KATHMANDU, June 24: The Sichuan Dragon Boat Team from China emerged victorious in the inaugural Nepal-China friendly 'Dragon Boat Race' held in Pokhara.
The Sichuan team showcased their prowess by securing first place in both the 200m and 500m finals, held on Saturday.
As the front-runner throughout the competition, the Sichuan Dragon Boat Team claimed a prize of NPR 1.1 million, equivalent to Rs 550,000, for their impressive victories in both the 200m and 500m categories.
Meanwhile, the Nepali team, known as the 'Nara Dragon Boat Team,' showcased commendable performance, securing second place in both the 200m and 500m events. Their remarkable achievements earned them a prize of NPR 700,000, amounting to Rs 350,000.
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The friendly competition also saw China's Yunnan Dragon Boat Team clinching third place. For their efforts in both categories, the Yunnan team received a prize of NPR 400,000, equating to Rs 200,000 per category. Additionally, the Nepali team, NRCA, secured a place in the top four.
A total of eight teams participated in the competition, with four teams representing each nation. Following the group stage matches on Friday, two teams from Nepal and two teams from China advanced to the final four. Each of the eight participating teams received a cash prize of NPR 100,000.
The prizes were presented to the winners by esteemed dignitaries including Ganesh Timilsina, the Speaker of the National Assembly; Chen Chong, the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal; and Dhanaraj Acharya, the Mayor of Pokhara.
China hands over eight dragon boats to Pokhara
Eight fiber boats used in the Dragon Boat Festival have been handed over to Pokhara Metropolitan City by the Chinese government. Differing from the traditional Nepali wooden boats, these dragon-faced boats made of fiber were transported to Pokhara through the Kerung Pass.
The Dragon Boat Festival, considered one of the four major Chinese festivals, made its debut in Nepal this year. Also known as 'Danbu Ji,' the festival holds significant cultural importance and is celebrated with great pomp and show during the fifth month of the Lunar calendar.
In celebration of this festival, city officials, deputy chiefs, artists from various provinces, and athletes arrived in Pokhara on Wednesday morning via a Sichuan Airlines A-319 narrow-body plane from Chengdu, China. Notably, this chartered flight marks the first international arrival at Pokhara International Airport, adding to the historic significance of the occasion.
