Coaches & Team Captains

         
Head Coach - Christopher AlexandrouCoach Christopher Alexandrou Dragon Boat Sydney

The Sloths Dragon Boat Club has some of the best dragon boat coaching in the country. Coach Christopher "Zeus" Alexandrou has a proven track record of successful coaching at club, state, national and international levels. He has been a part of the Sloths coaching team since 2001, taking on the Head Coach role in 2009, and has guided the club to numerous State, National and Club Crew World Championships medals.

Training with the Sloths is the perfect preparation for paddling at a representative level. Drawing on his experience with elite crews, Zeus knows what it takes to win, and can train you to get there.

 

Jon Detjen Assistant Coach Sloths Sydney Dragon BoatAssistant Coach - Jon Detjen

Jon "Detch" Detjen has been dragon boating since 2005. He first represented NSW and Australia in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Most recently he represented Australia's Senior A squad in 2019. With coaching experience since 2008, and a decade of working with the best coaches in Australia, he became a valuable member of the Sloths coaching team in 2016. Under his coaching, the women won bronze at NSW State Champs in 2019, bronze at Chinese New Year 2020 with just 19 paddlers and silver at NSW State Champs in 2021! After some time off to be with his young family, Detch is back as the our Assistant Coach.

 


Open's Captain - Andrew ChanSydney Sloths Dragon Boat Opens Captain

In August 2021, I rejoined the world of dragon boating with The Sloths, 15 years after my initial experience with a social club where I only paddled for one season. Despite my limited background in sports, I have since created some of my most cherished memories of camaraderie, joy, and fitness with The Sloths. The work ethic, culture, and wealth of experience at The Sloths have provided me with a unique platform to rebuild my body, enhance my mental resilience, and transform myself athletically.

I am truly humbled to serve as the Captain of the indominable Sloths Men's crew. This crew boasts two decades of history, created and developed by some of the most seasoned and accomplished paddlers in the sport. My commitment is to uphold and expand on that legacy by supporting each paddler in achieving their individual goals and by continuing to nurture what makes our club exceptional.

Over the past three years, I have been fortunate to be selected for the NSW Premier State team from 2022-2024. Additionally, I have had the honour of representing Australia in the Premier division for Asian Championship 2022 and 2024, World Championships 2023 and the World Cup 2024. This has given me the opportunity to compete against some of the strongest National Dragonboat teams from around the World.

I am proud to be part of the Sloths Opens team, that won back-to-back National Championships in 2022 (Opens 200m & Opens 500m) and 2023 (Opens 200m & Opens 500m). We accomplished these feats through a proven work ethic, personal dedication, and an unassailable team grit. The Slothies are never slothful when it’s racetime.

If you're looking for a new challenge and to meet some amazing people, come down for a paddle. You'll be amazed at how quickly this sport can change your life.

 

Kristi Sydney dragon boat captainWomen's Captain - Kristi Barrow

I was introduced to the world of dragon boating through one of my gym buddies. After a false start with a non related wrist injury after my first training sessions, I came back the following season and have been hooked ever since.  There’s something truly special about the rhythm of the paddles, the power of the team, and the thrill of crossing the finish line first (or second, or third or even last!)

I’ve been lucky enough to represent Sloths, NSW and Australia at National and World regattas. This is likely to be the only time you see me racing in anything other than my beloved Sloths purple.  At Sloths we race both Mixed and Opens/Womens crews, usually in 20s boats (20 people) with distances from 200m to 2km.  This year I am excited to lead the Sloths Womens crew as we strive  to work together with passion, respect, and a commitment to being the best we can be.

When I’m not on the water, you’ll likely find me tinkering with my home automation system (If you have a spare couple of hours feel free to ask me about Alexa), or watching sport, especially AFL (Go Swans!) and cricket (Go Sixers | Go Australia!). 

Dragon boat racing is not just a sport; it's a way of life. It's a fantastic workout that keeps me (and soon to be you) fit and healthy.  Whether you are a complete beginner, or an elite dragon boat athlete, come and paddle with The Sloths. Check out our Try Paddling page and I hope to see you at training soon!

Mixed Captain

Coming soon - Selection for our mixed capatin is happening now