GUIYANG, China, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A dragon boat race is set to kick off on Friday on the Wuyang River in Shibing County, located in southwest China's Guizhou Province, according to local authorities.
Approximately 2,500 athletes from 84 teams will participate in the race, which celebrates this year's Duanwu Festival, also known as the Dragon Boat Festival. The festival falls on Thursday.
Organizers have announced that the race will take place from June 23 to 25. The athletes will compete in various categories, including male-paddler standard boats, female-paddler standard boats, and male-paddler dragon canoes. The total prize money for the top three teams in each category amounts to 197,000 yuan (some 27,440 U.S. dollars).
This year's dragon boat race aims to enhance communication and exchanges with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and thus, teams from China's Hong Kong and Macao regions have been invited to participate.
Shibing County, known for its diverse ethnic makeup, with ethnic minorities comprising 58.7 percent of the population, will also organize a series of cultural activities to celebrate the festival. These activities include long-table banquets, fireworks shows, and parades showcasing traditional costumes worn by local ethnic minorities.
One of the highlights was the transportation of a 98.8-meter-long dragon boat by over 2,000 men to the river on Thursday. In 2016, a locally designed dragon boat measuring 77.8 meters in length received certification from the Guinness World Records.
The Dragon Boat Festival is observed on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese lunar calendar. ■
