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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.
You cannot paddle in a premier division at 70 years old.
Where did your journey begin with, with, with Dragon boating?
I'd seen dragon boating, and I thought that's a lovely sport.
Today we're joined by someone who has played a huge role in shaping the global breast cancer paddling community.
When I joined, there was.
The capacity to paddle in the club Crew championships.
She's an international advocate, a true community builder.
It's about the people, the people that you touch, the people that you meet,
and a leading voice for paddlers around the world.
For a lot of this, these people, this could be their last adventure.
Let's make it special,
and I love what these women bring to the world and to our sport.
If you genuinely love dragon boating, there are two things you should do, right? You should.
Paddle's ready.
This is Paddle's Ready. The global voice of Paddle Sports live commentary, race coverage, athlete stories, and expert analysis from across the world of battling from Dragon boat racing to ocean ski. This is where the competition, the culture, and the stories come together. Let's get into it.
Dougie and, Hey, how are you mate?
Whew. Bit tired.
Yeah. Well, um, the oz champs, I told to do a, uh, bit of an Aus champs wrap up and, uh, have a bit a chat about a couple, couple things and what we saw and who's who, and, uh. Who, um, specifically won gold medals. Now, before we start
mm-hmm.
I've noticed you've got something on your knee there.
Oh, and I believe you picked up two golds.
Oh, we did. The old, the, the old fellow with typhoon, typhoon didn't make five golds. Yeah. But I'm myself, you'll see a couple of these. Were the ones that I put up. Beautiful, beautiful. Did yous, what did you
win those in?
That was the senior, so we won the senior mix 2000.
Yep.
Typhoon. And then the senior and the women won the, the, the 2000, uh, senior A women and then the senior B men. So the over fifties,
the over
fifties went round in 2000, fighting it out with, uh, Komodo.
Really,
like you're talking about a wrap up. So let's just unpack that a little bit. I think it's the largest Aus champs.
In
history. Yeah. Uh, we were talking to Peter Campos. Yep. The, the president of Australian, uh, dragon boating and Mr. Luau was down from China. Yeah. And some great guests with the, I dotting the ceremony, but the wrap up, the teams,
it was awesome. I did the eye dotting. I went down there and, uh, watched it. Um, had the minister there, Jared bla and who is also the um, I think Dan Pervy was there as well,
right?
I think Dan's the police minister. I think he might be the police. But, um, so the boys came down. Jared, um, gives a lot of time to that Kiwana Regatta, and I know he came down and opened the states up for Blair. Um, and he was there at the Aussie, so, you know, great guy really giving some time to the, um, dragon Boating Federation.
Yeah. And the sport. Um,
but yeah, it, it was phenomenal. Like over the six days, over 8,000 competitors, sometimes on a day there was 1800 competing on the one day from
That's right. Yeah.
Juniors. From your schools, from skulls to Canberra Grammar to the, the team, the black Jag, I think the, the, the, the Perth teams.
Yeah.
Um, we'll probably mention, well we saw South
Australia, you were having a chat with the guys from the
power blades
South Australia,
Sharon, Sharon Eton from, uh, the Power Blades. Yeah.
So 77 teams, I think. Um, we had
a lot of paddlers,
77 teams. So, um, a couple shout outs just before we get going on a few things, uh, Nara.
They came up and saw us and, uh, said G Day. Yeah.
Da Dave and Chicky. From, uh, from Mako.
Yeah, that's right.
Hey, Chicky, the girls, she's a, they're a machine. They won gold. Yeah. Uh, so many different teams won gold. We saw aka uh, different strokes. And, and what about the wro? Hundred waters. Whoa. From New Zealand duck.
Yeah, I know. How big, wow. Are they?
They came over,
how big are
they? And they just dominated. There was a race.
Yep.
In the 2000 they got because it was carnage. Yep. They got swept up. They got stopped. It must have been a minute. They got back up going.
Yep.
And still won.
And still won. We saw someone go overboard.
I think on the Sunday
aka. The aka. Yeah. Aka, aka sweep went overboard.
Yep. Saw that happen. Um,
the sonics, the, the, the
kids, the, the, the youth sport
Yeah. Was amazing. Was amazing
for me. I had one race and it was, it was a heat.
Right.
I'm pretty sure it was a heat, but it was, um, the premier mixed standard boat.
Mm-hmm.
And it was aka. And it was, um, sunny Coast I believe.
Was, was that the one where they broke like two minutes?
1 59, 85. Hang, I've got my notes here. Yeah. Yeah. 1 59 85.
That was a grace call. Bryce and Robbie were calling that night. We chatted to them and, and they were on the My Sport Live. Yep. They were fantastic.
Yeah. So you're talking about a wrap up. They, they did an amazing wrap up as well. So 1 59 was a heat. Oh, that was the heat. It's one
50 and they're breaking two minutes.
Well, the typhoon girls. Yeah, and the girls. That's the fastest time in, uh. In five years, the 200 meter women's,
they were red hot, weren't they?
They were er and different strokes going down.
They were red hot. That was, uh, I watched that race. I remember, I think you were down in, um, scrutineering or down there where they load the boats up
and I watched them marshaling.
Marshaling.
They, and they did marshal well. So the O champs were, were good. But yeah, the largest Aus champs in history from Melon Lachlan were, were, were, were telling us.
Yeah. I noticed. Um, I used the word, you know, small boat chaos. The small boats were unreal. I just loved it.
The whole. Yeah. And, and that, that's in the thou in the two thousands. They, they, you know, as you said, when you're coming into the turn, the, the, the corner and in the afternoon, what did you hit?
Well, you are hitting the wind, but you are also hitting the sun and you're doing that left hand turn.
