The Paddle Ball Tour Invitational commences at Haohe River Scenic Area in Chongchuan district, Nantong, on Aug 16. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

The Nantong station of the Yangtze River Delta Region Paddle Ball Tour Invitational began at Nantong Haohe River Sports Park on Aug 16. It drew eight teams from six cities: Hangzhou, Jinhua, Suzhou, Wuxi, Lianyungang, and Nantong.

The day was filled with intense and exciting matches that kept the audience cheering nonstop. In the end, the Hangzhou team became the champions, while Yixing team finished second and Lianyungang team took third.

The competition venue was built to meet national standards, featuring a 40x20-meter playing field with buoys, goals, and necessary equipment. It also included supporting amenities such as spectator stands, rest areas, and medical stations, all fully equipped.

"Hosting this paddle ball invitational highlights Haohe River's ecological and tourism attractions while promoting the integrated development of culture, tourism, and sports," said Xu Leyi, deputy director of the Haohe River Management Office. "We aim for this event to inspire more people to explore Haohe River's charm and experience the excitement of water sports."
Paddle ball is an emerging team water sport that has gained increasing popularity across China in recent years. This invitational, held at the Haohe River Scenic Area, was the first paddle ball competition organized there and marks the second Yangtze River Delta event held in Nantong, following the Haohe River Dragon Boat Invitational.