Local dragon boat crews paddled hard achieving the best result since the club started five years ago at the Victorian state championships held at Gateway Lakes in Wodonga.

Golden Serpents Dragon Boat Club head coach Brendan Maher said the outcome was a good dress rehearsal for the Australian Dragon Boat Championships (AusChamps) in mid-April.

Across 18 events, the club clinched four gold, three silver and six bronze medals.

The senior B open 10’s 200m and 500m races took out gold while the senior B women’s 10’s 500m and mixed 10’s 500m also clinched gold.

The senior B open 10’s 2km race, senior C mixed 10’s 2km and senior C mixed 10’s 200m took out silver.

The senior B mixed 20’s 2km, senior B mixed 20’s 200m, senior B mixed 20’s 500m, senior B women’s 10’s, premier mixed 10’s 2km and premier mixed 10’s all took out bronze.

Final placing is to be determined.

Mr Maher said the dedicated and committed paddlers displayed great team bonding and cohesion.

“Hunger for success contributed to the great result,” he said.

“It’s full kudos to them.

“New members at the regatta added to the excitement as well.”

Mr Maher also said training had changed a little to include a personal fitness focus off the water too.

Although a junior category was not in the state championships, a team is being taken for the category at the AusChamps.

AusChamps is being held at Lake Kawana on the Sunshine Coast between 18 – 23 April.

The championships draw around 2500-3000 competitors from clubs all around the nation to take part in club versus club and state versus state races.