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2020 Macau International Dragon Boat Races

AIMS, IDBF, World

Posted on

June 24, 2020

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2020 Macau International Dragon Boat Races

The Macau International Dragon Boat Races is celebrating its 20th year on 25 June 2020. Co-organised by the Macau China Dragon Boat Association and the Macau Sports Bureau since 2000, the live streaming of the event will bring action into the homes of dragon boat fans from across the world that are unable to participate due to COVID-19 government restrictions.

The Dragon Boat Festival (端午節 or 龍舟節) is celebrated annually on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. Also known as the ‘double fifth’, it is a traditional festival with over 2,500 years of history. This year, the Dragon Boat Festival falls on Thursday 25 of June.

The Macau International Dragon Boat Races usually celebrates the festival by inviting elite clubs and national teams from all around the world to compete head to head in some fast and furious sprint racing. Teams from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Italy, Portugal, Russia and the US have all competed in the past at this prestigious event. Due to COVID-19, international teams were unable to particpate this year.

Although the COVID-19 situation in Macau is relatively stable, the Macau Organising Committee decided to run the event with local teams only. This year, there are 108 teams and over 2000 athletes competing. There are 71 crews racing in small boats (10 paddlers, steerer and drummer) and 37 crews competing in standard boats (20 paddlers, steerer and drummer). There is strong local support for the event with over 2000 supporters and spectators. Half the amount that would usually attend due to crowd control measures placed by the government. Standard boat racing will be live streamed this Thursday 25 June.

The IDBF wishes to congratulate the organising committee of the Macau International Dragon Boat Race on their 20th Anniversary. Importantly, we all must follow in solidarity the recommendations of WHO and the local governments whilst waiting to return to the water. Thank you for providing the Livestream so we can all paddle with you from our homes as the local teams in Macau celebrate the 2500 year history of dragon boat racing on the double fifth. Let us all stand together, so united we overcome this pandemic and once again enjoy the unique talents of all our athletes in all our sports.