Above the water, there is a race. On May 28, 2023 China Dragon Boat Open Race (Sichuan · Enyang Station) & “Rowing all over Sichuan” at Enyang Station (hereinafter referred to as “Enyang Dragon Boat Race”) was opened in Enyang Dragon Boat Park. It is reported that this is the first higher-level national dragon boat race than the 2022 Sichuan Dragon Boat Open Race “Rowing all over Sichuan” last year held in Enyang District. Fan Guangsheng, Chairman of Asian Dragon Boat Federation and China Dragon Boat Association, and Luo Dongling, Party Group secretary and director of Sichuan Sports Bureau, opened the beating-gongs ceremony together. He Ping, secretary of Bazhong Municipal Party Committee, made a speech.
Gao Pengling, the deputy-secretary of Bazhong Municipal Party Committee and mayor of Bazhong, hosted the opening ceremony. Li Ying, the director of NPC Standing Committee in Bazhong, Hou Zhongwen, the chairman of the CPPCC in Bazhong, Wang Yi, a member of the Standing Committee of Bazhong Municipal Party Committee, Ren Xiaojuan, the deputy-mayor of Bazhong Municipal People’s Government, and Yang Bo, the secretary of Enyang District Party Committee in Bazhong, attended the opening ceremony together with other officials and guests.
Racing in a thousand sails, the Dragon Boat Teams create new achievements again.
Early on May 28th, the banks of Enyang River were already crowed by a sea of people. Spectators from Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi’an and other cities went into the two sides gradually, looking for best places to watch the race.
“One, two, one, two ……” shouted by the participants together with the clanging drums sound, the pace of the paddles became faster and faster. The racing dragon boats just like the running arrows, cleave the waves on the lake, and arose a succession of screaming.
In this Enyang Dragon Boat Race, there are three kinds: Men’ s group, Women’ s group and Mass’ groups, and in all 36 teams participated in the race. The Mass’ groups were separated into Mass group A and Mass group B. The tournament consists of 100 meters, 200 meters and 500 meters straight races. Men’s groups has another 3000 Coruse Racing. After two days of fierce competition and in the end, Fuzhou Changle Huiquan Dragon Boat Club won the first place in the Men’s group in the three straight races of 100 meters, 200 meters, and 500 meters, 3000 meters Coruse Racing and the overall outstanding results, which created a “miracle” of the game; Huazhong University of Science and Technology Dragon Boat Team won the first place in the Women’s group; the first places of Mass group A and Mass group B, were respectively won by the Municipal Government Office Dragon Boat Team and the Industry and Investment Priority Dragon Boat Team.
“The riverway is very beautiful, the opening ceremony of the water acrobatic performance and the players of the passionate struggle figure served a visual feast for the audiences.” the relevant directors of the China Dragon Boat Association made such an assessment after the race, when referring to the feeling after watching the Enyang Dragon Boat race. It is the first time for China Dragon Boat Open held in Enyang district, but Enyang doesn’t act as a “novice” in terms of event organization, competition execution, reception and voluntary service. Enyang leaves a wonderful dragon boat race feast for the dragon boat lovers all over the country and even the world.
Striving to row ahead, Enyang is accelerating fast.
Walking on the streets of Enyang district, people will find many changes, more and more bright urban space, revealing the beautiful skyline; green spaces and small parks are spread at the end of the street…these are all improvements of the quality of Enyang. By the Enyang river bank and in the ancient town, citizens gather here to exercise and walk, and the sports atmosphere is getting stronger and stronger. Investigate the reason behind, it is the concept of to rejuvenate the city through holding competitions, and to attract people by city atmosphere that respected by Enyang people.
In recent years, Enyang has focused on the goal of developing the city’s first industries, the culture, tourism, and health care, and establishing a new modern Enyang of “Two Places and Three Districts”. Daliangshan City Park, Dengke Park and etc. are built up bytaking advantages of the mountains and water systems around the city, utilizing the Bazhong Culture, Micang Culture and Red Culture, and continuously burnishing the brand of “The First Town of Micang Ancient Road · Red Enyang”. Enyang’s “Menghualu” cultural tourism infrastructure, Enyang River-style Sichuan Opera Theater, Micang ancient marching-style performance and other projects are being accelerated. The ancient town tour, night tour, red tour, rural tour and holiday tour have achieved positive interaction in Enyang.
Up to now, Enyang has successfully held the 2016 Sichuan Orienteering Championship, 2018 “Tour of China” International Road Cycling Race, 2019 Sichuan Youth Weightlifting Championship and other events. With the help of the race, the national fitness boom is raised, while it constantly improves the urban infrastructure and the quality of the city, allowing the masses share the “dividends of the event” and feel the palpable city temperature. It is also constantly releasing the future development dividends of this historic city.
Cleaving waves on the lake, new hot spot is created by Enyang again.
Dragon boat race originated in China, in a sense, is the most representative Chinese sport. “Tongzhougongji” has been carved in the bones of every Chinese. It is the reason that dragon boat is highly valued by the country in the vigorous promotion of the sports industry. It is clearly put forward in the The 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of China’s Dragon Boat Movement (Guideline Draft) to promote the integration and development of the dragon boat industry in related industries through full use of the “Dragon Boat + Internet” mode, exploring the integration and development of the dragon boat industry in tourism, manufacture and other industries, and promoting the emergence of a new form of dragon boat industry. In July 2022, Enyang Dragon Boat Park was completed and put into use. So far, a first Dragon Boat Park among Northeast Sichuan with four 500-meter standard circuits and 5000 seats for spectators was born. In August 2022, Enyang Dragon Boat Park opened along with the start of “Rowing all over Sichuan” 2022 Enyang Dragon Boat Open Race, setting off a wave of discussion in Sichuan; In February 2023, it is clearly listed as important matters to “developing dragon boat race and tourism industry, promoting the establishment of water sports base in northeast Sichuan, actively creating and introducing dragon boat races, and developing dragon boat tourism projects based on dragon boat races” in the The 14th Five-Year Plan for Sports development in Enyang. So far, the story of Enyang and dragon boat movement has been raised.
“It was a game full of surprises”, a staff served for Sichuan Provincial Sports Bureau said. Enyang’s environment, the orderly preparation of the race, and the enthusiasm of Enyang people for the dragon boat race all brought us surprises. This international competition with water as the core is just the beginning of Enyang’s water sports. It is believed that water sports boom and new chapter of water sports in the whole province will be surely stimulated with the success of Enyang Dragon Boat Race.
