The Auroras are Australia's national dragon boating team.  Australia competes strongly on the international stage at World Championship events which take place biennially.  We also compete in the Asian Dragon Boat Championships every other year, as well as in the World Cup.  The Auroras are one of Australia's few sporting elite that get to compete in mixed crews right up to the very top level.  There are also national teams right through from juniors to Seniors.

The ‘Auroras’ is a unique label and joins other national team brands as a powerful sporting identity. In 2010 the Australian Dragon Boat Federation (AusDBF) unveiled the first national team to be open to paddlers from all states and territories, following a move away from the state-based selection system of previous international campaigns. To mark the occasion, AusDBF asked the Australian paddling community to submit their suggestion for a team name that would become our national crewʼs identity. The paddlers selected for the 2010 Asian Championships cast a secret ballot to select the new name.
 
ʻThe Aurorasʼ was adopted for our national team, and has been embraced by the Australian Dragon Boat community. It is a unique label, and joins other national team brands like the ʻWallabiesʼ, ʻOpalsʼ, ʻSocceroosʼ and ʻMatildasʼ as a powerful sporting national identity.

The Auroras compete strongly on the international stage at World Championship events which take place biennially. Being an Aurora is a long journey that begins with a desire to do something a bit different and outside your comfort zone, setting long term goals and simply committing to the process. The fitness test can be challenging but is achievable with perseverance. You will make sacrifices to fit in 3-4 gym sessions and 3-4 boat sessions a week as you hone your skills physically and mentally. The Aurora’s gym and boat training program is tough and demanding. It will change you physically and bring out a different part within you which has been dormant. Finally there’s the racing. The excitement of flying to a foreign country, wearing the coat of arms on your national polo shirts. Paddlers come from all over the world. The Asian teams are semi professional, the Chinese team trains three sessions a day, six days a week. The Russian and Ukrainian teams boast ex Olympic paddlers crossing over from canoe paddling, with the Olympic rings tattooed to their massive arms. The racing is hard, fast and furious. The Aurora’s goal is always to give your 100% best performance and to race your best race possible. The Aurora’s team spirit and culture is strong, competitive and positive in one of the ultimate team sports where paddlers come together in perfect unison.

If you want to challenge yourself and gain the opportunity to paddle for your country please express your interest to admin@dragonboatsa.com.