be something, uh, that can, um, be, uh, useful for the sport and for our community and our partners.
The people has to understand this, and that's to be proud to be member of the federation.
Yes. And Claudio, that's why paddle's ready are, are, this is why we created this,
this is why we wanna be that global voice.
And, and we have been. And having you and a guest. Um, you know, I lived in Hong Kong. So did Doug.
I was in Hong Kong 1993 till till 2002. That's where I got involved in dragon boating.
Well, he's going for a walk.
Yes. I want to bring you to see something because you see here a lot of medals sink. We're on the move. Paddle's
ready.
We're live. We're on the move with Claudio. We're in the office in Macau.
Peter
Ner is the Secretary
General here.
Look, this is uh, uh, a Dragon one amies trophies.
I left in 2010.
Yes, you can see and look here, just
holy smokes. The boats are there.
Yes, but not one Look only here after, what did
you say? 30.
No. Uh, here is 6 9, 12 15 here with all the head and tapes. You can see. You can see it.
Wow.
Wow.
We can see it. And, and behind there,
the heart of Macau Dragon boating to you live from Claudio's Ski. It is amazing.
Yeah. You see here it's another.
We don't wanna lose your internet in Claudio.
You can see me okay. Okay. Yeah, now we can.
You're a good, you're a good looking man. Of course. We can see you.
Okay. But now the last things that, uh, let's say that the last things that I want to show you that the lake is here and, uh, I don't know if you can see there is, uh.
I think we've lost.
Okay. Okay. You get to me. You
be, you better go back him. We, we, we, don't, we? Yeah. We don't wanna lose the podcast list. Yeah, no, you we're, we're back.
Okay. We're back with
You're
Backr
I, DB F President
in Mac
is
a racing course already prepared. You know, today is the first, today is the first May, the competition year. The international. The international. The international competition year is on the 17, 18, and 19 of, um, when is the competition? Uh. The international festival.
June 19th, June 19th, June 19. But e everything is already ready to off the paddles.
You just need some commentators.
That's it. So Nick, Claudio, I'm going to, uh, lighten the mood a little bit. I've got one more question before one of my questions. Claudio, I want you to go back to you and I and Hando standing at Brandenburg on the, uh, where we had our commentary box.
That's right.
If you had 60 seconds to speak to someone who had never paddled before, why should they hop into Dragon Boat tonight at trainee?
Join me for training tonight because, um, um, you can come as you are. You don't need nothing. It is very simple. You jump on the boat. The boat is the same for everybody, for children, for companies, for top level.
And, uh, you can paddle easy. Follow us, I will say near you and I will teach you how to paddle and you will enjoy after 3, 4, 5. 10 minutes, you will be able to perform also a little competition. Of course, you will be not at the top, but there is no other sport in the water that you can go on a boat and practice and compete very easily and uh, immediately is a sport for all.
And make friends for
life. No other sport is a sport for all, but it's a sport top level,
as I just said. And make friends for life
or friends for life. Yes, for sure. If you're a member of the drug boat, uh, in everywhere except in Italy, because uh, in Italy we are farmers. That is a joke there for my Italian friends because we are very good when we, um, our target usually is Germany.
So we lose with Germany, but 1, 2, 3 years and we win. The moment that we win, we split the crew and we start again. So we need another ah,
boom, boom, boom, boom.
But this is a system to make more team because after the, the team arrives, they split and they create two teams and create two teams and create two teams.
So that is a, a joke that I always do that with the Italian. I always say, if we are together. If we are together, we can be the best. And uh, uh, in Italy we have a good movement of dragon boat, but sometimes we have not the results because they split. And I always encourage to be together.
The Italians. In Brandenburg, we had Claudio.
So Claudio, let's, let's touch on the commentary from Italy. When I'm on a tent with, with Simone and Simonette calling. And then Brandenburg, we ended up. Engaging the paddlers, the coaches, the, the, the, the heads of federation support. The interaction that you had with the live stream was amazing. So we're gonna, we're gonna emulate that again.
Tell us about where the next club crew is, um, and, and what's happening in Taiwan.
Uh, let's, uh, next, uh, championship is Ian that, um, is in China, Tepe, and, uh, the, in, uh, in Ian. We expect 6,000 athletes. We have, uh, a super program of, uh, six racing days. We are trying to, uh, encourage and give positive message because, uh, to have a championship, uh, in, uh, in this moment, uh, in, um, in, uh, Taipei, it was a challenge, but to, uh, we can be really, um.
Let's say, uh, messenger of dialogue and peace and sport. So that is a friendship. So we go there, we will be all there, uh, following the. The, uh, IOC policy. There is no pol uh, there is no politic in sport. And everybody go there to enjoy the beautiful venue, the huge hospitality that they are planning. And, uh, uh, I'm sure that will be a memorable event, but, uh, I, I have to say that, uh, I know the commentators of this event, no,
really?
Yeah.
Who are they?
Who are they? I know
we're already preparing. And y you touched on Claudio and Dougie. When Dragon Boat, like you said, it, it, it makes friends lifetime. I'm talking to people now with the podcast, with paddles ready. From, from Julie in Canada, Tommy in America. You've got, you've got Jason who runs in, in the Middle East, uh, Simon in Hong Kong.
