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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
Commentary on trends, performances, and competition results
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.
Who owns Dragon boating? Where's that come from? Yeah.
Paddling has taken them all around the world.
We can potentially become the voice of dragon boating for everybody internationally. You've got people in their sixties, seventies, even eighties paddling.
Well, it's generational.
Does dragon boating have a problem?
Because nobody knows who owns it. Wow.
Paddles
ready.
This is Paddles Ready, the Global Voice of Paddle Sports. 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.
Can you believe where we are after 12 months? I mean. Y uh, unbelievable. Welcome, Nico. Good to see you.
Hey, Dougie. Hey, paddle's. Ready. Wow.
I know, I know. Talk
about, talk about, um, evolution of, uh, where the paddle's ready name came from and that, but when we were commentating in Germany 12 months ago
Yep.
And people were just understanding that.
There needs to be this sort of global voice of dragon boating and you've just, mate you've nailed it in, in, in the last couple of weeks
have with Brad, we've just gone from here to here and the support, um, that we're getting behind the scenes. Um, but yeah, like you said, we had the opportunity to go to Berlin, which was, you know, jump on a plane, go over.
That was a fast trip as well. But got to meet the world of dragon boating and uh, had a great time. Commentating on the live stream there. Um, you introduced me to some of the most amazing, influential, delightful people, um, which I've always known, obviously being in the sport with you since 1996, but I think Berlin really set us.
On this trajectory now that we can potentially become the voice of dragon boating for everybody internationally.
Well, well, let's think about where, where it began. And like, I, I, I suppose the light bulb moment for me was when we were in Berlin. So that was the, that was the, that was the Nation's Cup. That was the IDBF.
That was the best of the best. You had everyone there and when we got, um. Julie, the, the head of the Canadian Dragon boating when we had, yeah. How good was Mary? We were just on the phone with Mary Gibson. Mary Gibson from, from from Breast Cancer Paddler Mary, if you're watching Hey Mary. That, that, that was, that was amazing because in Berlin we had her with her knowledge, her expert, she was calling the races, and then we had.
Mike, uh, sorry. Tommy.
Tommy came across
from, from, from the head of the USA. Then we had Mr. Louie, like, but what we want to be able to do is, is not us be the voice. No. We want to be the, the, the, the global voice where you guys can come on. Yeah. You can talk about your paddling experience, whether it's from when you were young or right through to breast cancer survivors to the paddle adapters, like you've got, you've got veterans, like the Ukrainian team that were in.
In Berlin.
Yep.
Were were phenomenal. And they were, they were war torn people. So, you know, this is our first segment. Uh, it, it, it's gonna be clunky. It's gonna be, but hopefully
what it's going to be raw. But we hope that, um, you know, we, we bring you, you know, everyone there at home, we bring you, um, plenty of discussions that's, there's going to be there.
There's probably gonna be things where Nick and I aren't going to agree, so there could be some. Controversy con controversy. Yeah,
maybe. Maybe.
But. Yeah, this is going to be a lot of fun. It's meant to be fun, but at the same time, we want to bring the sport that we love. Nick's been in the sport, um, for over 30 years.
1993, I used to, I had a team called The Diggers and uh oh, Brendan Burn. Every time we'd see each other in Hong Kong, he'd go, paddles ready? And, and that was synonymous to, to the diggers. And then That's right. You know, you, we, we, we met at Stanley, you paddled.
1996. I arrived in Hong Kong, and I still remember the day to this day.
You were in at the Stanley, dare I say it, the Stanley Pub there where we all used to go for a beer. I've come down looking for a beer. I looked across at the bay, just down at the beach there. You guys were all coming up for a beer. Um, I was new to Hong Kong. You introduced yourself. Well, I probably introduced myself to you.
Couple of Aussies, a couple Aussies. Next thing you know, I've got a paddle in my hand and I was, uh, you were
paddles ready.
I was hooked. So, uh,
absolutely
it started there in Hong Kong for me in 1996.
It's taken like many people.
Yeah.
Paddling has taken them all around the world.
Yeah.
For me. Went to the Diggers then I was there in 2007, so they were formed.
