Anyone out for a paddle on the Manning River will be out of luck this weekend, with the waterway to be crammed full of craft for the annual Dragon Boat Regatta.
Regular competitors in the popular event are in for a major shake up this year, with organisers more than doubling the race length from 200 metres to an arm-wobbling 500-metres.
Seven clubs from as far west as Dubbo and as far south as the Central Coast will grab their oars, in a fight to the finish line.
The weekend will also feature a two kilometre turn race, as well as another first – an event known internationally as a novelty flag race.
“They usually do that kind of regatta in Hawaii and we have done it before when we went to Hawaii to compete so we thought we’d bring it here to the North Coast to try it, see if everyone else likes it as well so yeah it should be good,” says Jennifer Schubert.
Races begin from 12 tomorrow.
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