Thursday 21st may 2026
Surrey Docks Fitness & Water Sports Centre, Rope Street, London, SE16 7SX
Check out the Construction Industry Dragon Boat Challenge Facebook page! Follow the latest news about the event, including updates on teams entered!
In aid of CRASH charity, is set for 21st May, 2026. It will be held at the Surrey Docks Fitness & Water Sports Centre, London. Up to 40 teams will compete in a thrilling 200m race course. This event draws hundreds of spectators, offering a wide range of bankside entertainment and food. It promises a fantastic day for all involved. More details on entry categories can be found below.
Dragon boat racing is rapidly gaining popularity in the UK. It’s not just fast; it’s also incredibly enjoyable. In each 30’ boat, up to 10 people paddle, led by a drummer at the front and a helmsman at the tail. No prior experience is necessary—just a lot of team spirit.
The 26th Construction Industry Dragon Boat Challenge primarily targets corporate groups in the construction industry. It’s an excellent opportunity for team building and raising funds for CRASH charity. Upon registration, you can opt to enhance your entry package by making a larger donation to the charity partner. You can also raise funds in your own unique way. Learn more about the charity and ways to support it below.
We eagerly anticipate hosting this extraordinary event once more. We look forward to seeing all of you there! Let’s make this year unforgettable and raise as much money as possible for CRASH charity. For further information on NewWave Events, visit https://newwave-events.co.uk/ or give us a call at 01536 674 748. We’re excited to introduce ourselves!
So, are you interested in entering a team? You are in the right place – It’s quick and simple! All you need to do is read the entry categories below, choose the package which suits your team best, click on the ‘enter online now’ button and fill in your details on our online entry portal.
Follow the step by step process on the online entry portal and choose to pay by card (transaction charge 2%), BACS or cheque. Once the payment is received, you will be able to see your entry acknowledgement on the online entry portal dashboard. Please note that your entry is not confirmed until we have received payment and your online entry dashboard shows the entry acknowledgement information.
If you are the assigned Crew Manager, we will be contacting you with any new information related to the event.
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Entry Levels
Entries will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. No refunds will be given once an entry has been accepted and there can be no refund if the Festival or racing has to be cancelled due to conditions outside the control of NewWave Events.
Note: In addition to the entry donation, there is a minimum fundraising amount of £300 per entry. All funds raised are for our charity partner, CRASH.
Standard crew – £1,400 + vat plus £200 CRASH donation
CRASH Premier crew – £1,400 + vat plus £400 CRASH donation
CRASH Platinum crew – £2,000 + vat plus £600 CRASH donation
CRASH is the UK construction industry’s charity that helps homelessness charities and hospices with their vital construction projects. CRASH’s work is about creating buildings for vulnerable people that you would want for yourself or the people you love. Well designed and expertly built environments have a positive effect on how we all feel and behave. This is especially true for people who are homeless, and children and adults with life-limiting illness. By taking part in this event, you will help to create places that care for people when they’re most in need.
For more information:
Email: info@crash.org.uk
Tel: 020 8742 0717
Visit: www.crash.org.uk
Facebook/crash.charity/
Twitter@CRASHcharity
Linkedin CRASH Charity
Reg charity no: 1054107
How can you help?
In addition to your entry fee donation, each team should aim to raise a minimum of £500 and continue to help people who are homeless, or those receiving specialist care in a hospice, by transforming the buildings they need. You can set you an online fundraising page for your team at www.justgiving.org.uk/crash. Your company may have a match funding scheme to double donations raised! The crew that raises the most in aid of CRASH will win the CRASH ‘Top Fundraiser’ trophy and a team prize.
‘’CRASH is excited to partner with NewWave Events and media partner Building for The Construction Industry Dragon Boat Challenge 2026, bringing together 40 teams from across the industry to support our work with homelessness charities and hospices! It is a fantastic fundraising event, promoting teamwork, relationship building and good old-fashioned fun. We look forward to seeing returning teams and new faces as CRASH celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.’’
Mike Allen, Corporate Partnerships Manager at CRASH
Building is construction’s go-to weekly title. Through the magazine, the website building.co.uk, tablet and mobile editions, Building provides an unrivalled combination of news, interviews, analysis and hard industry data. Building is the only title that covers all parts of the construction industry, reaching an audience of contractors, housebuilders, architects, clients and surveyors.
For more information visit www.building.co.uk
BBQ
Each crew gets 11 complimentary BBQ buffet tickets. You can purchase additional tickets and fill in your dietary requirements via your online entry portal. Please fill this in by 20th April 2026 (9am latest)
Cash Bar
A cash bar will be available between the hours of 2pm and 7pm. Any teams/companies wishing to set up a company account, please contact Eamon Phillips of Barstop, on 07977 090910 or eamonphillips@barstop.co.uk prior to the day to make the necessary arrangements.