So a lot of them were coming, cutting inside and missing the boy.
And then
just purely because they were blinded.
Yeah. But also four boats coming up to the one corner and you have to get right away.
Yep.
And then I'd come round, I remember the last, 'cause I was in the last race of the day. I, I was down, it's similar to Jaden from Kuma Kuma because the headwind
Yeah.
With Ja.
And that picked up we two seconds.
Yeah. That, uh,
against,
uh, against that wind was driving there at one stage and you, you watching all the sweeps get right down low. And, um, but yeah, I just wanted to make a stand out of that. The AC race, it was great. And
the flame flames I think were in, in, in, in a lot of it.
And, and Sunshine Coast, they dominated the small boat. Um. And also the big boat mix. They won a lot of gold. Uh, so, so did so many different clubs. And, and then the breast cancer, uh, division, they were there as well. Yeah. Uh, Ken, Ken Marie and Normie.
Yeah.
Were they gonna club Cruise? They won. They won a couple of golds.
Did they? At Redcliffe. The Redcliffe winner.
Red Redcliffe were up there, though. They showed some dominance as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, Kiwana obviously. And thank you to Kiwana for hosting. Um,
thank you to Kiwana and the, and and Queensland Dragon Boat Association. But yeah, the, the Australian. Uh, Aus, DBF did a fantastic job with all the, the, the, the sponsors, the, the merchandise, the food.
Yep. Um,
there's another race there, the seniors, um, the Broadwater Dragons versus Brisbane River Dragons. Yeah.
All right.
Um, it was a, um, I think, uh, BRD got the gold. It was in the 500. Right. That was another, that was another standout for me on top of, um, that one with aca. Um, but all in all, it was a bloody, it was great.
Yeah. Great week. Great week. And, and seeing
the young, the university teams, Doug.
Canberra, grandma, as you just said. Okay. Uh, university of Queensland
versus the University of
Victoria. Showed Victoria or was really, I think it was Victoria,
right?
Um, that University of Queensland team. I'm not too sure. I don't think they've been around for too long.
I may be wrong there, but they were strong.
Yeah.
Um, you know, they're a young team. Got a young bloke on the back there, um, steering, um, sweeping. Um, they participated as hard as anyone else. And obviously we've come to know and synonymous is the with Sonic. Um, so the youth of the sport is s it's safe.
Uh, well, you, you, you'd hope you'd hope to be and, and, uh, I dunno where the next national tiles, I think they did the handover.
Yeah. And I think it's going to Westlakes in South Australia. I think he, that's where we
went in 2006.
Uh, a bit earlier than that I think.
Was it? Yeah.
I can't
remember
possibly. But yeah, I, well they've had some world titles down
there as well, but this, um, to wrap it up. They were my standouts. Obviously your standout was winning a couple gold and watching your club really show some dominance this year.
Yeah. Look, typhoon,
if you've been building it, you've, I mean, you know, you've, you've basically
look Tommo and Renee and, and Nicole and Nicole and, and, and all of it. So from, from premiers right through to senior Bs. Yeah. Uh, the, the club's just grown
and you were a club that was, you know, and, and you had your paddlers, but now you're, you're a, you're a force.
Yeah. And, and, and it was great. And it was great seeing all the clubs.
Yep.
And you know, they now. Earn the right to participate in the next club cruise. Not this one coming up this year, but in two years time in 2028, wherever that will be.
Yeah.
And that, that's fantastic to build upon as well. So congratulations, Aus DBF,
congratulations to the people of Kiwana and Sunshine Coast because you put on a beautiful regatta.
Ah, it is a most And,
and how was the weather?
Oh. The weather's
phenomenal. As soon as Susan had finished the, the, the, the rain finished the, the whole next week.
Yes.
No, but, but you had, um,
but the location, the facilities,
it was on TV 12 class. Live sport. Live my sport live like the, the, the coverage was fantastic.
Yep. And, um,
well that's a wrap. I'm hand
though. That was awesome. I'm Dougie and Paddle. Paddle was ready. Alrighty, Nico, we, uh, we spoke about it and you have delivered. Our first guest appearance and today you have gone with royalty. So much so, so much so Hando, I'm putting on the glasses 'cause I do not wanna mark this up.
I don't wanna do it again because this person and this lady is, gets all the accolade she deserves. Today we're joined by someone who has played a huge role in shaping the global breast cancer paddling community as president. Of the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission Global. She's an international advocate, a true community builder, and a leading voice for paddlers around the world.
It is mine and hand day's. Pleasure to welcome Meri Gibson. Welcome, Meri.
Thank you Dougie. And thank you Nick for allowing me to be here. What a great honor it is. Um, I'm super excited to be on this podcast with you because I know this is something that you're really passionate about. And in terms of, um, sharing our stories and sharing the knowledge and, and letting people know what Dragon boating is all about from every single aspect.
Oh, and. On the drive down over here, it's li it's, it's literally that voice that, that it's, that, that paddles ready is created. So, we'll, we'll go right into it. Meri, I suppose, Doug, you are the, you are the, I know you are,
I know you are itching for some questions.
You are the question, but, but we've, I've known Meri for a while.
Club crews in, in, in Ravenna. We just found out that we, we paddled in the same event, the 2016 Club cruise in Adelaide, where we were both sort of, uh, po poster people on magazines. But we'll go there, we'll talk about that. But let's, let's delve in it what you're doing with breast cancer and women in powerful sports paddling in general.
Where did your journey begin with? With, with Dragon boating.
Well, I could sit here all day and talk to you about that, but I'll try and condense it down into a shorter version. So I had known Dragon boating for a long time. I used to travel to, uh, Asia on business every year, three or four times a year. So I would be in Hong Kong, China.
