Orange's Estella Ferri makes NSW premier squad for 2022 Australian Dragon Boating Championships

Orange's own Estella Ferri represented the western region in 2020 and 2021, though, COVID and flooding put a bit of a damper on nationals. Eager to have the chance to contend, she wasn't able to ... until now.

"I'm pretty happy to be giving it a go in 2022 as I've not competed at Australian championships as yet," she said.

Dragon Boating NSW released the state premier division team list on February 23 - where 16 women and 16 men will soon travel to Adelaide's A.M Ramsay Rowing Course on April 8.

The squad will prepare to paddle in up to three races in varying categories, so Ms Ferri's training schedule will demand a lot of her from now until then - combining local paddle training with the club, trips to Sydney to train with the premier squad and 'report back to base' weights-based exercises - totaling up to 10 hours of physical preparation per week.

"It's quite intensive training, about six or seven days a week of training," she said.

"There's land-based training requirements for three days each week, so, things like power-lifting, benching, dead-lifting and squats and a heap of accessory exercises for different muscles.

"There's also AMRAP - or 'As Many Rounds As Possible' - for the other three days for 20 minute rounds, which we report back, as well."

Ploughing time and energy into the sport seems to come easily to Ms Ferri, with her fixation on dragon boating also connecting other important factors for the athlete.

"I love every aspect of it - I love the team aspect, I love the sense of freedom doing rounds on beautiful Lake Canobolas - and I really love how it has both fitness and overall health all wrapped up in one," she said.

"I'm very passionate about the combination of mental and physical wellbeing."

Having been with the Colour City Dragons boating club for the past four to five years, Ms Ferri said the devotion for dragon boating began from day dot.

"I've been paddling for about four seasons now, but it started as something I just saw in the newspaper one day and I thought, 'oh yeah, I'll give that a go'," she laughed, "and I went to Lake Canobolas when the training was on and I've been completely addicted ever since."

President of the Colour City Dragons John Moss says the dragon boating club feel "lucky to have her" and said its grateful to Ms Ferri's work ethic paddling alongside members.

"Estella is a popular club member of the Colour City Dragons and she does work hard," Mr Moss said.

"She's also qualified as dragon boat coach which is a great benefit to the club and leads the warm-ups - she does a terrific job at that - and she's always the first to put her hand up to attend any of our regattas."

Mr Moss also added that Ms Ferri is the first of its club members to make the national team, addressing the grit and determination it takes leading up to the big event.

"She not only trains with us, she does gym work and running to maintain her fitness as well - things that you need to do to be accepted into the NSW dragon boat team," he said.

"And they don't only test your technique, but also your stamina and fitness levels."

Considering that each championship race in April will total 500 metres in distance, the measurement of Ms Ferri's achievements, it seems, have certainly covered a lengthy list of larger proportions to date.

"I give myself a lot of grief sometimes, but my friends say 'no, you do so much'," she said.

"That's when I take a step back and realise just how far I've come."

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