HISTORY OF DRAGON BOATING

For over 5000 years dragon boats have been used for ceremonial purposes in China.

The events surrounding the death of the beloved statesman and poet Qu Yuan, over 2300 years ago, have lead to memorial racing with dragon boats year after year.

China's late history made many Chinese from almost all Mainland provinces settle down in Hong Kong and with them their traditions. By the mid 1970's Hong Kong initiated Dragon Boat Racing to develop as a modern sport, which has become a Sport for All, fascinating over 50 million people worldwide in 62 countries.

The dragon boat sport is governed by the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) and is considered as the world's fastest growing sport, which now aims for Olympic recognition. Dragon Boat events attract thousands of spectators and combine the social feeling of "sitting in one boat" with the sparkling action and atmosphere of a Far-East tradition.