Mako is fortunate enough to spend our time paddling on Jervis Bay and racing in Dragon Boat NSW National and international regattas. The seeds of Mako started with a single $250 ready-for-the-scrap-heap dragon boat, borrowed paddles and a bunch of enthusiastic Jervis Bay locals. In addition to the challenges of training and racing, Mako is a passionate member of the Jervis Bay community and relishes the opportunity to give back to the community that has embraced us.
Community Mako
Clean Up Australia Day
Excitement buzzed through the club as we gathered to make a difference for Jervis Bay. Armed with sturdy garbage bags and a shared determination, we formed a spirited brigade at Woollamia Boat Ramp and car park. With each piece of litter we collected, our bond with the bay grew stronger, knowing we were doing our bit to help keep the bay we are so fortunate to experience every week clean and beautiful for others.
The Men’s Table
Mako is collaborating with the Men’s Table to provide access to dragon boating and our beautiful bay. With the mental health of our members at the forefront of our minds, the chance to share the benefits of exercise, camaraderie and laughter is an initiative Mako is proud to be associated with. Mako is proud to count members of the Men’s Table among our members.
Milton Show
After trading in our paddles for boots and donning our Club JB logoed Club t-shirts, Mako volunteers rallied to manage the bustling car parks throughout the exhilarating three-day Milton Show. Our commitment to community service shone as brightly as the smiles we exchanged with every visitor we welcomed to the Show.
Push-up Challenge for Lifeline
Mako crew members enthusiastically embraced the Push-up Challenge, a dynamic event blending mental health advocacy with physical fitness. Supporting Lifeline, we raised an impressive $2304 and collectively completed an inspiring 15,294 push-ups. Anticipation fills the air as we await our next water adventure, knowing our efforts have made a tangible difference in our community’s well-being.
Racing Mako
Across the season, Mako has trained and embraced the true goal of this great sport: to line up on a racecourse and duke it out with the best in the country. And thanks to the support of Club Jervis Bay, our adventures were many….
November – Sydney: The Dobroyd Storm
- Mako launched its race season in freezing Sydney conditions with lashing rains and unpredictable tides on the forever rough waters of Dobroyd. With our commitment to growing the sport in Jervis Bay, the Dobroyd regatta saw the debut of thirteen amazing paddlers at the first regatta. A baptism of fire, quenched by torrential downpours. The resounding response from the troops was, “When’s our next regatta?”
December – Canberra: The Trifecta
- Mako travelled to the waters of Lake Burley Griffin with excited rookies, no reserves, and trainee sweeps completing their first races. Jumping from boat to boat as mixed crews doubled up into Open’s crews, the workload was daunting. Commitment, trust, teamwork and camaraderie paid off in spades as the Mako crews swept to a rare trifecta of Gold in Women’s, Mixed and Open 500m races.
January – 2024 Australia Day Awards
- Mako Coach Kristin Chick was awarded the Shoalhaven Sports Person of the Year. Speaking after the ceremony with the Shoalhaven Citizen of the Year, Triple U FM’s Chance Hanlon, Chicki reflected, “Mako has experienced incredible growth in a short period, and that would not have been possible without the support of Club Jervis Bay. Having started the club with twenty-year-old derelict boats, the support of Club Jervis Bay helped us upgrade our boats and take the next step in the development. We are blessed to stand alongside Shoalhaven OzTag, Wobbegongs Winter Swimming Club and the Club Jervis Bay Fishos as recipients of support from Club Jervis Bay.”
February – Bei Loon 10km: One Crew for Two Races
- Bel Loon is a 10-km course around Scotland Island in Sydney’s picturesque Pittwater, and the crew had no opportunity to take in the scenery. While most clubs with a single crew would race once, having made the long drive, calling it a day after 10km seemed a waste. Enter Mako Hungry (Race 1) and Mako Bitey (Race 2), which have the same crew but different sides. With Jervis Bay km’s under our belts, Mako pulled off a remarkable 2nd and 4th out of 18 crews.
February – Lunar New Year Festival #3: Mako Goes Top 10
- Mako duked it out in Darling Harbour against a stacked field of 62 crews, and while the club finished the regatta with a top-ten tanking, that was not the highlight. In the heat and relentless racing chaos, Mako stood together as one. In the words of our Club Captain Ang, “As I reflect on our mako motleys – we are young, we are old (well oldish), we are big, we are small, we are bold, and we are humble, but despite our differences, we unite together and make special things happen. #makomojo is real.”
