Hanoi residents cheer enthusiastically at the 2024 Hanoi Open Dragon Boat Racing Tournament

(Fatherland) - On October 13, at Ly Tu Trong Flower Garden (West Lake), the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports organized the Hanoi Open Dragon Boat Racing Tournament 2024. This is an event to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Capital Liberation Day (October 10, 1954 - October 10, 2024).

The 2024 Hanoi Open Dragon Boat Racing Tournament is an activity within the program to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Capital Liberation Day (October 10, 1954 - October 10, 2024) of Hanoi city.

This year's tournament attracted nearly 800 coaches and athletes from 40 countries, regions, territories, units and domestic organizations to participate. 48 dragon boat racing teams include: 7 international dragon boat racing teams and international airlines; 8 boat teams of embassies and international organizations in Vietnam; 7 professional dragon boat teams of provinces and cities; 8 dragon boat teams of clubs, organizations and enterprises in the capital and 18 male and female boat teams of districts, towns and cities in Hanoi.

The tournament is divided into 6 categories, competing at a distance of 500m (swimming around the 250m buoy), including mixed men's and women's boats of international dragon boat teams; mixed men's and women's boats of teams from embassies and international organizations in Vietnam; mixed men's and women's boats of domestic provincial and city teams; mixed men's and women's boats of teams from clubs, organizations, businesses, and universities in Hanoi; men's boats of districts and towns of Hanoi; women's boats of districts and towns of Hanoi.

Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports Do Dinh Hong said that after 5 times of organization, the dragon boat racing tournament has become a familiar playground and is awaited by sports enthusiasts every year, attracting many domestic and international organizations to participate. In districts, towns, the movement of practicing and competing in dragon boat racing at local festivals and events is increasingly developing.

District teams will compete first, followed by provincial teams and representatives of units.

According to the Organizing Committee, the scale and quality of this year's tournament have been increased, promising to be more fierce and attractive. The Hanoi Dragon Boat Racing Tournament is an annual tournament held since 2018, aiming to preserve and promote the traditional boat sport, restoring dragon boat racing in West Lake.

This year's event has the participation of many international units.

The event attracted many international tourists to watch and cheer for the teams.

People warmed up the atmosphere with festival drum beats.

The athletes sprinted to the finish line.

Crowds of locals and tourists excitedly stood along Nguyen Dinh Thi and Thanh Nien streets to watch the teams compete.

Dragon Boat Racing is an outstanding annual water sport event in Hanoi. The tournament contributes to preserving the traditional boat sport; promoting the cultural traditions, history, civilization, the Heroic Capital, the City for Peace and the tourism development of the city.

It is known that this activity also contributes to promoting the development of dragon boat training and competition among all classes of people in the capital and the whole country; enhancing understanding, exchange and solidarity between communities and organizations at home and abroad. At the same time, improving the organizational capacity and competition management of officials and referees in organizing national and international sports tournaments in Hanoi.

Nam Nguyen - Ha Hoang

Source: https://toquoc.vn/nguoi-dan-thu-do-co-vu-soi-dong-giai-boi-chai-thuyen-rong-ha-noi-mo-rong-nam-2024-20241013181242148.htm