Event coordinator and keen paddler Belinda Fowler said typically the Kempsey regattas attract entrants from up and down the East Coast of NSW.

"Our last regatta in 2017, we hosted over 100 participants," Belinda said.

"We are very excited this year to be expanding our regatta to cross two days, Saturdays events will include a tough 2km race schedule, and we are also excited to announce that we will be including Community and Corporate teams in the racing line up on Sunday alongside seriously competitive Sport Club racing in 200-metre sprints."

According to Belinda there are a number of community teams registered already, "and we know of others that are building theirs, its just going to be such a fun day for the whole community."

Teams must have a minimum of 16 paddlers, up to 20 plus someone who'd like to sit up the front and drum - "a great spot for someone who would love the opportunity to yell at their team mates," Belinda says.

The event will also include great food and entertainment, so everyone is encouraged to come along and enjoy the occasion which will be full of fun and excitement.

The KMDBC for many years have been recognised as the most successful regional dragon boat Club, the Club was formed in 2007 and began boating on the Macleay in 2008. Its members are proudly known as the River Rats and we have become ambassadors for this area competing successfully at Northern Regional Regattas, Australia-wide and internationally, two of their members have even represented Australia as part of the National Dragon Boat Team, the Auroras!

Rat members are long time valued business owners, public and private employees and retired residents with diverse backgrounds, aged from their 30s through to 70s. They are the only group who all year round utilise our beautiful River, with seven training sessions every week, two social and five strong for regatta preparation.

2019 is set to be a busy year for the River Rats, in addition to hosting their own major Regatta and participating in local and regional Regattas, they will be competing in the Australian Masters Games, the Sarawak International Dragon Boat Festival, and the Singapore Dragon Boat Festival, representing and promoting the Macleay region to the world.

If you'd like more information abour how you can be a part of this great event, or you'd like an entry form, contact Belinda on 0421 592 867 or email compuaccount@bigpond.com.