Taiwan, Japan, Korea, all of those places. Wow. And so I'd seen Dragon boating and I thought that's a lovely sport for other people. I had no interest in being involved. I loved the sound of the drums on Victoria Harbor and thought that looks really cool. I knew about the sport in New Zealand and I, I knew that it was predominantly a sport for corporates.
Yeah. So as team building and all of those things, again, not really interested even though I was in the corporate world. So, um. It came about that in, um, about late 2005, early 2006. A friend of mine contacted me and she asked me if I would mentor her sister who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, I had been diagnosed six years earlier in 2000 wanted.
Absolutely nothing to do with anybody that had anything to do with cancer. Do not darken my door.
Yeah. Yes. That's it.
Right? And so, um, I, I reluctantly said yes I would. She said, because you're so positive and you are really vibrant, and here you are living a great life, you know, six years later. So I said, okay, sure.
And, um, so, so that's how it started. I, I was involved in mentoring him, her, I knew that she'd dragon boated, but I still had no connect. And um, unfortunately her breast cancer metastasized in the brain and she passed away in August of 2006. I was at the funeral and here were these women wearing black with pink Bowers dropping feathers, like worse than a molting mower everywhere.
And I'm like, excited, excited, excited.
Yeah, exactly.
And they were noisy and vibrant. And I'm like, wow, what is that about? And I said to someone, who are those women over there? Those noisy women over there? And they said they're the breast cancer dragon boaters. Something must have clicked. I dunno if it was grief.
I dunno if it was the joy. I dunno if it was the pink. As you can probably tell, I love
pink. Well, you are in pink. I
love pink.
You're pretty in pink.
Pink. I love pink. And always have. And um, so I asked them if they were having an open day.
Mm.
And they said yes. And the open day was in November. I went along and um, I thought, oh, this is interesting.
The coach said, you look strong, you're in the powerhouse. Sit in the middle, top hand drive. And that was about all the coaching I got. And then, um, in the following, uh, March, we had the south island championships and the national championships and breast cancer, dragon boating was quite new. Mm-hmm. There were, the third team was only dust developing at that time.
And, um, we won gold. So I'm slightly, you, I'm competitive. I'm competitive, so I was hooked. That was really the start of my dragon boat journey. There's a lot more to it, but that's how it started.
And how did you then go from a paddler thing? You then getting yourself on all these boards, now that you're on, um, you're an advocate, you're you.
You speak everywhere around the world. You're just off a plane from Singapore, you're down here at Kiwana. You come down here to be with us two hours south a drive. How did you go to that next level and it, was it something that you were. I guess pushed into, or did you say, I can make this better and I can be a voice for everybody here worldwide?
Yeah. D Dougie, this is another two day story. Yeah, but I'll condense it down really quickly.
We
should have filmed in the car. It was really condensed. It was good.
So, um, uh, what happened was that the people that ran the sport in Christchurch decided they wanted to sell their boats and leave the sport.
Yeah. And, um, a number of our team members went along and attended the conversation about that. And they, you know, these are old boats that clunky old things, and they came back and they said, oh, this is what they're doing. And I come from a corporate world. Business advisory management consultancy. Yeah. So, um, uh, I, I sat on a number of boards, private and, um, not-for-profit at that time.
So I knew how things worked and I said, oh no, they're doing it all wrong. They need to do it this way. Yeah. And someone said, you need to go to that meeting. I went, not interested. I am not interested in the least. And so they came back from the second meeting and I'm like, oh God, this is going to hell in a hand basket here.
And I said, no, no, no, it's all wrong. It's all wrong. You better go Meri and attend this meeting. So I did, and it was me and all these guys and they said, Hmm, we like you, we think you should be
involved. I was gonna say, say that Kiwi saying Nick minute.
Nick minute. Nick minute. And um, so we established the, a Iraqi Dragon Boat Association, which was, and, and you know, we set up a charitable trust or a not-for-profit as we call them back then.
And, um, basically applied for funding. Got a hundred k bought. Boats, you know? Yeah. So we were on a roll and the following year in 2008, we reconstituted the New Zealand Dragon Boat Association because it had been run on the same festival profit model.
Right.
To become a national sports organization. So I was the first chair of a Iraqi and, um, you know, and it's a 10 year term, uh, every year I tried to get myself sidelined, but it didn't happen.
So I did the 10 years. Yep. The same thing with the New Zealand body. Um, I, I did the 10 years plus another three secondments of two years reading.
You've seen it, you've seen it, you've seen the growth of the sport on all different levels.
I, I have. I have. And then my journey into the international arena, um, followed that.
Yeah. Gotcha. Um, Nick, I was gonna ask Meri, how many so to date, since you took the reigns over
Mm.
And you've driven the sport, the breast cancer, the whole. Box and dice. Mm-hmm. How many members do you have globally? Wow.
Oh, well, yeah. So when I, I, um, stepped into the role of president, so as vice president first, we have a four year congress every year.
So became VP after five minutes, and then president four years later. And, um, so since 2018 where we had probably 19 countries and, and around 180 teams. Yep. We are now sitting at 42 countries and. 403 teams. Wow. And probably,
how's your math start?
And deep? We're, we're, we think that, you know, 6,000, you know, it's pretty hard to determine, but we think we're over 20,000 members globally.
Really. One of the things we will be doing with ID I-B-C-P-C is, um, actually gathering that data more meaningfully. Yep. Because at the moment it's a little bit of a guess Yes. But it's based on what we know,
what we know.
And Doug, we had the, uh, the privilege in Brandenburg in Germany, a hundred percent. We were commentating, and then we were on the foreshores right there.
