Submitted by Meri Gibson, IBCPC President
We realise that the 2026 festival has not even been held yet but we are already looking towards 2030 and what that festival campaign will look like and where it will be held. To that end we will be starting the bid process in 2025.
We will announce the bid process timeline in the March 2025 newsletter; however, this is a brief heads up to give you an idea of what that timeline might look like.
2025
July: Bid workshops.
September: Bids open
December 1: Bids close
2026
January- April: Bid Assessment and site visits
May -end July: Final discussion and assessment
August 25: Announce date and location of 2030 Festival.
IBCPC Festival fees (levies)
In addition to this heads-up timeline, we also wanted to give you an idea of where IBCPC derives its income and how funds are dispersed post a festival, just in case you are interested in putting in a bid or even helping to fund our ongoing work as we operate on a shoestring budget. Accounts can also be found on the IBCPC website no later than 2 years post year end.
IBCPC currently has only one major source of income to conduct its operations, including outreach clinics in global locations.
This sits under By- law 21:
Which reads:
IBCPC Fiscal Responsibilities
21. Funds for operation of the Commission will come from the following sources:
a. fees payable at IBCPC festivals;
b. membership payable by teams joining IBCPC between festivals;
c. sponsorship; and
d. donations
IBCPC has a “Terms of agreement” for each festival and as part of that IBCPC receives a per participant (Paddlers and supporters included) fee/levy payment. We ask in the “Terms of agreement” that if there is any surplus post the festival that it is used in the country it is earned to help promote breast cancer dragon boat paddling, and breast cancer awareness. IBCPC does not have the capacity to advance any funds or assist in costs in any way. Should the festival run at a loss then IBCPC carries no liability, which is entirely in the hands of the organisers.
The festival organisers take all the financial risk. IBCPC does not allocate any funding towards this and it does not take any risk, it merely receives a fee/levy payment and the festival earns its income from the registration fees charged. The fee structure is at the discretion of the organiser but in consultation with IBCPC on presentation of a proposed festival budget.
IBCPC Festivals
2007
Not an IBCPC festival. There was a discussion held with the teams at the event in Caloundra, Australia about forming an international organisation, as IBCPC had not formed there was no request for any payment to IBCPC. IBCPC was officially formed with its first Congress held in Peterborough, Canada in 2010.
2010
IBCPC had only just formed.
There was no fee/levy payable to IBCPC (having only just formed), The Peterborough organisers had a substantial surplus generated by their sponsors. The organisers donated all the surplus funds to the local hospital. There was no obligation placed on the Peterborough committee to make any payment to IBCPC.
2014
The festival in Sarasota was organised by an incorporated company with Kim Bonomo at its head, the IBCPC fee/levy charged was $10US per paddler. This was paid via various means. The festival had a surplus and how the organisers dispersed that surplus was completely at their discretion. Some funds were used by the organisers to pay some of the costs for two IBCPC outreach clinics, the balance was spent at the discretion of the shareholders.
2018
The festival in Florence was organised by a charitable trust with Lucia de Ranieri at the head. IBCPC charged $15 US per paddler fee/levy. This levy was paid in full to IBCPC. Unfortunately, that fee/levy balance has been held in Canada and has not been dispersed to IBCPC for its operations as per clause 21.
There was a surplus and again it was at the complete discretion of the organisers as to what they used these surplus funds for. The organisers have developed and promoted many breast cancer awareness events in their region. They donated a piece of early detection equipment to the local university hospital and during Covid they donated a breathing machine to the local hospital and a great deal of PPE gear and testing equipment. They continue to promote breast cancer awareness.
2023
The festival in New Zealand was organised by a charitable trust with Meri Gibson at the head and $20 US per paddler was charged for the fee/levy payment. This levy was paid in full by the end of the festival. With late sponsors coming on board and despite the exceptionally low attendance number and post Covid increases in costs the festival made a small surplus. With that surplus the charitable trust has funded team uniforms, regatta and festival entry fees, travel for teams in New Zealand and have also donated two standard (20 person) Champion dragon boats, three dragon boat ergometers, boat covers, a 40’ container to store dragon boat equipment in for the BCS teams. There have been donations made to the Breast Cancer Research Trust located in Hamilton as the closest location to the race venue, donations made to the Professor studying the genetic links in breast cancer at the university of Otago and other donations (these were all associated speakers at the IBCPC Congress). They have also funded flowers for flower ceremonies, breast cancer breakfasts and travel to dragon boat regattas.
The Trust is continuing to operate to promote breast cancer awareness and has just received funding for two dragon boats and paddles to bring on board two new teams.