But these people on my hat, I had Stevie Spears and Tom Holmes. They got killed in the barley bomb.
Yep.
They're with us every day. Our logo's very important, but it's
not. Can we, can I just, uh, tell people at home, uh, the hat that Nick's wearing, uh, you know, I'm not too sure if you can, you know, go in close, but the paddle actually has the boys' initials.
Who were tragically killed in the Bali bombing.
Yeah. And they remember CV Spears and Tom Holmes. They'll, they're, they're, they're in every logo to this day.
Yep.
To the divide digs. And, and that was, that was amazing. And I thought, and I thought, I thought that was the, that was the be all and end all for me.
Yep.
Commentating my team that were representing the UAE.
Yeah.
I thought that was gonna be a last, but now we're here.
Well, now we're here.
Now we're here. We're paddling. Our paddles are ready. And, and, and we want to, we want to talk. So let's. Let's, let's chunk it down or break it down what you guys are gonna be expecting.
Yeah. Or hopefully, you know, liking us and, and sending us information that, that, that you want to hear. Yeah. That we want to hear. We'll try and have it structured, but we're gonna have great guests from. Iron men to Ky Paddlers to outriggers. Yep. Dragon boat. Legends of the sport
Yes.
Are gonna be AGAs. Can you
give us a couple names that you've got in line for your dragon boating?
Uh, look. One, one, we're definitely, we're gonna have Mary Gibson from the Breast Cancer.
Yep.
Paddling, uh, Mike Hus, who started Dragon boating, like there's, that's back in, in, in, in, in 97. I met Mike in Hong Kong actually. Yeah. Mike Hus. Mike, uh,
and I was actually felt fortunate enough to meet Mike in, um,
in Berlin.
In Berlin.
Yeah, true. You were true, true, true. Were the, the, the whole federation and it, and it's run amazingly, and and it's not. Yes. We're talking outta here. Out outta Burleigh.
Yeah.
In, in the backwaters of, of, of Burley. But, but Dragon boating is global. Yeah. It's over a 2000 year old sport. The culture, the history Mr.
Lou from Champion had like Yeah. 22 million or 200 million people watching his
cast two over 200 million.
Unbelievable and unbelievable. And, and that's what we wanna bring. We wanna bring people on and, and you're gonna be seeing your, your, your mentors, your, your, your coaches, uh, regatta Sport. Merchandise.
H how, how they're, how they're what, what's, what's updated with paddles, you know? Yeah. Johnny from Cross Bone, like, look at this. They're, they're, they're amazing.
So these are our new paddles that we've got. Um, I won't bring in too close, but Johnny from Crossbones. Um, and also we've got our ones with our, uh, paddles ready
logo and, and, and gonna be open to all different manufacturers and that because we want this to be a global voice, to be a global brand.
Doug.
Yep. No, agreed. You're talking about numbers just before numbers. Are the numbers, the history of the sport? You know, it's been around, we know for thousands of years. Thousands of years.
Mm mm
What's, what's your take the tradition.
Yeah, look, I, I, I was very fortunate enough I started in Hong Kong. So traditionally it, it is a Chinese sport.
Over 2000 years, the Tun Festival, which happens over Chinese New Year as well, is, is, is is Dragon boat season. Um, now. Yes. In, in, in, in Asia. And, and then the history of it is amazing. I was very fortunate enough, again, in 2000 we paddled for a, no, sorry, not two. Yeah, it must have been 2000.
Yep.
Uh, for a, a combined Australian team, we went to the three Gorges Dam before they put a put a or, or dislodged about 3 million people, and they flooded the three Gorges Dam.
Like that was amazing. And, and, and, and dragon boating itself. The IDBF and, and the federation have kept that culture.
Yep.
And, and, and the traditional dragon boats, like we, you paddled with me in teak boats.
Yes,
correct. In Stanley, in Hong Kong s Correct. The la one of the largest dragon boat events in the world in Stanley, like, uh, which, which, you know, very fortunate enough again, it's, it's, it's an amazing and, and they sink the boats in their water when it's not off season to keep it
been.
