The dragon boat race of the China Longzhou Tournament 2024. [Photo/Chinese Dragon Boat Association]

Wenzhou's dragon boat teams made a strong showing in the China Longzhou Tournament 2024, held on June 10 in Yancheng, Jiangsu province.

The races spanned three days, with the finals coinciding with the festival. Wenzhou's five teams excelled, all making it to the finals and winning three silver and three bronze medals across various categories and distances.

The event is the most prestigious dragon boat race in China and offers the largest cash prize.

The Wenzhou Xinlian Dingtao team in particular made an impressive debut, securing second place overall with one silver and two bronze medals. Their strong performance was unexpected, especially considering their amateur status compared to the professional teams. The team's rigorous training since March paid off, and their success has increased their confidence for future competitions.

The Wenzhou Xiuyu team, a long-standing force in the sport, also performed well, although they felt they could have done better in the 200m and 500m races. Their silver medal this year marks their best result in the competition to date.

Dragon boat racing is deeply embedded in Chinese culture, with a history spanning thousands of years. This year's festival highlighted the sport's enduring popularity, with 392 dragon boat races held nationwide and millions of participants engaging in the festivities.