Six Teessiders have qualified to represent Great Britain at the European Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Malmo, Sweden, next week.
Following a series of gruelling selection trials, the three men and three women, from Hartlepool, Eaglescliffe and Middlesbrough, will join the 40-strong squad. It is the first time the region has had such strong representation in the national side.
Emma Finn, 32, a publicity officer for Tees Valley Training and Enterprise Council, said: "Four of us made the squad last year, so it's a fantastic achievement to put the North-East even more firmly on the Dragon Boat map.
"We've undergone months of rigorous preparation for this, including training twice a day, for six days a week."
Fellow paddler and social worker Mark Bradley, 27, was at last year's world championships. His squad won six gold medals, five silvers and two bronze. He said: "We're hoping to build on that success."
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