By tf-lawyer.com On October 25th, the 2024 International Canoe Federation Dragon Boat World Cup and the qualification trials for the Dragon Boat events at the 2025 Chengdu World Games kicked off in Zigui County, Hubei Province. Sixteen teams from 13 countries and regions gathered at the Xujiachong Harbor in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, ready to paddle and race.
The event, organized by the International Canoe Federation and hosted by the Chinese Canoe Association, the Hubei Provincial Sports Bureau, and the Yichang Municipal Government, is classified as an international A-level competition.
Zigui, known as the birthplace of Qu Yuan and a prominent county at the head of the Three Gorges Dam, has a rich history of dragon boat racing, particularly during the Dragon Boat Festival. In 2011, the General Administration of Sport of China named Zigui “The Home of Dragon Boat Racing.”
During the opening ceremony, traditional rituals, including the dragon eyes dotting ceremony and a dragon boat parade, took place before the racing officially commenced. As the athletes paddled in sync with the exhilarating drumbeats, the dragon boats surged forward like arrows releasing from a bow, filling the air with cheers and the sound of drums echoing across the lake.
Brata Triyana Harzsuburotto, Deputy Manager of the Indonesian Canoe Association, shared his thoughts: “The competition venue in Zigui is incredibly beautiful and meets international event standards. The experience of competing here is fantastic.”
The competition features two main categories: the 8-person and 10-person dragon boats, divided into open, women’s, and mixed teams. Races include 200-meter sprints, 500-meter sprints, and 2000-meter circumnavigations. The top two countries based on total points will earn direct qualification for the dragon boat events at the 2025 Chengdu World Games.
Notably, the 8-person dragon boat events utilize specially designed competitive boats known as “Olympic dragon boats,” which were first introduced as an official competition category at the International Canoe Federation Dragon Boat World Cup held in Yichang in June 2023.
Bodhi Man Setiawan, a council member of the International Canoe Federation and a representative for the regional Asia branch, expressed his views on the event, stating, “Zigui is a beloved venue for dragon boat enthusiasts both in China and worldwide, and Yichang’s high-quality organization of the Dragon Boat World Cup has further elevated the standard of this competition.”