Must be on an algorithm at the moment on my Facebook, 'cause that seems to be coming up a fair bit with the sinking of the boats and all that kinda stuff. Um, no, it's really good stuff
and there's so much to talk to and, and we're gonna be everywhere, but. We are gonna structure this out.
Yeah. So let's, let's
get back on track.
This one was more just who we are. Um, you know, a little bit about the sport, what we've got coming up. I mean, that's the exciting part. Um, and you know, you can also subscribe on our channel, uh, paddles ready.com. So we're gonna be endeavoring to bring out a weekly newsletter, um, in that weekly newsletter.
It'll have everything that goes on in the sport internationally, around the globe. On top of that, we're gonna have a member section. Um, so there's plenty of stuff coming hand though. There's plenty of stuff coming and it's all coming. You know, we've gonna wrap this up
and make coming to you live from Burleigh.
That's exactly right. That's where it's gonna be. And look, let's, let's, let's, let's sort of switch on to possibly a, a, a topic that we're gonna talk about now.
Yep.
Seeing, we're gonna be interviewing people from federations and clubs and everywhere. Uh, just talking to Mary on, on, on the WhatsApp video call.
She's been speaking with people in Chile. Yep. Uh, in, in South America they've got 20 different clubs, so upcoming.
Mm-hmm.
We're gonna be going to the Club Crew World Championships in, in Taipei.
Taipei, we've got that, we're going there in September,
uh, or, or late August, late August, September. Uh, breast cancer paddlers have got 4,500 athletes the week before in August.
Yeah. And then some of their paddlers come over to that. So, and that
regard is in France from memory.
That, that, that's in France. Yeah. I think they're gonna work out, um, you know. Live streaming and that, and paddles ready. We'll be bringing that to you as well. We wanna work, we want to collaborate with everyone, with, with, with, with clubs, with federations, with, with the IDBF, with with outriggers, sir skis, sprint kayaks.
Anything paddling, you know, we wanna paddle for the planet. Oh, that's a, well that's another, that's, that's another, that's on another
episode.
That's even another episode. That, that, that we can do that. So, so let's break it down last week.
Yep.
Uh, or sorry, a couple of weeks ago you and I did the, the state championship.
So for a lot of the people that'll be coming online with us
Yep.
They know what's happening, but we want to engage them their local club. So you have the, the, the Queensland Dragon Boat Federation? Yes. Uh, good old Blair. Janelle, uh, Marie, all of them that looked after us during the state Champ state Championships.
And then now on the 18th to the 23rd is the Australian Aussie BF
Yep.
Which is the National Championships. Yep. So, you know, you, we, we, we've been talking to Melon Lachlan about that. They've got some great commentary going on there. We are gonna be there. I'm gonna be sweeping, you
are gonna be
competing.
So I'm in, I'm with Brisbane Typhoon competing.
Yeah, that's true.
Yeah.
How many. And your crew, it's your per, you know, your own crew. How many?
Yeah, we've, we've got 65, but we're we, we are with Brisbane Typhoon. Yeah. So we're going look to do the best we can there. Yep. But all the clubs are converging on Kiwana.
That's
Lake Kawana. So for those are Home, Kiwana Waters is a, um, suburb, I guess you say, or Township of the Sunshine Coast up here in Queensland. Um, so if you have a look at your map of Australia, for those who are watching us abroad. Uh, Kawana Waters has a f fantastic facility. I mean, you and I have been there, what, three or four times now?
Mm-hmm. Um, I've been there twice to commentate and once I think I just, uh, went down there to see you. But it's a great waterway and when Nick talks about the state titles, we are talking about the Queensland State titles that we commentated and now we call it the Aussies. Here, we've got the Australian titles, the Aussies coming up, and we'll be both be there and you'll be competing.
So it's pretty exciting stuff.
Yeah. And look, we're gonna be interviewing, so talking about content. We are going to be going down and we've done, we've, we've, we've, we've, we've done the, the old handouts. Handouts, but the paddle's ready live stream before. Yep. We're gonna be getting, we're gonna be interviewing people.
Yep.