March – Canberra: Mako Wins at ACT Champs
- Mako was loaded with sea air and Jervis Bay spirit when heading to Canberra for the season’s penultimate event. What unfolded across the two days of racing was remarkable, both in performance and in the growth of our first-year paddlers, from nervous first-timers to seasoned competitors—a testimony to both the coaching and the support of teammates. When the dust settled, Mako medalled in all seven races entered, winning gold (Open 500m) and six silver.
April – NZ National Championships: An Unexpected Journey
- The 2024 NZ Nationals expedition brought together fifty paddlers from two countries, four states, and twelve cubs. What unfolded over two days at Lake Karipiro will be etched in our memories and retold with less clarity each time over many drinks. Still, one thing will remain—the smiles that can’t be hidden when thinking of this incredible and unexpected adventure. Mako was the only Australian representative team, and Mako represented Australia with pride and professionalism, thrilled to make the top 4 in the A Finals and win a B Final.
Representative Mako
Eight Mako members were selected to represent Australia at the World Dragon Boat Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. Mako supported training camps during the Australian squad’s preparation and hosted over 200 paddlers. Jervis Bay has now been established as the critical regional training hub for the Australian Dragon Boat team.
“The support of Club Jervis Bay in purchasing our newest dragon boat was the key to Mako offering training camps for the Australian Team. I can only see this going from strength to strength in the future.” Said Mako President Simon Katz.
“We are thrilled to have Jervis Bay become Aurora’s training hub, marking a big first for the region. Our partnership with Club Jervis Bay has allowed Mako to expand our reach and provide more opportunities for members to train and compete at a higher level. We are also working with Shoalhaven Council to explore opportunities to build a home base for Mako at Woollamia.”
Season 2024-25 Mako
A New Mako Home
Through the support provided by Club Jervis Bay’s sponsorship and community raffles, the Jervis Bay community and the commitment of our members, Mako has been able to purchase an additional 10’s boat. Our fleet now numbers four boats, and we have outgrown our ‘bush base’.
Mako Paddle Club is currently engaged with Shoalhaven Council to progress the establishment of an on-site club facility at the Woollamia Boat Ramp to protect our valuable paddling assets better. The council has given us a provisional indication of space in the Boat Ramp precinct, and we are now working on securing access to the land and planning our new home. It won’t be a short or cheap process, but our membership growth sends us a clear message: we love Mako and paddling on Jervis Bay. So, build we will!
Community Give-Back Day
Mako takes a different path this year by sharing the joy of paddling a dragon boat on Jervis Bay with the Community. In gratitude for the opportunities we have been afforded, the club will be sharing paddling at our inaugural Community Give-Back Day. The club will host the Jervis Bay community, not to recruit paddlers but to share and give back. Our first Give-Back Day is tentatively scheduled for late September. Seats for the Board and management of Club Jervis Bay have been reserved, and we would love the opportunity to share the sport you have chosen to support.
Pan Pacific Masters Games
In a club first, Mako will load the paddles and head to the Gold Coast in November to participate in our first Pan Pac Masters games. More than 20,000 participants and their supporters are expected to descend on the Gold Coast from 1 to 10 November 2024. Best known for an atmosphere of friendliness and fun, the event represents another opportunity for Mako to spread the Jervis Bay love and compete on the National stage.
NSW State Titles and AusChamps
Mako will return to race in the NSW State Titles (lost to flooding last year) and AusChamps. Both events will be held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre and promise to be the paddling pinnacle for the season. Due to our sport’s growth, the Nationals will be contested this season for over six days of racing. Part race, part endurance event, this is where the Mako family camaraderie shines of mateship and trust as much as fitness comes to the fore. Mako will proudly take the Jervis Bay message to the events, and with it will come the stories that filter back to our little town, along with the thanks we all feel to have the support of Club Jervis Bay.
We look forward to another successful season in partnership with Club Jervis Bay while continuing to build on Mako’s momentum across recruitment, technique, fitness, racing, embracing our beautiful bay and, notably, continuing to grow our presence as a member of the Jervis Bay community.
