Dragon boat participants get ready for the competition. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Twelve teams with more than 200 participants from China and abroad gathered by the Zilang Lake in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, on May 11 for the dragon boat competition.

The teams were allocated into three distinct groups via a random draw, with each group consisting of four teams competing for progression to the next stage.

Participants try their best to get a good dragon boat race result. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

At the sound of the starting whistle, the synchronized drumming established a steady cadence that the participants relied upon as they propelled their dragon boats through the water. Each team demonstrated refined techniques in paddling, leveraging both timing and power to gain a competitive edge against their rivals. The competition drew a large audience, with onlookers gathered by the lakeshore cheering on exciting moments in the race, amplifying the atmosphere of intensity and excitement.

Representing the Vikings United team, Fred said, "The environment of Zilang Lake is impressive. The morning lakeside cycling helped me learn more about this place; it's great! This competition provided us a platform for interaction and communication outside of work. I hope to experience such activities again next year."

Participants cycle around the Zilang Lake before the dragon boat race. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Before the race, participants also experienced lakeside cycling, camping, hiking, water sailing, and cultural exchanges.

This dragon boat race was hosted by COSCO Shipping Shipyard (Nantong) and COSCO Shipping (Qidong) Offshore, and organized by Nantong Ledong Sports Development.