And clubs so they can tell their story and, and they can share, uh, where they've come from, their family experiences, whether it be, uh, paddle, a, a, a adaption from, uh, I I think we, we've, we've got special categories now where people, you know, amazing people that, that, that have, um, disabilities Yeah. That Pat and, and they actually paddle in the world championships.
Yeah.
Along as the breast
cancer dug. And that's the beauty of our sport, just. It's one discipline, but there's so many people of different, you know, what's the word I'm looking for? There's just so many different, you know, nationalities, um, you know, you've got shape,
sizes,
shapes, sizes. That's where I'm trying to go with this
stories.
Absolutely. Um, you've got the disability guys and girls. You've got the breast cancer survivors. You've got elite athletes who, you know, are pushing for, you know, professional sportsmen, so to speak. And then. On top of that, one of the clubs that, you know, we both paddled for in the early days. You've got like the Burley fire dragons.
You've got people in their sixties, seventies, even eighties paddling.
I know they're, they're
almost called senior D. And this sport I love about our sport. And then you throw in the mix with. Schools. I think we're talking this morning, Canberra Grammar and other schools that are now coming through with the teenagers and the kids.
And that's youth we can talk about. That's another sign,
that's another side. Uh, morning To Sonic as well. Lovely to see you up at the Queensland State titles.
Yeah, we interviewed Martin. Yep.
Up
there, interviewed Martin. So, you know, Sonic, what a great program for the kids coming through. I, I remember. In the commentary box the other day, and there was a little fella, I'm not too sure what his name was, and I tried to find him, but he would've been all a forefoot.
And he's up the back there and he's with the sweep. And I was just going, how good is our sport? You've got a kid here who's around 10 or 11, and then you've got people in their nineties paddling.
Well, it's generational. Like you, you're you're talking about when I, when, when we first, when I came back from Hong Kong?
Yeah. After my hi first hiatus there from, from 89 93 till about 2000, 2002. Got involved with Brisbane River Dragons.
Yep.
Hutches Goya. Scott Hutchinson Builder gave us, gave us 10 grand. Uh, we got boats, we got sponsors. You came in, paddle with that? Yep. We paddled together in the Queensland team over in South Australia.
That's
right. Went down to Adelaide
four, six, then I went back to Hong Kong.
Yep.
So some of those people are still in the sport, but their children and grandchildren. Yeah. Are in, in the sport. So
that's
it. AKA ra. Just, just a few that, that, that we saw. So you've got the young Typhoon team that we're with Yeah.
With a few older ones coming on board now.
Yeah.
And, and the professionalism, like you were talking about elite athletes. Wow. In Berlin.
Oh my,
you're talking the Olympians, the Chinese. The Taiwanese, like, uh, what is it, Mr. Taipei from, from Taiwan.
Yeah.
These are professional athletes.
Yeah. And we'll endeavor to do it later on in the show, like as we go along in episodes.
But it's one thing that I, if you haven't already seen it at home, Nick and I got the call, I can't remember if it was the 200 or the 500, but it was the gold medal race. Um, in Berlin at the Worlds and China won, and I think from memory it was Canada who got second. Um, and the
USA third
possibly and USA third.
But I tell you what the rating, the excitement on the foreshore, you and I are commentating to this day. Well, that's
where paddle's ready. We, we,
we, to this day is the greatest moments of my life. Absolutely. Um, and then when I got to watch it again and I'm going. Hand. We're doing this little
China, the Chi, the Chinese labels, and
I think Hong Kong.
Then on the bottom. Yeah, on the bottom it's got the Mandarin italics. I've been going and we're in Chinese.
Yeah. Yeah.
So, but getting back to what I originally said. And you're talking about the generations. What about when we're in Berlin and we got to hang out with the Aussie girls and guys from the under 18, under 19 with
their parents and
their parents
are
there, their parents were paddlers.
They, and then they were there under 18, under 20 fours, hundred
percent. And there was, and
we got them on the commentary
as well. I worked out that there was some. Uh, girl there, or some, uh, young lady who was paddling in your under eighteens, and I don't think I ever told you, but her dad, I got to, I just met him and he actually said to me, he goes, oh, paddle view in on the Brisbane River.
