Pokhara, Dec 30: The second edition of the ‘Nepal-China Friendly Dragon Boat Race Festival’ concluded with a dominant performance by Chinese athletes. The Dongguan Laoyu Club from China secured double titles in the 200-meter and 500-meter races held at Pokhara’s Fewa Lake today, earning a prize of $10,000.
The competition aimed to strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties between Nepal and China while promoting tourism in Nepal. Yunnan Minzu University from China finished second, while Liaocheng University and Yunnan Normal University secured third and fourth places, respectively.
In the 500-meter race, Liaocheng University claimed the second position, and Wuhan University came third. Winners of the 500-meter and 200-meter races were awarded trophies, medals, and certificates, alongside a cash prize of $5,000. Runners-up received $2,000, and the third-place teams were awarded $1,200. Each participating team was also given $500 as an incentive, according to the organizers.
The winners received their awards from Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song, and Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya.
The event, jointly organized by Gandaki Province, Pokhara Metropolitan City, the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, and the Nepal Tourism Board, featured participation from 20 teams, including eight from China, one from Singapore, and 11 from Nepal.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mayor Acharya remarked that the Nepal-China Friendly Dragon Boat Race 2024 had successfully contributed to fostering cultural and people-to-people connections between the two countries and promoting Nepal’s tourism industry. #boat #nepal #china #dragon
