Anhui province plans to host four dragon boat races in 2014, the Anhui Dragon Boat Race, Xin’an River Dragon Boat Race, International Colleges Dragon Boat Tournament and Five Fresh-Water Lakes Dragon Boat Race, to raise awareness of the sport.

Dragon boat racing is a traditional activity that memorializes the famous poet Qu Yuan, who lived during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) of ancient China.

Consistently, Anhui athletes have given great performances in domestic and international competitions in recent years. For example, the Wanfo Lake dragon boat team from Shucheng county, Anhui province, won six silver medals in the ninth Chinese National Ethnic Games. In the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, Anhui athlete Cao Lina and her team members won three gold medals. In the 2011 Dragon Boat World Championships, Cao and her team members shined again and scooped up three gold medal, one silver medal and two bronze medals.

On February 23, 2012, the Anhui Dragon Boat Racing Association was founded to promote best practices for the sport.

Shen Hong, president of the Anhui Dragon Boat Racing Association, said that apart from organizing dragon boat races, the association also plans to set up a high standard dragon boat club with the aim of promoting Anhui dragon boat racers in the national and international stage.

By Huang Pei

Edited by Michael Thai