By outdoor-nature-child.com Under the rhythmic beating of drumsticks, the sleek white dragon boats surged through the rippling waters of the Miluo River, racing toward the finish line. Ultimately, the team from Indonesia crossed first, taking home the gold medal in the standard dragon boat 200-meter race.
The 2024 International Dragon Boat Federation World Cup, held from October 26 to 27 in Miluo, Hunan, drew 11 elite teams from Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania to compete in this prestigious event.
After the victory, Indonesian team leader Edy Suyono expressed his gratitude, stating, “We faced strong opponents throughout the competition and feel very fortunate to have won this gold medal. Indonesia is made up of thousands of islands and has a rich tradition of the Dragon Boat Festival and dragon boat culture. However, being in Miluo, the birthplace of Chinese dragon boat culture, left me truly impressed.”
He elaborated, “We all know that Miluo is closely tied to Qu Yuan. The region also boasts first-class training facilities, which have continuously nurtured dragon boat culture. In preparation for this event, we trained specifically for a month, hoping to perform at our best in this meaningful location and to engage with competitors from around the world, enhancing our skills through this exchange.”
Miluo is historically recognized as the “source of the Dragon Boat Festival, the home of dragon boats, and the birthplace of poetry.” The saying, “Better to leave fields unplanted for a year than to lose the dragon boat race in May,” has long resonated within the local community. Since 2005, Miluo has successfully hosted 19 editions of the International Dragon Boat Festival around the Dragon Boat Festival period.
Feng Guojing, coach of the Chinese team, has spent over 20 years in water sports and has witnessed the evolution of dragon boat racing from a niche interest among Chinese communities to a sport that captivates audiences worldwide. “The essence of dragon boat competitions lies in teamwork,” he remarked. “The spirit of rowing together and striving for excellence aligns perfectly with traditional Chinese values, resonating with the universal aspiration for continuous improvement. This is why more and more people are drawn to the sport.”
For 25-year-old Yuen Cheuk Hang from the Hong Kong team, a passion for dragon boat racing felt inevitable. “Hong Kong has a strong dragon boat culture, and I grew up watching races held at Victoria Harbour and Kwun Tong waterfront,” he shared.
Philip Chung, the leader of the Canadian team, fell in love with dragon boat racing seven years ago. He sees the sport’s greatest appeal as its emphasis on teamwork, where teammates support one another and strive for collective success. In Miluo, he fully embraced the community’s enthusiasm for dragon boat racing.
Hungarian team member Blanka commented, “During our training in Miluo, we visited places like the Qu Yuan Temple, which deepened our understanding of Chinese dragon boat culture. Despite the geographical and historical differences between our countries, our passion for this sport brings us together. We truly appreciate Chinese culture and feel honored to compete against the world’s best teams in the birthplace of dragon boating during the Year of the Dragon.”