Welcome To The Sydney Dragon Blades

Car Pooling for Tacoma 09

With the Tacoma Regatta being only 9 days away, it's time to think about how you're going to get up there!

It would be a good idea to start talking to others at training, to see if anyone lives near you, and also see whether they are staying in SDB's rented accommodation on Friday and Saturday nights. If the person you're talking to doesn't live in your area, chances are, they'll know who does or if anyone has to drive through your area on the way to Tacoma.

Car pooling will decrease the chances of you getting lost on race day and helps reduce petrol costs.

(posted by albs: 1-Jan-2009)

Boosting our Google search rank

Hey crew,

Please:

1. go to http://maps.google.com.au/
2. do a search for "sydney dragon boat"
3. select SDB from the list of results
4. write a review

Cheers!

(posted by albs: 2-Jan-2009)

Uniform Sizing

We will be ordering our new uniforms early in the New Year. Please see the attached chart and email your preferred size to Akal at uniform@sydneydragonblades.com.

Also let Akal know if you would like a second top. Your second top can be with or without sleeves. The first top is part of your membership and additional tops are $50.00. If you are ordering a second top please deposit the money to the SDB account. Only additional tops that have been paid for will be ordered. You can give Akal cash so long as it is in an envelope with your name on it.

We would like to have the order finalised by January 9th 2009 so that we will have our new uniforms in time for Chinese New Year.

(posted by paulb: 30-Dec-2008)

Update your SDB user profile

Hi everyone,

When you get a spare moment, please go to your calendar account, visit the Personal Details section and input your personal details. This will help our coaches and committee contact you if neccessary.

There will be other exciting developments with our members section, including paddler profiles... so watch this space, and Merry Christmas! See you Sunday!

(posted by albs: 24-Dec-2008)

Training session postponed for 27th December 2008

Hi everyone,

The land training session for Saturday, 27th December 2008 has been postponed to the following week. Please take note so you're not standing alongside broad daylight at King George Park, Balmain.

Sunday's (28th December) water session is definitely on. Get ready for a tough session to loosen those joints and burn off that turkey-mass!

Have a Merry Christmas and I'll see you at training!

(posted by albs: 22-Dec-2008)

Training Changes!

Hi everyone,

Please take note that training will be changed for this week only:

- There is a new water session, at Bank St, at 9am
- Sunday's training will start at 10am instead, due to the Christmas party.

Saturday's session is for everyone to attend but it is optional and the intensity will be very low so as to avoid people getting too burnt out over the season.

See you all there!

(posted by albs: 18-Dec-2008)

Fair's Fair

Hey All,

As some of you may know, I made a bet with Ollie last week and committed to buying any crew that won their category dinner - on me. For me it was just that little added incentive and motivation for the crews to win. As such, to the Opens crew I take my hat off to you - you exceeded all expectations bar your own and WON EVERY RACE!!

What an achievement - beating the best crews in NSW (Sloths, Mavs, PD's, VADB, Bei-Loon just to name a few) to take out the Opens final in an amazing time of 46.8s. To bring this into perspective the magnitude of your achievements - you guys beat last year's SDB Opens crew by 1.45 BOAT LENGTHS (49.8s)! This is how far as a crew we have come due to the dedication and enthusiasm of our paddlers.

As such I want to set two preliminary dates for your just reward:

    - Saturday 13th of December
    - Sunday 14th of December

It will be at my favourite chinese restaurant in Beverly Hills - address and details to follow shortly.

My personal preference is for Sunday night - it's a night most of us would have free in preparation for work on Monday, and it will mean a quieter restaurant and more likelkyhood of being able to fit in 20+ people into a smallish restaurant.

Last thing I want to stress is THIS IS AN OPEN INVITE to ALL SDB members, however I will only be picking up the bill for the members of the Opens-A crew who raced on Sunday. I'd really like the rest of SDB to come along as well to celebrate the START of a new era. I really beleive with some enthusiasm and determination from all of us by the end of the season we will have 2 x Opens crews, 3 x Mixed crews and 1 x Womens crew - all performing at the top of their catagory!

Go SDB, and lets train harder, longer and prove to the rest of the state that today was NOT a fluke, that SDB is back, we are here to win, and we are intend to stay winning!!

Cheers,
Bernie
(Still grinning like an idiot)

(posted by albs: 8-Dec-2008)

Get your forms in!

To all new paddlers:

If you intend to race this Sunday (and I hope you do because it'll be a great experience! Plus it'll be good to head into Chinese New Year with race experience), please please pretty please hand in your forms to Akal or Rob at training this week or email them to Akal. They'll need to register you in time for Sunday's regatta.

Also, please visit the calendar and put your name down for the race so our coaches could put together seating plans for each race heat.

If you don't have a calendar account yet, and you've handed your forms to Rob or Akal, please email Paul, with your full name and preferred email contact to get your calendar account set up and be sent an invite to the club's email list.

I'm all excited about this Sunday - I hope you are too. :-)

(posted by albs: 30-Nov-2008)

Roseville Wrap up

Another solid performance from everyone at yesterdays regatta with SDB again qualifying for finals in both categories it entered, with the Mixed A crew finishing 5th in the B final and the Opens crew placing 4th in their Opens A Final.

With the crews going from strength to strength and the realisation that we are in fact not far off giving the top crews a run for their money we need everyone to get behind the club and put in some big efforts at training in terms of sessions each week.

Let's continue the massive improvements, continue the great training sessions and look forwards to the sprint races on December 7th!

(posted by paulb: 10-Nov-2008)

Team Meal after Roseville this Sunday!

Hi Crew,

Think you'll be hungry after Sunday's race day? Satisfy that hunger with your team mates!

The team will be heading out together for a meal after our race duties finish, so please hang about! We'll either go to Bravo's Trattoria in Crows Nest or a ramen place near Artarmon station - or maybe one of the other scores of restaurants in Crows Nest. Either way, we won't be short of choice.

Onwards to conquering Roseville and Restaurant!

(posted by albs: 4-Nov-2008)

Land Training

Hi Crew,

Land training will now become a weekly fixture running each Saturday at 9am at King George Park, Balmain (by the water). This is a great chance each Saturday to get off the boat and do a different kind of fitness. The plans offer a large amount of variety revolving around boxing, stretching, strength work and fitness.

The sessions are being put together by our resident boot camp man "Drill Sergeant Steve". So come along, drag a friend, drag a team mate, bring your positive attitude and you will be surprised at just how quickly improvements can occur!

Remember to bring sneakers, appropriate training gear, towel, a change of clothes, water bottle, sun block, and a POSITIVE ATTITUDE!

Training is on each and every saturday at 9am unless it is communicated otherwise (via emails / home page / at water training).

Looking very much forward to seeing you all down from this Saturday morning 18th October at 9am, King George Park, Balmain!

Cheers
Steve

(posted by paulb: 15-Oct-2008)