2025 Nansha Dragon Boat Race sails with grandeur, culture, youthful spirit

The dragon boat team members paddle with all their might to win the championship. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_nanshafabu]

The 2025 Nansha Dragon Boat Race was held on the Jiaomen River in Nansha district, Guangzhou, on May 25.

As one of the Guangzhou Sports Carnival series events, this year's competition saw a significant increase in scale, with over 50 teams and more than 1,500 athletes from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area participating, surpassing last year's numbers.

The atmosphere on site was enthusiastic, with over 2 million citizens and tourists watching online and offline. The opening ceremony featured spectacular performances such as lion dances and water skiing, showcasing the cultural ambiance of Nansha through dragon dance teams and dreamlike unmanned flower boat parades.

During the race, drums echoed across the Jiaomen River as dragon boats sped across the water like arrows released from a bow. Teams worked together, with participants chanting slogans and paddling with precision and strength. In the end, the Dongchong Town Men's Dragon Boat Team emerged victorious, standing barefoot on the podium, hoisting their trophies and colorful flags.

This year's event introduced a university category, with 15 university teams, including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (GZ) and Renmin University of China, competing, injecting youthful energy into the competition.

Italian and German students from HKUST (Guangzhou) shared their racing experiences, emphasizing the teamwork, competitiveness, and challenges inherent in dragon boat racing, which energized them. Additionally, the event featured a Dragon Boat Feast for the first time, along with a Dragon Boat Market, creating a festive atmosphere for the Dragon Boat Festival.