12 delegations of dragon boat races were braving the winds and waves in the Gaoxia Pinghu scenic spot.(Photo by He Baoxi, All Media Reporter of the Three Gorges Business Today)

　　The 2020 Chinese Dragon Boat Races were launched at the territorial waters in front of the Three Gorges Damin Zigui Countyon September 27. Four finals includingthe500m Straight Race and the 3000m Round Race for the Olympic Group andthe Public Group were respectively run .

　　A total of 12 high-level dragon boat teams from Macao Special Administrative Region, Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangsu, Hubei and other provincesand regionsparticipatedin the competition. In addition to the Public Group’s 22-person 500m Straight Race and 3000m Round Race, the Olympic Dragon Boat Group’s 10-person 500m Straight Race and 3000m Round Race werespecially added for the inclusion of dragon boat races on the Olympic Programme..

　　The Louvre Dragon Boat Team from Lok Chung Town, Shunde City, in the China’s southern Guangdong Province won the first placein the Olympic Group’s Dragon Boat 500m Straight Race and the 3000m Round Race after fierce competitions, whilethe Gentlefolk Dragon Boat Team fromMacau got the first in the Public Group’s Dragon Boat 500m Straight Race and the 3000m Round Race.

　　It was said that the 2020 Chinese Dragon Boat Raceswassupported by the Asian Canoe Federation, which was guided by the Chinese Canoe Association. jointly hosted by the Hubei Province Sports Bureau Water Sports Management Center, the Hubei Dragon Boat Association, the Yichang Bureauof Culture and Tourism and the People’s Government of Zigui Countyand co-sponsoredby the Yichang Dragon Boat and Rafting Association and the Zigui Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Underthe theme of “Gatheringat the Ququan’s Hometown—the Location of Majestic Three Gorges Known as the Pillar of a Great Powerfor aMillennium Promise”，this eventis an intercontinentalcompetitionwith the national level ofworld influence, the first large-scale dragon boat racesin China since major strategic achievements have been made in thefight against COVID-19,and a significant activity of “Cultural Tourism Weekto Commemorate Qu Yuan” in Zigui County.

　　This year marks1200th anniversary of the founding of Qu Yuan Ancestral Hall. Except for burning the passion for sports from paddling to joyfully celebrate the birthday of motherland,when the National Day meets the Dragon Boat Festival this year,competitors can also enjoy the charm ofthe antique and mysterious sacrificialceremony via dragon boat races in Qu Yuan’s Hometownwhich was passed down from one generation to the next，learn about the history and embrace a strong sense of belonging.. At that time, seven major activities will be held in Zigui County, includingthe light and shadow drama“Exhibition of Lisao—A grand ceremony of the Nine Songs, one of the works by the poet Qu Yuan”, the traditional Chinese painting sketch exhibition “intoxicating in the beauty of Zigui” and a series of cultural tourism activities of “making an appointment to visit Ziguitogether while traveling around Hubei province,to welcome tourists from all over the country.(Reporter Liu Wei, correspondent Zhou Yong, Liu Zhen, Nie Shuang)