Tauranga's Boobops dragon boat paddlers are taking brief rest over the next couple of months to focus on fundraising for the next big adventure - the International Breast Paddlers competition in the United States.

The Boobops team has been punching well above their weight in recent years, being national champions and this year taking national titles in the 200m and 2000m events, says coach Matthew Cuthbert.

Boobops at the Wellington dragon boat festival in March.

'We've done really well, last year this year national champs, last three year's regional champs. They definitely know how to stay on top,” says Matthew.

'We are heading off to Sarasota in Florida. It's like a breast cancer world champs over there for the weekend 28^th October. It's a big event they have there every four years.

'In June they start training again for that event. In the meantime the girls are doing off-water training; walking, biking, swimming, climbing the mount - all those sort of things.”

'We've been doing a powerful lot of fundraising, but it's never enough is it, to get a squad over there. The team are paying a fair bit of their own, but we are trying to raise as much as possible.”

The Cancer Society has funded new paddling shorts and pants at quite a large cost, says Matthew.

'All those sort of things help tremendously. We've been applying for funding from various places, Pub Charity, the Lion Foundation. They have given us some sponsorship, not massive amounts, but it's enough to upgrade gear.”

There are already 100 teams registered for Sarasota with squads of 25 in each team. There are two teams going from New Zealand, says Matthew.

The Boobops team draws its paddlers from across the Bay of Plenty, says Matthew. The Eastern Bay of Plenty, a couple from Matamata and a few from Te Puke.

During spring and summer they normally train Wednesday evening and Saturday morning.

Dragon boat paddling became popular with breast cancer survivors after Canadian Sports Medicine specialist Don McKenzie went against the traditional advice and started a breast cancer survivors' dragon boat team in 1996.

His suggestion that women should increase their fitness, build up their strength in their arms while having a good time has resulted in today's international breast cancer survivors dragon boating.

While there are other breast cancer dragon boat teams in New Zealand, Mathew says much of the Boobops team's success has been against women's teams, and mixed teams where they hold their own.

'And they are still impressive,” says Matthew.

'They may not win those heats but they are coming second, third, fourth sometimes.”

'The average age in our team the BC team youngest would be probably early 40s, the oldest around 70, so they do pretty well for their age.

'At the nationals in Ashburton there were lots of mixed teams, school teams. They can't beat the school teams. Even the open and mixed teams have trouble with the school teams, because they are so young and fit. But we do alright. We are a little bit behind, a few seconds behind, but you have got to expect that.”

The Bay of Plenty Dragon Boat Club has two boats and two teams, Boobops and Bay Dragons, an open women's team. The club's got about 50 members says Matthew.

The Boobops Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Team have been National Champs 2011,2012,2013, National Champs in the 200m & 2000m events 2014. Regional Champs 2013, 2014, Wellington Champs 2013,2014

During March this year the team won six Gold medals and one Silver.

1st Nationals Ashburton Saturday March 29th 2014 Breast Cancer Final 200m

2nd Nationals Ashburton Saturday March 29th 2014 Breast Cancer Final 500m

1st Nationals Ashburton Saturday March 29th 2014 Breast Cancer Final 2000m

1st Auckland Regionals Saturday March 22nd 2014 Breast Cancer Final 500m

1st Auckland Regionals Saturday March 22nd 2014 Breast Cancer Final 200m

1st Auckland Regionals Saturday March 22nd 2014 Breast Cancer Final 2000m

1st Wellington Regatta Saturday March 8th 2014 Breast Cancer Final 320m

The results come from dedicated training, race strategy, and huge team effort on the day, says Matthew.