On Sunday 26 July, the River Mersey came alive as 16 teams of brave rowers descended on Warrington Rowing Club for St. Rocco’s Hospice’s biggest-ever Dragon Boat Race. Packed with fierce competition, fantastic team spirit and plenty of laughter, the weather didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, with the event raising an incredible £30,000 to help fund vital end-of-life care across Warrington.
Hundreds of spectators lined the riverbank at Warrington Rowing Club to cheer on the teams as they battled it out across three thrilling heats, all hoping to secure a coveted spot in the final. For those unable to attend in person, coverage was shared across the day by local radio station Cheshire Mix56 before the excitement continued online, with the final race and prize presentation streamed live on Facebook.
Cadent Dragons were once again crowned this year’s winners, after lifting the 2025 trophy at last year’s race. The final race was extremely tight as the teams approached the finish line, with Cheshire Building Company coming in second, and Biking Rowers in third!
The runner-up teams taking part this year were: We don’t MukAboat, Menshub Warrington, Ship Faced, Spire Fire, Torus Titans, Amanda's Marauders, Cadent Dragons 2, Inco, Bleeding Fast, The JP Splash Mob, Cash Bandicoots, O’Malley’s Gym and Halliwell Jones.
Marie Edgerton, Commercial Director, said, “On behalf of everyone at St. Rocco’s, I would like to say a huge heartfelt thank you. To all of you, our paddlers, rowers, drummers and spectators, your dedication is inspiring and never dwindles year after year. Dragon Boat Racing takes a lot of synchronisation, strength, and a lot of heart, and you’ve brought it all. Every stroke taken on the water has directly funded care that we provide, and we continue to offer comfort, dignity, and compassion to individuals in Warrington during those challenging days.”
St. Rocco’s would like to thank Warrington Rowing Club, ARC training for providing first aid, Brian Tuohey and Moore Camera Club for volunteering their time, the food and drink vendors – Barista Ze, Out to Lunch and Matt’s Ices, and to all our volunteers who gave up their time to attend and support, making this a day to remember.
A huge thank you also goes out to everyone who came to watch and show support and, of course, to all the rowers and drummers, and our amazing team of volunteers. If you missed the final race, you can watch it here.
We are excited to announce that our ever-popular Dragon Boat Race will once again be returning for 2027! So, keep an eye out for upcoming details.
In the meantime, we have lots of other fantastic events coming up this year. If you would like to hear more about how you can support the future of hospice care in your community through fundraising, visit our website www.stroccos.org.uk. You can also contact the Events Team on 01925 575780 or by emailing events@stroccos.org.uk.
To view the photographs from this year’s event, click here.
To view this year's video, click here.
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