We are thrilled to announce that we will be offering an air hockey table, Roll-a -Ball, and Strike a Light as fantastic new entertainment games for you to enjoy during the event! Best of all, these exciting activities are completely free of charge and included in your entry. So, come along and test your reflexes, skill, and speed without spending an extra penny.
2026 Festival Race Schedule available W/C 11th May 2026
A printed Souvenir Programme will be available to all participants and spectators.
A QR code with the digital souvenir programme and live results will be available to all crews and spectators on the day.
Take the opportunity to advertise and promote your company’s services or products at the construction industry’s premier team event. Your advert will be seen by hundreds of participants and spectators.
Expected audience of over 600 competitors from the UK construction industry.
How to book an advert
Advertising can be booked directly through our online entry portal.
Please note: The Platinum entry package includes a complimentary half-page advert in our souvenir programme.
A5, full colour, printed and online portrait publication.
Advertisement Sizes and Costs (width x height)
Full page: 148.5 x 210mm = £250 + VAT
Half page: 148.5 x 105mm = £150 + VAT
Quarter page: 74.25 x 105mm = £100 + VAT
For inside covers, add 20%. For the back cover, add 25%.
Technical Specifications
File format: High-resolution PDF.
Image resolution: 300dpi for photos and drawings.
Scaling: No more than 120%.
Fonts: Must be embedded or outlined in the PDF.
Safe area: Keep all critical text and elements 3-5mm inside the document edge.
Crews comprise of up to 10 paddlers plus a drummer – squads may be larger (max 15 persons). Crews can be mixed, all female or all male and organisations may enter more than one crew. The minimum age is 16 and no previous experience is required. All crew members must be confident in cold water conditions, wearing light clothing and in moving water and compete entirely at their own risk. BDA qualified helms, buoyancy aids and water safety cover are provided by the organisers. All crews accepted for entry must abide with the competition rules and entry details on this website. Each crew is guaranteed a minimum of 2 races (subject to conditions).
The Crew Manager will receive a full Crew Managers Information Pack following email confirmation of payment for the event via the online entry portal.
A link to view all the photos from the day will be sent out to crew managers as soon as they are ready post event.
Please share them on your social media and tag NewWave Events and Challenge partners 🙂
#constructionindustry #dragonboatchallenge
Our photographer for The Construction Industry Dragon Boat Challenge 2026 is the award winning Magdalena Sienicka.
Address: Surrey Docks Fitness & Water Sports Centre, Rope Street, London, SE16 7SX
Parking is not available at the venue so please travel by bus, train/tube or bike.
WHAT TIME CAN WE ARRIVE AT THE VENUE?
The Crew Managers Meeting begins at 13:00 but crews can arrive at the centre from 12:00. Every crew MUST be represented at the crew managers meeting but the remaining crew members can arrive later as long as they are on site at least 1 hour before their first scheduled race.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO BRING ON THE DAY?
We recommend you bring a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated, sun cream in case of hot weather and a sun hat. We also suggest you bring a change of clothes too as you may get wet from splashes when paddling.
If you are the crew manager, please also bring your signed risk forms for your team.
Other than that you just need a bit of determination and team spirit!
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
On the day of the event we recommend you wear comfortable sports clothing and trainers or strap on shoes. Flip flops are strictly NOT allowed.
Rain coats and/or hats and sunglasses may also be a good idea depending on the weather!
The Construction Industry Dragon Boat Challenge is an exciting event for team building, providing a fabulous experience that celebrates the strength of teamwork. This sport, which involves paddling a large, dragon-shaped boat in unison, requires a high level of teamwork and communication. Each member of the team must work together, synchronising their movements to propel the boat forward. This element of coordination and cooperation is a powerful metaphor for the workings of a successful corporate team, where everyone’s performance contributes to the overall success of the company.
The Dragon Boat Challenge in London, in particular, is ideal for corporate groups. These events provide a perfect team building day out on the water, where employees can have fun and learn new skills. The competitive nature of the races raises spirits and encourages a positive, can-do attitude. Furthermore, the festival includes additional activities and opportunities for socialising, which can further enhance team building and cohesion.
In conclusion, the Construction Industry Dragon Boat Challenge in London is more than just a sport; it’s a tool for building stronger, more effective teams. Whether it’s a one-off team building day or a regular part of your company’s culture, dragon boat racing can provide a boost to your team’s performance and morale.