Claudio, the president. It's Bri. It's so exciting. This next chapter for us, for us as paddles ready.
What's more exciting is what we're talking about, about the sport that we love. The podcast and the Instagram and Facebook. How many of the disciplines are now coming across the dragon boating and watching and liking our podcast?
Are liking our Instagram, are liking our Facebook. You got single skis, K one, C one, double ski, stand up paddleboard. They're all logging on and they're all liking and following our podcast, and it is fantastic.
So Claudio help, help, help us spread the word. Help us spread the word through our DB
oh. But this is, uh, this is very important, for example, because I very much in favor of sponsorship and, uh, the way of financing, uh, find the resources because this is our job.
So the, the coaches do the coach the patterns, the, the patterns. But to make everything happen, we must create communication and your. A podcast is very important. I appreciate, and I want to explain that you have a beautiful shirt with, uh, written hap um, paddle paddles up. I, I read
paddle's ready.
Pad ready.
Fantastic. So you should make a little bit bigger because that is how you communicate pads. Ready? Very good. Uh, international Federation. International Dragon Board Federation. Very good. And tomorrow maybe we have big sponsor that can appear and support, uh, your activity, but also our, um, uh, federation. So this is, uh, um, because the audience, if we.
Really develop the audience, the people has to understand. I want to give you also some numbers. Numbers is we, uh, we, we have 6,007,000 athletes a championship. We have, uh, 88 members federations. We are an app in Hong Kong. We have an app in Hong Kong. We organize events when you organize a Dragon Boat event.
So we, we want to make the, uh, the city, uh, confident in the idea of organizing events of Dragon Bot. Here in, uh, I have a lot of requests, but we have to say also, uh, abroad because we bring, uh, ROI for the city, very important because we bring. Uh, a community that stays maybe 10 days. And in that case, they spend on, on site, they stay there.
And the, the, the economic impact on, for the organizer city, not for the organizer, but for this hosting, uh, city, for the off nations, is to bring their return of investment, of about economic impact, of about $20 million. $20 million because our paddles arrive, they buy shirt they buy at the shop they go to for food, they go into the hotel.
So we help the economy and we want to be support for, we want to have support for our paddles because we are beginning value to the Austin city. We can, uh, be used into the new generation, into the school. We can make school program, you can do. University program, we can make company events. So we have a lot of things to do and a lot of area of development.
So I, I think that to do all this, you need a complete organization. So the International Dragon Board Federation is the right environment. To be the commission of the International Canoe Federation is not what we want. They can be able to organize one event, but they'll be never able to manage the interest of the community.
So this is what I want to say to all our partners, trust the IDBF stay and work together because we can really make a fantastic journey in the next few years together.
So Dougie and, and Claudia, we had Mr. Lu. From Champion, um, he was a guest in studios because he was down for the New Zealand National Championships with the I Dotting and also the Australian and the Ice Dragons in Mongolia.
Oh my goodness, that, that must have been amazing.
Yes. You mentioned, uh, also this is very important stakeholder of the federation. So there is, um, yesterday in Hong Kong, uh, come champion to and, uh, we were at dinner for with Champion tomorrow. Um, uh, we have Swift that, uh, invited me for, uh, lunch after lunch at the, uh.
Royal, uh, yacht Club of Hong Kong. And, uh, so we will speak with them. We have, um, a patient that is also a very important, uh, because they, uh, yes, and they have done a sponsorship, we have to say, because they have done a sponsorship to the federation to develop a sport in a new country. They didn't. So for us, it's important that they give us, uh, about $25,000.
That is a good, uh, and then, then we have, um, uh, in Europe we have only one boat builder that this is B uk. That makes very well and we are having more, and we have also partners. We are developing. Let's say that all our boat beaters are registered. So we are organizing plates for new plates for our dragon boat so that everybody, like when you buy the car, you buy the car.
But after you have to register. Yes, this is, this is fantastic. But if you look inside, you should have also a place where is echo? That's it. All our patterns. Are authorized with this, uh, logo and we will control everybody. That is something important to say. So for the paddlers, don't try to, don't try because sometimes they make faults this they try to replace and, um, but in this case, like, uh, in, uh, if you do it with the car, police will stop you.
They'll find you and will, uh, don't allow you to paddle. So we will have our strong control without race official about this,
which is good.
It legitimizes the paddle. It legitimizes the paddle. I can't wait to catch up. I can't ca, I can't wait to catch up in person. Um, but from, from hand, from Nick and I thank you so, so much for giving up your time to speak to us from the offices of Macau.
I think the, uh, the groundwork and what you have done putting back into the sport as president. He's absolutely phenomenal worldwide. The new offices in Hong Kong and bringing the sport back to its roots is, uh, going to only make it stronger and better and, uh, bring on Taipei. Can't wait to catch up personally.
Yeah. So thanks Claudio. I idea Beth, IDBF, uh, president Claudio and all the dragon boaters worldwide. This is Hando.
I'm Dougie.
I'm Claudio Paddles. Ready?