That's right. That's
right. I was going, oh my God, that was like 2010. But the generational thing that this sport does, the different, um, ages, the different disciplines. That's the word I was looking for. It has everything dragon boating
and, and, and, and again, I think you. You, we can touch on that. There's so many different categories that people go to a world stage.
Yep.
You've got your club crews that, that likes. When I, the, the, the paddles ready went to Italy.
Yeah.
Then you've got your nation's cup. Then we're back to the club cruise. So it's every two years is the Nation's Cup. China, they have special, uh, events where there's a hundred meters. Uh, you know, and, and we'll go on that, but.
We really just wanted to Dougie mate. Fantastic that you've got paddles ready and Andrew, and, and getting the website with Adam with the podcast. This is Us. This is what you're getting. This is us. Uh, we are the paddles
Maca down in Adelaide.
Yeah. Andrew Maca. But
it's, um,
this is our first one. I hope that, that you all like it because we are engaging.
There's, there's, we're gonna be talking about everything and anything as you can see. Uh, we, we, we do jump from side to side, but yeah. But this is our first paddles ready podcast. And
how good.
How good. Paddle's ready. Paddles ready. Thank you. It's good.
Okay. So tonight we're down here at the waters of Varsity Lakes, and I am with a very good mate of mine. Two decades. We've known of each other.
Three,
three decades. Unbelievable. Um, and with Barry Young, your favorite dentist from the Gold Coast. Oh,
thank you.
Firstly, I've gotta ask one question. What's your favorite extraction?
Uh, wisdom tooth.
Wisdom tooth. Okay, cool. Okay. What club are you from?
Uh, gold Coast Dragons.
Worst excuse you've heard from somebody for missing training.
Uh, it's raining,
downwind, grind.
Uh, always downwind.
Okay. Early morning training or sleep ins?
Uh, definitely early mornings.
What's more important, fitness or technique?
Fitness,
carbon fiber or wooden paddles? Oh,
without carbons.
Coffee. Before or after training?
Always after.
Ah,
especially with the crew.
Okay. Biggest talker on the boat?
Biggest talker. Sweet.
Individual person.
Individual person. Hogie.
Hogie. Okay. Sprint or distance?
Uh, sprints.
Be or lemonade? On the Sunday afternoon after Regatta
Lemonade for me.
Favorite Rega. If you completed in around the world,
uh, Sarasota Good World Championships,
your one tip that instantly makes someone a better paddler.
Let's keep going.
Complete this sentence.
If I wasn't a paddler, I'd be a,
probably did.
Thanks Barry. It's paddle's ready. See you, mate.
How are ya? I've got one. I've got a beauty for you today.
I'm here. I'm ready. I'm paddles ready. What's happening? Tell me about it.
I don't know how you are going to cope with this. There's controversy. Am I going to lie to Grenade? Am I gonna lie to Grenade with this? But I've decided to bring in hot takes of the week.
Okay. Hot
takes. This is a segment that's going to be on our. Podcast Weekly where you and I are gonna spend three to five minutes discussing something that might just get an itch under your, um, just, yeah.
So this is a, our first bit of structure.
I don't know if it's structure, I don't know if the show might end and our partnership might, might end, but let's get into it.
Okay.
What's your hot take? So my hot take is who owns Dragon Bodhi?
Where's that come from?
And does dragon boating have a problem? Because nobody knows who owns it.
Wow. Is this for me or for the viewers?
Oh, we, I'm gonna throw it out to the viewers. No doubt. But obviously
who owns Dragon boating?
You've got the IDBF,
right?
And then you've got the ICF,
and then you've got the ICF as a paddler. I don't know who owns it. You are a sweep. You know a lot more about the backend and the politics and may I say the factions?
Yeah, yeah.
Who owns it? Because at this point in time, I know there's a lot of people on the foreshores of these regattas going, what the,
yeah.
Claiming it. Look Mike Hu back in the nineties when I met him in Hong Kong, started the International Dragon Boat Federation.
Yep.
There's always that question about Olympics and can they get new sports? It'd be amazing. I think that's a big topic between the ICF, which is the International Canoe Federation, which is the the Olympic IOC members where IDBF isn't an Olympic Federation, ICFR, so I think they've been trying to collaborate for years.
