Iloilo Paddlers dominates International Race, Gives Back with Youth Clinic

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The Iloilo Paddlers Club (Team iPAD), a home-grown and pioneering dragon boat team from Iloilo City, has once again made waves on the international stage by clinching top finishes at the LOVEBoracay International Dragon Boat Festival held last April 26–27, 2025.

Competing against 34 elite teams from across Asia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Guam and the Philippines. Living up to the team’s battle cry — waswas! baskug! — Team iPAD paddled all out and went strong in four race categories, bringing home three podium finishes.

Champion – Senior Mixed Category
3rd Runner-Up – Open Standard Category
3rd Runner-Up – Women’s Small Boat Category
Semifinalist – Mixed Standard Category

This strong performance highlights the team’s dedication, months of hard training, and the invaluable support from our community — especially the Iloilo City Government, which has been instrumental in fostering a thriving dragonboat sports culture.

“Our victory is more than just medals,” said Raph Dorilag, President of Team iPAD. “It reflects the unity and discipline of each team members and because of our love for the sport and the river. The Iloilo River, with its strong current and ideal waters, has been our home and training ground, at times we also train along Villa Beach.”

Founded in 2019, the Iloilo Paddlers Club has consistently promoted the sport of dragon boat paddling in the region, championed river stewardship, and fostered a culture of inclusivity. Its 86-strong membership includes students, out-of-school youth, and professionals — all bound by shared passion and spirit of community.

In celebration of their recent triumph and in gratitude to the city that shaped them, Team iPAD is giving back. This May 10, the team will hold a FREE Dragon Boat Clinic for students and out-of-school youth of Iloilo City — aspiring paddlers who may very well be the next generation of champions.

The clinic will feature a series of land-based training and actual boat paddling sessions — aimed at introducing the sport, building foundational skills, and inspiring a new wave of paddlers to take to the waters with confidence.

This initiative is made possible through the support of the Iloilo City Government, Iloilo City Sports Development Office, and the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. Interested participants may register through this link: https://shorturl.at/yVRel.

Team iPAD’s journey proves that champions are not only built by victory — but by community, resilience, and a river that keeps calling them home.

About Team iPAD: Team iPAD is a pioneering and competitive dragon boat team based in Iloilo City, committed to promoting the sport, engaging the local community in active lifestyles and preservation of the Iloilo River.

Founded in 2019, it now has 86 official members in Iloilo.