And we had many different guests, but. When Meri came on, when we had, uh, the breast cancer, uh, category, and Meri, you can sort of elaborate that a bit more. It's the first time in, in, in, I suppose, the history that you've had your own category in a world. Mm-hmm. We had Meri commentating and we were talking about it before, when you've got two commentators in you there, and then you saw the, the, the.
The, the screen light up with the interaction. Yeah. People waking up from all around the world saying, Meri, you might remember me. I was here. Here we were. You are typing, we are doing it. But then also calling the races.
Yep.
And the knowledge and the power
of that. Well, I think that's where we became a team.
The three of us
at,
that's where we became, it was a paddles ready
team,
paddles ready team. It was, yeah. That was, uh, it was the first time I'd met Meri before we clicked. Yeah, the three of us just clicked. And then yours are my passion for the breast cancer paddlers. Um, you know, every now and again, I am, I'm a, I'm a big soup.
I am seen with a bit of a glaze over my eye because the stories of what get me the resilience of these ladies is what gets me. I, even now, I'm starting to just get a bit thing in the throat. They're amazing. They're passionate. They're stronger than any bloody bear, brown bear sitting up in the top of bloody Canada.
Oh, and I love it. Yeah, I love watching it. I love commentating it and I love what these women bring to the world and to our sport
on the powerful. So with that, let's talk about your events. 'cause the IDB of events, the club crews, you've always been able to participate. Talk a bit about how it evolved to one from your own events, which get four 5,000.
Athletes to how you lobbied or the, the, the committee in Brandenburg and, and, and it elevated on the world stage against the world's best. Pink paddlers as you call over there.
Okay. So yeah, that's an interesting story. When I joined I-B-C-P-C and, and we were a very young organization, we only developed in, uh, our first Congress was 2010 in Peterborough in Canada.
Right. So we are very young. Yeah. And, and we've, we've grown exponentially very, very quickly. When I joined, there was the capacity to paddle in the club crew championships 'cause it was like. Put them over there. Yeah. It was kind of like put them over there. Yeah. And, um, so club crews suited us because teams who wanted to be competitive could actually enter into that realm.
My first, uh, club crew was 2016, but, um, the, where we
paddled
together, where we paddled together. And you were on the,
you're on the book of that cover. I know. We saw
that Meri I know. And the cover. Yeah. Not quite rolling stone cover, but hey, we'll keep
it,
we'll be. But, um, really the leaders in this driving the co the competitive element and, and you have to come back and remember that I-B-C-P-C and breast cancer dragon boating is a hundred percent from a premise of participation.
That is first and foremost where we come from, but what we've come to recognize and, and that's. Possibly some of us who are more competitive, but right across the spectrum, what we are seeing now is people want that pathway. Yeah. And they want that pathway to competition. So we have to create the whole spectrum.
Yep. Right. From, um, participation through to elite athlete. That's the surprising thing that you find is that a lot of these survivors, and we call them thrivers, not survivors. Yeah, nice. Want to be elite athletes. So as I said, that that ability to paddle at club crews was there, but very few people went robust, led the charge from Canada and they've been to every club cruise.
And then my team, Abre of Life. Miss a bit of titty from, from your neck of the woods in Brisbane. Yep. And
miss a bit of titty. Uh, what was the, the, the, the president there that you worked closely with? In miss a bit of titty.
Ah, so, um, Joe Perry was, Joe Perry was the vice president before I became the vice president.
Right, right. So anyway, um, we, we had that pathway, but not many teams went. And then when they started to see those of us competing, suddenly the category started to get bigger and bigger. Right. And then these teams are saying, why aren't we at the World Nations? Why aren't we competing at the World Nations?
Right? Yeah. What's wrong with us? You know, why should, so it started a campaign, you know, of, of lobbying for that and it was relatively easy. Yeah, I say that to get it across the line. Good. Because it was, uh, in, I'm trying to remember, I think Ravenna Yes. That we finally got approval. So that was only 20. I
think you told me in Ravenna that you'd had the, had the Congress and, and, and the pathway.
Yeah, for these breast cancer survivors, but they are athletes. These paddlers are are phenomenal. And then. When you said it brought a tear to your eye When we commentated and I think there was some American and Canadian that came up because we were so welcoming when you were commentating and it's so heartfelt.
Oh, it's,
and, and, and, and, and that, and all the nations were there. I think, uh, well, most of the nations were there. Uh, I think Australia was probably, they weren't there at Brandenburg. However, we've just seen, seen them. They're massive participation here with the breast cancer. Uh, paddlers, aren't they? With Australia?
Yeah. I'd actually like to the Anza, I'd like to speak to that because Okay. Um, one of the things that we, we made it very open. It was open to everybody. Mm-hmm. But it was probably a tight window, so it was approved in Vena that was. July, 2024. Yes. To be included in Brandenburg 2025. So a year later. And it was considered a trial.
Yeah. And try and get it off the agenda. Now would be a Oh yeah. A brave person because it was so well supported, but, so some countries just couldn't really get it together in time. Um, and others jumped really quickly on the opportunity. Right. We were absolutely thrilled because we. I, I'm just thinking to myself, three teams make a category.
Three teams make a category. Please let there be three nations there. Yeah, well we had seven and eight in, in each. Oh wow. The standard boat and the small boat. And it was fabulous to see And to see that competition on the water was incredible. But. Off the water, the comradery even better.
Even
better was amazing.
And, and that's something that we really love, is that tightness that comes, you'll, you will have seen photos and images and videos of all the breast cancer teams that were in Brandenburg in the photos, hugging and carrying on, and, and I think, you know, to. To your point, Australia were probably, they'd already announced their, um, their, their teams, their categories.
