MORE than 2000 paddlers from across Australia descended on the Champion Lakes Regatta Centre for the 2015 Australian Dragon Boat Championships last week.
Champion Lakes Boating Club hosted the flagship dragon boating event from April 14 to April 18.
Chairwoman of the event Barbara Clarkson said this year's competition exceeded expectations with WA crews breaking records and taking home handfuls of medals.
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"Our junior crews did partciulary well."
Several paddlers from the Champion Lakes dragon boat team The Lakers successfully competed for a position on the WA State team.
At least one Laker paddler was a part of almost every state divisional crew, including the junior crew, the Under 24 crew and the Senior A crew.
WA had its largest state team ever competing at the event.
A series of highly-contested races took place every six minutes over the five-day competition, including the State versus Sate Championship and the Australian Club Championships.
Clubs also had the opportunity to qualify for the 2016 Club Crew World Championships, which will be hosted in Adelaide.
Champion Lakes Boating Club last hosted the Australian Dragon Boat Championships in 2008 when the VenuesWest facility had been open less than a year.
Mrs Clarkson said the centre has since developed into a world-class venue and all the feedback received from competitors and spectators was positive.