Ningbo dragon boat race unites international teams

[Video/Yongpai app]

On June 14, Ningbo's Haishu district hosted a dragon boat race that brought together local communities and international teams, turning a traditional sport into a lively display of competition and cultural exchange along the Dandugang River.

The event, the third edition of the Luocheng Dragon Boat Championship, took place in Xiyanggang village, Gulin town. A total of 15 teams competed, including seven village-based crews and eight mixed teams formed through open registration. Three of the teams included international participants, adding a cross-cultural dimension to the race.

The race took place on a 400-meter straight course, where vividly decorated boats surged forward at the start signal. Crews paddled in tight coordination to the beat of drums, as onboard drummers set the tempo and steersmen guided the boats, with each team striving for speed and precision.

Organizers said the event has increasingly become a platform for grassroots sports exchange, with international participation helping broaden its cultural reach. Among the overseas competitors was an Iraqi student representing the Balkan Flying Boat team, who described the experience as intense and highly engaging, noting it was his first time taking part in a dragon boat race in China.

Officials from the Haishu Outdoor Sports Association said the competition not only elevated the overall standard of sport but also strengthened people-to-people connections through shared participation in traditional water sports.