Mm. When it came time. And so, you know, for us from New Zealand, it was disappointing. Uh, probably your top countries are New Zealand, Australia, Australia, Canada, uh, the USA are really at that top level with a surprise from Italy. Um, in Brandenburg. And so it was, yes, it was a bit disappointing not to see Australia there.
And I know the breast cancer paddlers were disappointed. And someone said to me, oh, how does that feel to you? And I said, that's really a question you need to talk about to the nations. It's not up to us to comment.
Yes.
And they said, but how do you personally feel? And I said, oh, it's a bit like attending a wedding without your favorite sister there.
Oh, gotcha. So, because particularly for New Zealand and Australia. Yep. And MBT, for instance, you know? So, um, those teams had always been at the, uh, at the club cruise. Well,
Mr. Bit, Mr. Bitty titty, my, my son's friend, Ollie Thistleton, his grandma was Mr. Bit titty. Mm. She was at the club cruise and she's like, oh my goodness.
Like, 'cause 'cause they're, they're powerful. She, I, I was hoping to see her in Brandenburg as well. Mm-hmm. Um, but you're talking about just Dougie back on. Intergenerational. It's it. It's cross gener. Cross continents,
yeah. Yes.
That when you put these events on.
Mm.
With what we are living in the world today with all different.
Mm.
Forget the, the cancer issue, the Big C, but with everything else happening, these events that, that, that IDBF put on, but that you put on Yeah. It's for all these people to come together and it's exactly what we saw in Brandenburg.
Yeah. Off
the water.
Yeah. To, to, uh, and I didn't quite answer that question about the festivals that we as I-B-C-B-C organize.
So basically, um, you know, our first one as I-B-C-P-C was Peterborough 2010, I think 65 teams or something like that. And then the next one was 2014 in Sarasota. You know, a festival on steroids because it's in the us
Yes.
And then, uh, we were in Italy after that and then New Zealand, and it was meant to be 2022, but 23 because of COVID
and Italy.
Where was that Ravena
R No, it was Florence on the A river. Oh, wow. So each one, each location. Is really unique and special for different reasons. Mm-hmm. Canada, I remember the, um, the firetruck being painted pink, A dog being painted pink. The people on the street, amazing. Sarah. Unbelievable. As I said, on steroids.
The numbers, the, the organization, everything. Florence, you can't compete, which except for the cock
alligators.
Yeah. The all Florence, you can't compete with because you are an. A coun, a city that is thousands of years old, that you're in the salon, dete the hall of the 500 for your Congress, you know, looking up at these beautiful paintings on the ceiling, New Zealand, you get this, you know, this incredible friendship that we have.
The nature, the beauty. So everywhere is different. This year we'll be in France, you know, and
but one, one thing is Han say Eric. As far as, uh, locations go, we don't do things in halves. No.
And well, no. No. Yeah. And, and it's really important to us to, to be around the globe. Yeah. Because as I said, we're in 42 countries.
Yeah. So to, to have that global representation is very important. And France this year will be our biggest festival. Um, and we are only limited to how many participants? Four and half thousand. Wow. But we are limited. Wow. It's a mini Olympic. We are, we are limited by the site capacity. We could have had more.
Right. It's sold
sba that's in, isn't it the north of France?
Sorry? Ban,
ban,
ban. You
French. She ban, well, it's in the nor of France. Gene.
Yeah,
yeah. And just south of Switzerland. So there
you go. That's correct. Yeah. Fly into Geneva. Fly
to
Geneva. That's where then come down Sea. Um, Anea is the closest big city.
Well, you never know. I, I, one of us could be there. Meri, you never know. You never know. Doug could do
a, a
famous fly in. But
just quickly, Nick, and this is something Meri, you and I and Nick were talking about on a conference call the other day, you were saying 4,000. Uh, paddlers, but you could have taken six, 7,000.
Yeah. It's just that the event, uh, where it is mm-hmm. Is not big enough.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. The capacity is, uh, it's very limited by the, um, by the regional council in terms of where the village will be. Yep. It's a health and safety issue. We absolutely, I, I can't even go to 4,501. It's just not allowed. It's basically first in best stress not allowed, but then
listen to this, the committee.
They, they don't have to pay too much to get there to participate. Do they marry? Mm-hmm. And you think about. The amazing ability one, what they're doing to get there. Yep. They, the cost for them, when they have an entry fee, you should see what they get.
Yeah. So
tell me a bit about that.
Well, like New Zealand was $530 and per person, and then we, we discounted.
Five 80, I think back to five 30 if you've got the early bird and then the, um, New Zealand dollars, that is so not worth a lot today. Yep. And then, um, the France is 3 95 euros and the 500 early birds get that discounted Yes. By 50 euros of. So what you get is this. So I-B-C-P-C gets a very small levy out of that.
Very small, and we are very open about it. All of our accounts are on our website. Nothing is hidden. Everything we run on the smell of an oily rag, that's a, that's a kiwi in news always. Australia.
Always. You're just growing the sport for the paddlers.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's totally for the paddlers. So what you get, you get your entry, you get your training.
Transport to and from the venue for whatever is on, on those days. You get two days of racing, you get a t-shirt, you get a goodie bag full of lots of goodies. You get the street parade, you get the welcoming event, which you'll get a drink and, and food, champagne or so maybe, maybe in New Zealand we had alcohol and food.
Um, and, and you get food, uh, sorry, lunches. On both days of racing, you get a closing party. Every single participant gets a medal. Wow. Steve, you are able to attend the Congress and you are provided transport to every single thing that you are attending. Yep. So it's, it's not about making money. In fact, I, I, we always worry because when we award the bid.
