Dragon boat teams ready to make a splash in east China

NANJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A total of 66 teams and 1,418 participants are set to compete in an international dragon boat race that will kick off on June 10 in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, said a press conference held on Thursday.

The 2024 Suzhou Jinji Lake International Dragon Boat Race will feature two groups - a competition group with 51 teams contending in four events, and an invitational group comprising six international teams and nine youth teams, the press conference said.

This will be the first time for international teams to participate in the invitational race. The six international teams are from Singapore, Austria, Germany, Russia, and Switzerland.

Dragon boat racing is a traditional activity during China's Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 10 this year, the Year of the Dragon. The race will incorporate dragon-themed elements into its clothing and medals, reflecting the auspicious creature's significance in Chinese culture.

The organizing committee also announced a partnership with local energy department to make this year's competition the first dragon boat race in the city to achieve carbon neutrality.