Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour waterfront erupted into a symphony of drum beats and splashing paddles over the weekend as the 2025 Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races attracted competitors from 12 countries and regions, including those from the Middle East.
The June 7-8 event, organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and co-hosted by the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, had kicked off on Saturday at the Tsim Sha Tsui East waterfront, with more than 4,500 athletes of 190 teams.
Overseas competitors included teams from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, alongside debut teams from Egypt and Qatar.
Among them, Team Thailand claimed first runner-up in the last race of all 80 contests during the two days, the Sun Life International Open Grand Championship. A team from Shunde of the Chinese mainland became the champion while a Taiwan team won third place.
At the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Championship, a Guangdong team claimed the winner while Team Macao became first runner-up.
This year's competition also saw the return of the HK Special Administrative Region's disciplined forces races and a newly added secondary school category. The fire brigade, HK Customs and the police team won top three in their category.
Sunday's highlights also feature the Fancy Dress Competition, where nine teams showcased creative costumes with participants dressed as legendary figures like the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) and Ji Gong, as well as popular cartoon characters, adding a festive atmosphere to the races.
In the top-winner Monkey King team, several players dressed as Monkey Kings, some as Nezha while the drum man dressed as a Buddha. The award drew many online voters.
In the competitive finals, the champion, first runner-up and second runner-up teams will each receive trophies, with all members of the winning teams awarded individual medals. Significant cash prizes will be awarded across multiple categories, with the top teams in the International Open Grand, International Mixed Grand, International Women's Grand Championships and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Championship finals competing for a top prize of $10,000.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, HKTB Chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok said he was delighted to welcome participants from around the world, highlighting the event as the city's largest international dragon boat race.
He said the HKTB is committed to blending this traditional cultural sport with competitive racing, while offering diverse leisure and entertainment experiences to position Hong Kong as a mega-events tourism hub.
Lam said the disciplined forces races and secondary school competitions held on Sunday would showcase teamwork among eight teams and encourage younger generations to engage with the intangible cultural heritage.
Tsim Sha Tsui East was turned into a vibrant day-and-night festival. A dragon boat food lane opened on May 31 -- the Dragon Boat Festival -- with vendors reporting strong business.
This year's festivities extended to the Urban Council Centenary Garden, featuring live music, street performances and appearances by LINE FRIENDS characters alongside Ocean Park's panda duo, Jia Jia and De De.
Over the weekend, a live broadcast zone has been set up at the Urban Council Centenary Garden and the Avenue of Stars, allowing spectators to enjoy the races, together with Cirque du Soleil's pop-up performances from Canada.
