NEWS RELEASE (#2026-06)
Recognising Our Senior Athletes, Investing in Our Youth
The introduction of Senior D follows the motion presented to Congress by Dragon Boat Canada and the Federazione Italiana Dragon Boat. The motion also recognises the important work carried out over many years by the Senior D Advocacy Group, involving and representing senior paddlers across different nations and continents, and by organisations such as EuropeanDBF and PanAmDBF, which have already included the Senior D Class in their championships.
Senior D does not create a new group of older athletes. These paddlers are already part of our sport, and many of them are already racing in the Senior C Class. The new Class simply brings together athletes aged 70 and over within their own age group, properly acknowledging their age, their continued commitment to Dragon Boat and their important place within our international community.
“There is no future without strong foundations in our culture, our history and the generations who built our sport. Recognising our senior athletes means recognising where we come from“, said Claudio Schermi, President of the International Dragon Boat Federation.
“At the same time, the next major priority for IDBF is our younger generations.
We now need to concentrate our efforts on bringing more young people into Dragon Boat and creating a clear pathway for them to remain in our sport. IDBF has already laid the foundations for a wider rejuvenation project for Dragon Boat, which is now receiving the attention of the IDBF Youth Commission.
Our objective is to develop Dragon Boat as a true sport for life: a sport that attracts young athletes, gives them opportunities to grow and compete, and allows them to remain active throughout their lives.
Senior D connects our past with our future: it recognises those who continue their journey and reminds us of our next challenge — to make sure that many more young people start that journey.”
Claudio Schermi
President IDBF
About the IDBF
The International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) is the global governing body for dragon boat racing. Founded in 1991 in Hong Kong, it oversees and promotes the sport of dragon boat paddling across the world. With a mission to foster unity, friendship, and fair competition, the IDBF organises multiple international world championships, sets rules and standards for dragon boat racing and equipment, and has a membership base of over 80 national federations.