To whichever country we're, we are like, thanks, see you later. Yeah. And hope like heck, that they break even at best. You know? That they don't, it doesn't, they don't lose money because I-B-C-P-C does not have the funds to support it. We simply do not have the money. Mm-hmm. Right. And, and when we walk away and go.
Thank God that's not us. You know, we, we don't have the financial burden, but, um, as I said, the the levy that we achieve is so small and, but you have to
do that. That's you. It's,
it's all about the paddlers. It's all, and, and if you think about, if you go to a conference, a two or three day conference, you're paying a thousand, $1,500 and all you're doing is sitting on a seat listening to a speaker.
Yeah,
a hundred percent.
And, and. The comradery, but the connections Yeah. That people make at these events. On and off the water leads to lifelong friendships. Yep. Stories, probably business opportunities, um, PE places.
Fitness, fitness,
places to
stay. Mental health. I think the mental, the mental health in your.
Um, you know, in the breast cancer, it must be such a great opportunity for these women who have, man, let's just call it how it is. It's been a bloody tough, you know, journey for families. You know, the ladies themself, the mental health stimulation of paddling a dragon boat, and having your mates around you side by side in a boat or next to it at a function, it must be huge.
I I look again, I could tell you a hundred stories, but I, I want to just tell you a couple from New Zealand if, if you don't mind, just indulge me for a few minutes. And, um, we, we had lots of issues with the weather. Uh, you know, lake Carros usually calm. We run our national championships there and I'm thinking, oh, this'll be great.
Well, we had all the weather, the fog in the morning, but watching the Swans coming out of the. Fog was incredible, you know, and, and so we, and then the wind got up. So we had to, um, cancel a number of races. We had to bring a lot of things onto land that we, and we were pivoting literally in the moment, pivoting in the moment.
So we had the, um, the flower ceremony, which would always be on the water. We had it on the land. And we, uh, usually that consists of, uh, six boats from the Sandy Smith. Global finale. Six boats from the grand final, so that's 12. And then we take another six boats out, which will be your VIPs, your paddlers, who, um, perhaps are aren't able to paddle.
But this year we also wanted to honor our metastatic paddlers. Let's be really frank. Yeah, they are terminal. And this could be their last adventure. So we had a, a boat for metastatics. Wow. And, and they were standing in the middle of the area where we were running the on land, um, flower ceremony. So one side we had those who were sat.
Sandy Smith, the other side who were in the finale. And then, uh, further boats on the front and then our metastatics. Oh. And someone said to me, why are they standing there? And I said, they're metastatic. And I said, why is that person standing there? And it was a person from my team. And I said, you do realize she's metastatic?
And they went, yes, I never knew. And to see them and to see these. Women standing there being so brave and so stoic, strong s and and then, um, you know, we, we went through the ceremony process and everyone has a flower. And the idea was that you would then go to the lake's edge and put your flower in the water and one of the metastatics at.
Some of them were very young. Very young. And that's always, that rips at your heart. Mm-hmm. And there was a young woman and I saw her, I thought she'd collapsed to the ground.
Yeah.
And I went up to her and, and I said to her, are you okay? And she said, yes. I'm just overcome with emotion. Yeah. And she told me that she had, um, stopped her chemo to come to this event because it was so important to her.
35 years old.
Oh, smoke.
And, um, I said, I, I, I will stand with you. I want to stand with you if that's okay. She said, yes, please. I said, is it okay if I hug you? Oh, absolutely. And then I said, can I walk to the water's edge with you? And she said, yes, please do. So we walked to the water's edge, and then I said to her, I, I really want you to have this moment to yourself.
And, and this is about you. This is not about me. If it's okay, I will walk away. She said, yes, that's okay. I'm okay now. So she stood at the water's edge and she put her flower in the water and, and you know, then you. You walk away and other things happen. And a few months later, her FA family contacted me to say that she was dying.
Yes.
And would it be okay? Um, because it was so important, everything that had happened at the festival, would it be okay if they read the poem that a friend of mine had written and I had used it at the festival at her funeral.
Oh wow.
Wow. And I was like, yes, of course that would be okay. And she subsequently passed and her family contacted me and said, we don't know if you realize how important every single thing that you did was to her.
And she left this world feeling incredibly happy and joyous because she'd met you. She'd been at the festival, you'd stood with her, you'd let us read the P. And I'm just like, oh my gosh. You know, you just, I'm
going, oh my God.
Meri Meri Gibson, national Breast Cancer. Commission. Wow.
Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Wow.
And that's just one story I can tell you. There are so many, so many. But I think what is really important is that we share those stories. Yeah. And they're not about sadness, they're actually about joy. They're about people being really happy. And, and as I, you know, like at the moment you are aware that I'm going around doing visits, doing the site visits for 20.
30. And I say this to people for a lot of this, these people, this could be their last adventure. Yeah. Let's make it special.
Yes.
Let's make it really special. And guys, don't sit there look at feeling sad because it's actually joyous. Yeah. And it, and you know, you are bringing incredible joy.
Yes.
And, and you are really, um, you, you know, it's, I sometimes think to myself, I have to.
Step back because it's actually really hard at times, you know, to witness these things and to be so close to them. But then you say, it's not about me.
Yeah. Gotcha.
Well, this, this is the most, I think we talked about. You talked about happy and, and tuning in with our listeners. This is why paddle's ready.
This is why we've
done it. This, this is why, this is why, this is why, this is why, this is why Meri's gonna have a monthly segment.
But if Meri all have, we've got plenty to talk about. But I just wanted to, um, touch on Meri, and this is a happy part of, and I want you to explain it. I said, all the work you have done, all the lives you have changed, uh, your story just then down on the lake.
