Mass Dragon Boat Finals Conclude in Changde

Participating dragon boat teams ready for the finals.

Teams warm up before the competition.

Brightly uniformed teams coordinate well.

On July 17, the Mass Dragon Boat Finals, part of the 13th China’s National Games, concluded on Liuye Lake, Changde, Hunan.

For the first time this year the dragon boat race was included as a mass competition event in the National Games. Men and women teams, divided into 12 or 22-person groups, competed in 100-meter, 200-meter, and 500-meter races. Twelve gold medals were awarded.

The Guangdong team won 10 gold medals.

The Hunan team won 5 silvers in the men’s: 22-seater 100-meter; 22-seater 200-meter; and the women’s: 12-seater 100-meter; 12-seater 200-meter; and, 22-seater 200-meter races; and the bronze medal in the women’s 12-seater 500-meter race.

The finals was attended by 654 athletes out of 1,372 applicants.