New Zealand Junior Open Dragon Boat Team
The New Zealand Junior Open Team is represented by the Shirley Boys' High School crew from Christchurch in the South Island
Since 2003 Shirley Boys' has proved to be the dominant Boys' School in New Zealand, winning the National Secondary Schools title six times and finishing second in 2006. This year's crew is a combination of boys from different sporting backgrounds with the majority in their second season of paddling.
As the team who has travelled furthest to these World Championships and from the southernmost point, we have endured an arduous training schedule. Sub zero temperatures and training in the pre-dawn darkness throughout the winter was necessary as the crew balanced training with other sports, school study, part-time work and fundraising. Three boys attended Sydney in 2007 and are hoping that their experience and the work ethic and skills developed will stand them in good stead for the World Championships 2009 where they hope to be a competitive crew.