The 2024 Jinji Lake International Dragon Boats Race is set to take place at Jinji Lake’s Moon Pier on June 10, attracting 69 teams with a total of 1,492 players from home and abroad.
The Competition Group consists of 53 teams in four categories: 22-people 300-meter straightaway race (16 teams), 12-people men’s 300-meter straightaway race (8 teams), 12-people women’s 300-meter straightaway race (13 teams), and 12-people men’s enterprise and public institution teams for 300-meter straightaway race (16 teams).
The Invitational Group is comprised of 16 teams in two categories, namely 12-people 300-meter straightaway race (7 teams) and 22-people youth 300-meter straightaway race (9 teams).
Sixty-nine teams have been trained for one month to gear up for the race at the training base near Xietang Old Street. Sonjia, leader of the Swiss International Dragon Boat Team Suzhou, exclaimed, “It’s a pretty clean city all over.” Hailing from Switzerland, Sonja has been living in Suzhou for many years and has become fond of the city. Her team was founded in 2012 and now has 40 team members from 16 countries. They have participated in 13 editions in a row of the Jinji Lake International Dragon Boats Race. “The team intends to get foreigners more engaged in this traditional Chinese race,” she added.
For the first time ever, the dragon boat race sets up an international invitational group and invites seven teams from such countries as Singapore, Austria, Germany, Russia, and Switzerland. It also includes eight foreign teams consisting of 144 contestants who come from 15 countries and regions including Singapore, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, France, the U.S., New Zealand, and Africa, accounting for 12 percent of the total racers.
Source: Yinlibo (引力播)