New champions, educational seminars, and wholesome team spirit were showcased during the 2025 International Canoe Federation Dragon Boat season. Come take a look at who and what made a mark in the past year.
World at its feet
The premier competition for Dragon Boat this year was The World Games Chengdu 2025. If the sport with Chinese origin heading to China was not enough cause for celebration, it was also an official medal event for the first time at the multi-sport event after invitational appearances in 2005 in Duisburg, Germany, and the 2009 edition in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei. Held along with Canoe Marathon, it delivered on all fronts, marking a huge step forward for the beloved team sport.
Emergence of Europe
Action in Chengdu showed us that Dragon Boat is becoming more global. Dominated by the Asians once upon a time, Ukraine, Spain, Hungary, and Czechia ensured Europe got the spotlight, putting on a show in the Land of Pandas. Ukraine, in fact, finished with two gold medals and as the second best nation, while Spain won two bronze medals. With Ukraine going toe-to-toe with Asian powerhouses like Indonesia in some of the races, it was a warning sign for the traditional nations to buckle up in the years to come.
Indonesian class
This Dragon Boat season belonged to Indonesia in all senses. At the Xinglong Lake Hubin Arena, they won the first-ever gold medal of the discipline at The World Games, and added two more to finish as the best nation in Chengdu. Having qualified as one of the strongest nations, they lived up to the billing under treacherous weather conditions. Their first win came in the open eight-seater 2000m final, followed by the open eight-seater 200m and the mixed 10-seater 500m.
Educational reform
In Malaysia and the Philippines, education was prioritised in the 2025 Dragon Boat season. Malaysian coaches took part in a five-day course by the ICF, led by Csaba Szanto, in February, with 17 attending. It shedlight on theoretical sessions, endurance, and paddling technique, making it a holistic experience. In the Philippines, too, they added to the 2024 ICF Dragon Boat World Championships legacy with a coaching seminar. Aiming to increase coaching standards across the nation, a research-driven curriculum was taught by experts from various fields at multiple locations.
Breast cancer awareness
Breast cancer awareness and Dragon Boat go hand in hand thanks to The Pink Ladies and other initiatives around the world. In 2025, the Pan American Canoe Federation (COPAC) held a conference titled “Dragon Boat Paddling is Medicine”, led by the famous Dr. Don McKenzie, a renowned Canadian expert in sports medicine and post-cancer health. The online conference focused on the positive impact of sport in recovery after breast cancer treatment and was organised by the network Latinoamerica en Rosa with the support of Pura Vida Dragon Rosa.
Copyright by IWGA/The World Games 2025.