It's not something. For, for, for ourselves. Many different opinions, Doug.
Yep.
You drop the one, you've, you've litten a bit of a fire. The coals are there,
but why not?
But we want, we, we want, and, and this is our, this is, what do you call it? The hot take.
The hot take. Hot
take week. This is our, this is our hot take.
I, I, I, I think there's many people that participate, whether it's at a, a, a club level and a, a, a local level, national level, and then international level.
Yep.
And the two federations have their own competitions.
Yep.
So. The topic for me to all the viewers, would we love to see it in the Olympics? Absolutely.
10 boats in the Olympics, but it'd have to be qualifying and it'd have to be the best of the best. Yeah. I'd wanna see, you know, you're talking about the phantom call China America. Here come Australia down the outside, you wire their chili. A Ukraine here can all China's like, that's what you want to hear.
Yep.
We don't want to necessarily hear the older. No disrespect because they've given us that, that platform for paneling on it. Absolutely.
So where's the issue lie then? Because is it the canoe, you know, um, the Canoe Federation, do they want to
Well, there's, there's Paddle Australia, there's the, there's ICF, there's IDBF.
That's, you know what, that's a hot topic.
Well have these, do you know, have these guys got in and girls got in a room before and tried to knock this out?
Absolutely. And you know what we're gonna do? We are gonna get a couple of these people and we're gonna interview them.
Okey doke. Well, I'm gonna leave that when I'm now gonna throw it over on our, to our viewers and, you know, on the blog and all that kinda stuff to what their reaction is.
I've got a good gut feeling because I'm down, you know, there on, on the, uh, I guess you could say on the front of the cliff face, so to speak, on the regattas. And I'm hearing about it. They're speaking about it. We are meeting great people like Mike and all that, and they, I just wanted to throw it out there because it is a question that is asked a lot in our sport and I wanted to get your view on it.
So thank you very much.
Yeah. And over to you. Subscribe like link text, call us,
call us,
drop us a comment on YouTube, on the blog. We want to know your opinion
and we will.
And like Clint East said, everyone's got a lot of opinions, we'll
go to em and if we have time. You know, we can come back on this on another episode and just let know what the masses thought, because I think it is probably the hottest topic apart from the Olympics, which is a, you know, massive topic.
And we'll get into that. Yeah.
Yeah. Apart from, and, and have, and Doug, everyone out there have structured comments because you send negative stuff to us. We're not gonna respond. No. But if you've got some really. Like this is a really topic that can be debated
a hundred
percent. And, and, and this is what paddles ready is for.
Yep.
We want to have some of these key bodies on here.
Yes.
And and they can talk about themselves.
Yeah.
And they can give us their, their, their synopsis of who owns
Dragon
Boat.
Dragon boating
because we know who owns paddles. Ready
there? Yeah. Thank you. Well, Hando, that's it. That's our first episode is out of the way.
Paddles ready? What was a pipe? What was the pipe dream last year in Berlin that we thought we might have a little bit of traction? We've done it, mate. Congratulations.
No, Dougie. Congratulations. Actually, congratulations to you. So it, it was the first e episode. Wow. Adam's place at,
it's just, it's surreal.
That's what it is. It's, and
we're here. We're here. We're here. So what do we do next? Obviously, we're gonna welcome you to our. Our our next number, number two. Well, we're off.
We're off to the Aussie titles,
off the Aussie titles.
We're off to the Aus champs. So we're heading up to Kiwana. We're heading up the M1 and up the Bruce Highway.
Alright,
we're gonna get up there. We're gonna get some great footage and
subscribe,
subscribe. Um, if you don't like us, keep it to yourself. But, uh, yes, if you, uh, if you've enjoyed what you've seen on our very first episode, we're just a couple blokes who just absolutely love the sport and, uh, we've been in it a long time.
And, uh, we like to use this platform to share our love of the sport to you guys. So thank you. Subscribe, get on our website, Instagram, Facebook, you name it, Hando. We've got it.
Ah, Dougie on Hando battles. Ready?
See you later.
This podcast is brought to you by POD Pro Australia.