You, I called you royalty in my introduction, but due to all this hard work over the last decade or more, you actually got to meet royalty and you were awarded. I heard something very, very special by one of our, who now is the king. Can you tell us what your, uh, what your medal was and what this award was?
Yeah.
And who it was by?
Yeah. Yeah. So, um, some very kind people from, um. That I know through paddling nominated me for, um, an award in the King's birthday Honors. And, um, so yeah, a bit of a surprise. So I was awarded a, a, an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, which is, you know, yeah, it's up there. Wow.
It's up there a wee bit. Um, for services to, uh, dragon boating and to breast cancer awareness. So it was actually two elements and what I loved about that was they didn't just loop it together. It was about the work you've done with Dragon boating and, and promoting and growing the sport, but also breast cancer awareness.
And so, um, yeah, very, very special. So King's Birthday Honors,
that's
what it was, um, in, uh, 2024.
That's
June, 2024. So yeah, very, very, um, excited about that. A couple of people said, we really thought you should have been a dame, you know, and
well, and well deserved.
And, um, yeah. So that, that's the first. Time.
Anyone in New Zealand has ever been awarded anything for dragon boating? Um, I, I dunno about breast cancer, but certainly for dragon boating certain. And so, and, and I actually got a lifetime achievement award from Sport Canterbury a few years earlier and Yeah. And um, you know, and I'm life me, yeah. So there's a few things.
So it's not about the awards? No. Um, and, and I always said I'd retire when I had a hundred medals. Yep. I've got a hundred. Um, so, you know, it, it's, they're just things.
Yes.
For me it's about the people, the people that you touch, the people that you meet, you guys, every, everybody that I meet that I have conversations with that is so willing to talk to you, to hear your story.
Well, not so much my story, but when I say your story, your story about, about dragon boating. Yeah. About breast cancer
and Doug. You just reminded me something typical Brian, but the a hundred, um, I think a, a few weeks ago, and also we saw them at the club crew, the Wao a hundred, uh, warriors or a
hundred waters.
A hundred waters. Yep. They're about, they, they were actually over in. In, in Kiwana at the recent titles and they, they did quite well.
Mm. Very, very well. I, I, in fact, I said to them on the first day that they were, 'cause they were competing in the state competitions. Right. And, um, they were, you know, pretty much blitzing everything and, and when they, they women's, uh, women's crews are very strong.
I, I really believe women are driving pat, uh, dragon boating. Yep. It's the women that are making these crews strong. That's
where we're leading's not
Yeah. You've got the
breast cancer. Of which are women, but it's these powerful women. And you saw the, the title I saw that women as well. I
saw that
in the
Australian titles.
Just,
you know, the other week. It's unbelievable.
Talk about.
And I, I said to them, now you're just showing off when they were winning by over a boat length. Yeah. In, in the races. And, and it's lovely when I can be there and, and put the medals around their necks and, uh, and commentate
for them as well.
Well, well, not in this instance.
Not at, not at. Um, at Aus Champs, but certainly as we did in Brandenburg, which was super exciting because I had no idea. You guys are just like, oh, come and commentate Meri, and then I can't help myself, you know? Yeah. But that
was good. Oh, but the up upcoming club crew worlds in Taiwan.
Yeah,
yeah. Uh, there's, there's, there's lots of different opportunities, Doug.
What's up next?
What's up next? Well, we are going to do Meri's hot take. Meri's gonna have a go. You are having the week off.
Oh, Hando handout.
And we're doing Meri's hot take. So, um, we're coming back to you in a minute.
Okay, we are here today. We're down at the Aussie titles and we pulled up with the Brisbane Typhoon Boys and I am speaking with
Paul Langley
with hangers. So this sissy Seconds with Dougie ERs, you're from the Brisbane Typhoon. Worst excuse you've ever heard. Someone not turning up to trainee.
Um, the wife made a moisture floors.
Down Window grind.
Oh mate, I love down winds. Early morning training or sleep ins. Four 30 starts, puts a beautiful edge on the day. What's more important? Fitness or technique? Technique. Fitness will come. Carbon fiber or wooden paddle. Oh, I mate love the cups. Coffee before or after training? Oh, any time's.
Good for coffee, but geez.
Biggest talker on the boat.
Do you wanna say Nico? But I won't say it.
Okay. That
that's good. Sprint or distance? Uh, well, sprint and distance have got their own techniques. They've got their own genre, so it doesn't matter. I'll have a bit of distance as well as sprints.
Beers or lemonade on the Sunday after the regatta.
Oh, leave the lemonades alone. But the beers are going.
Favorite GA around the world you've competed in,
uh, Tahiti World Sprint Championships.
What's the one tip you would give to a new paddler to make them better?
Just learn, enjoy, do what you've gotta do to make yourself happy in the boat. Doesn't matter how good everyone else is around, just make sure that you are happy.
And Langer, complete this sentence. If I wasn't paddling, I'd be,
uh, paddling.
Thanks mate. Just 60 seconds in Dougie
Yohi.
So Hando, it's that time of the week. Hando is hot Take, but there's a twist. What have you
got for me? What do you mean there's a twist?
You're not doing it this week.
Whew. Thank goodness I can take my hand
off. We have Meri Gibson, she going to, so we are not calling it Hando Hot Take. Uh, hot take. We're calling it Meri's Hot Take
Meri's hot Take Hando handout
so you can sit down, relax, and um.
I'll
chill out and take the paddle. I'm gonna give Meri her hot take and we will see how we go.
Okay. Meri Gibson,
welcome Meri.
Thank you.
So Meri's hot take today. It is a senior D question. There's been a lot of discussion globally around breast cancer paddlers moving into the senior D category with some regions like Canada, the US, and Europe already competing in that grade, while others are still working through it.