Another segment with 60 Seconds with Dougie back on the podcast. And we are with Jayden, the fittest man at the Coma Dragons. The
fittest man. Is it
the boss? The sweet. Alright, Jayden, here we go. What's the worst excuse you've heard from a paddler? Why they can't come training?
Oh, I slept in
dip down wind or grind.
Which way do you
think? Down wind,
early morning training or sleep in
early morning training.
What's more important, fitness or technique?
Technique.
Carbon fiber or wooden paddle?
Wooden
coffee before or after training.
Oh, both.
Who's the biggest talker on the boat apart from yourself?
Oh, well, people will say it's me, but I reckon it's papa
Spring to distance.
Distance
be, or a lemonade on a Sunday.
You know the answer.
Yeah, exactly. Favorite reg you've competed in around the world?
Oh, 2013 Hungary.
Your one tip that he makes a new paddler, a better paddler.
Just self-belief.
Completely sentenced. If I wasn't a paddler, I'd be
a sweep. I know
that's Jayden
Kuma Dragons.
Over and out.
We're back. Oh, Hando. And that's time again This week. I'm Ed Dougie sort
of getting used to it, so it's not gonna be a reaction.
Well, we're gonna do the hot take. This week's hot take.
Okay.
I've picked one for you this week. I think it suits you as a sweep and also over the last 20 years of you coaching.
So my hot take today and my question to you, and I'm interested to see technique versus power in the boat, what wins, races, power, or technique? Because from where I see it, a lot of crews get this wrong.
Absolutely. And there's gonna be, now we've got about a year's worth of interviews on with coaches and federations, but without one, you're not gonna get the other.
But hang on, hang on. Just stop. I'm gonna stop you there. I'm gonna stop you there. 'cause I've seen this plenty of times. They stack the blokes with size of me in the boat, but as soon as the gun goes, they're dead in the water.
Yes. 'cause they haven't.
So this is what my question is, is the technique. Yeah, I've been fortunate enough to be taught the technique over the years and I'd like to think a pretty handy paddler on the left hand side.
Must must have got it taught by the best.
Yeah, exactly. So this is why I'm saying technique first power, because we have both seen it. You put a big bunch of boats in and you think, yo, look at these guys. Yeah. Because by the time they get to the 200 meter mark that boat's it's, it's down
a hundred percent.
You need the technique now with that. Is loaded because there's so many different techniques. So what a coach coming from, from a coach's perspective, you've gotta get the right technique that suits your paddler, your size, your, that. A lot of coaches around the world, every, every year, they'll change the technique and they'll follow the Thai technique or a the Chinese one, or the Canadians with a longer, longer paddle.
But yes. Technique does win. Yep. But you do need the power. So for example, you've got light crew at a 200 meter race with amazing technique and amazing rating. Yep. Can probably keep it up. However, in a 2000 meter race, even if your perfect technique and your 70 kilos and, and, and, and down. But then you've got still good technique.
But, uh, possibly a, a, an an outrigger stroke and a longer stroke, they're gonna do better in the distance races.
Right?
So very a actually, it it's controversial. So many teams, so many federations, whether it's the Canadian, the Chinese, the, the Yugos Laves, like the Germans big Yep. C one paddlers. And, and please, this is a question for you guys.
Please send it up because we are gonna be in interviewing so many different coaches and, and then obviously. For me as a coach.
Yep.
It's, it, it, it, it, it's a combination of technique. But I do need, like, I'll go to a, I'll go to a rugby team or I'll go to a gym and I'll get those athletes and I'll teach 'em the technique.
Well, it's kind of like a, like a foursomes back, uh, not foursome back, um,
foursome backs.
No, no, no. Remember when you used to be at school? And if you'd be going to play a bit of rugby league or something, or bit of touch, you'd always go for the big blokes first and then,
yeah. And you, and, and you teach the technique and there's so much good data.
Even way back when I was in Hong Kong. Yeah. Uh, the Hong Kong Island Paddle Club. Des Mabbott Des Hi. If you're watching, he's up at noon now. Outrigger.
Yep.
The Canadians were, they've taken it to a different level as well, but now globally,
so. Okay. So let's wrap this up quickly. This week's hot take. You're saying it does come down to technique, but you do need the engine rooms in there as well, on the big paddlers.
And then that's the other tee, which is timing.
There you go.
Well, they call it tits time in the seat.
There you go. That's a nice one. There
we go.
Well, that was this week's, uh, hot take. Thanks, Hando.
Thanks, Dougie.
All right, we'll hand over us. Another wrap on another show. Great interview. Um,
super interview and those hot takes.
Oh, I know, I know you're
putting me under the bus.
I know, because it's, uh, it's been a great few weeks doing this. So
that's it. Number, number four, as Doug would say. He got the chocolates.
Yeah, we, the people that keep subscribing, which is great. And the newsletters are now coming out. Uh, great feedback on the newsletters.
So for those at home who haven't yet done
subscribe, email, send
us it all. It doesn't cost you anything, but it just keeps you in the loop with what Hando and I are doing. Um, and then we can go from there, Nick, see you next week.
See you Dougie
back,
back in the commentary. See you soon.
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