NANNING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A dragon boat team from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Friday set a new world record for the longest distance covered by a dragon boat within an hour.

The record, 13,518 meters, was achieved by the 22-member Renhe team from Cangwu County, rowing a 18.3-meter-long, 1.2-meter-wide dragon boat in the Xunjiang River.

The distance, certified by Guinness World Records, beat the previous record of 10 kilometers held by an international team.

"Dragon boat races are held annually in many countries including the United Kingdom and China. This world record showcases China's traditional culture to the international community," said Cheng Dong, a Guinness World Records notary.

Located at the confluence of three rivers, the city of Wuzhou, which administers Cangwu County, boasts a long tradition of dragon boat races being held during the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on Tuesday.

The team, with an average age of 38, was made up of farmers from the county, according to Feng Jianzhong, head of the city's sport authority.