With over 40,000 active members globally, it's a conversation that's only going to become more relevant as the community continues to grow and mature. From your perspective, how do we balance creating more opportunities for paddlers as they age with the practical challenges of regatta schedules, volunteers and event capacity?
Oh gosh. Throw me a hot potato. Why don't you, um, look, I think that we need to provide. Space for people. There is no doubt and there's empirical data to prove that you, as you age, your um, your muscle mass diminishes, your bone density diminishes, so you cannot paddle in a premier division at 70 years old.
Yep. You know, you think you can, you think you're invincible and that you should be, but the reality is that the physics and the physicality of your body changes. So I think if, and, and the other aspect that you need to remember is that a lot of our paddlers are retired.
Yeah.
And they're upwardly mobile.
And they have the capacity to attend events, whereas our younger paddlers not so much. I'm not saying discount them for one second, the younger paddlers, but I'm saying if this is a sport for life, which I believe it is. Yes. And, and when people ask me about the age category, I say, you can paddle from 12 to 112.
Yep. Mm.
So I think that you need to be cognizant of that. Yep. I know there's not. A lot of uptake in certain areas, in certain countries, and a lot of people don't think this should happen. Yeah. For various reasons. But are they their own selfish reasons?
Yeah. Gotcha.
Are they really about the good of the sport?
Are they really about being inclusive and having a sport for all? And, and in terms of the pressure, I, I think you just need to be more. Um, reflective on what you're asking for. Yeah. For instance, in Australia I noticed and was very surprised to see that the breast cancer teams don't paddle in the 2K races and they only paddle in small boat in New Zealand.
We paddle everything. We've been doing it since 2009. At the NA International Events at the World Championships. We paddle in the 2K. Yeah. We paddle in big boats. We don't paddle. We love the standard boat in small boats. Yeah. You know, and the standard boat is really where the racing should be. So I'm, I'm an advocate for right across the spectrum and people can love me or hate me for that.
I don't mind. But I-B-C-P-C does support the inclusion of that category.
Well, Hando. That's why we call it Meri's Hot Take. Yes. Thank you, Meri. Thank you, Meri. That was beautifully answered and we'll love you no matter what.
Thank you.
Thank
you. So Meri, it's been fantastic from the perspective of breast cancer, paddlers, IDBF.
You travel the world, you're part of the paddles ready team. There was one thing. We've got a guest coming up, Mr. Luau from Champion.
Mm-hmm.
Tell me a little bit about Champion You are there and the Ice Dragons.
Oh, okay, sure. Um, yeah, so I, I've known Champion probably my whole paddling life career, shall we say, coming up 20 years.
And because that's the brand that we've always had in New Zealand, along with some, some of the swift, smaller boats. So I know the brand very well have worked with Champion for. Probably the last 10 or 15 years importing the boats into New Zealand on their behalf. Um, and, and on behalf of the New Zealand teams.
So I, I know the brand. It's a very good brand. Uh, so I, you know, I'm, I'm perfectly cognizant with that. Um, he is, um, an entrepreneur. Uh, I was very fortunate to be invited to Schilling Hot in. Outer Mongolia or inner a Mongolia? In a Mongolia. Oh, wow. With Mr. With Mr. Lu. Uh, earlier this year in, uh, end of January, beginning of February.
I always say, I, I, I was blown away. I don't like the cold. I hesitated and said I'm not coming because it's cold. Uh, it was minus 24 degrees overnight. That's Celsius and minus. It got up to a high of minus 10 during the day, so it's very cold, but the sky is blue. The. Enthusiasm is phenomenal. The event is like on steroids, on ice, ice, on ice, on ice, on steroids, on ice.
It's fabulous. And you know, I, I just, uh, applaud what they're doing. It's fantastic. And I say to people, if you genuinely love dragon boating, there are two things you should do. Right? You should go to China in the summer. Watch Dragon boating in the summer or compete and you should go to Ice Dragon boating in the winter and, and either watch or compete because it just is dragon boating to a tee.
So that's me.
We might have to have a, we might have to have a chat to our sponsors and say if we can go, I
know. Well, Meri Gibson, thank you very much. Closing statement. We loved having you on paddles ready. I hope you loved it.
Mm-hmm.
And we hope to hear you again soon.
Well,
yes. Yeah. Look, I think it's an important voice that speaks from the paddler's heart.
Mm-hmm. Because we can hear about policy and everything from the higher level, but you have to start at the bottom a
hundred
percent. And those grassroots. At grassroots and, and that, and I really hope that's the voice you continue to hear. Yes. I sit on these other higher levels. Mm. But at heart, I'm a paddler.
Yeah, absolutely. And now a coach. And I love it. I love
it. Well, well, Meri, we're all gonna do it at the same time. We're all gonna say, paddle's ready. I'm Hando. I'm Dougie. This is, I'm Meri. Paddle Paddles. Ready? Thank you.
Pando. That's another one in a bag. As I said last week out to the Aussies, it's uh, we're still here.
How good? Wow. 1, 2, 3. That's our third episode.
How's the subscriptions going though?
Pretty good.
Outta control,
pretty good Text messages. Everything's been good, but we're learning every day and the comments have been fantastic, so thank you to everyone out there. Keep 'em coming in.
Well, hopefully we're getting better after three.
Why not?
Why not? It's just,
we'll, we'll probably go to four.
No, well, let's get stuck into, that's it. We'll start doing the content for, uh, next week. But, um, yeah.
And keep those questions coming in. Look, I'm Hando.
I'm Dougie.
And we are
Paddle.
Paddle Ready Paddle Fred.
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