DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL 2007 in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Asia’s world city, appears on the surface as cosmopolitan metropolis.
Taking a deeper look you find actually 95% of the population being Chinese and only 5% are others (don’t fix me on those numbers, but it is something in that relation).

Every year on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the lunar calendar the Tuen Ng - or Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated and belongs to one of the oldest Chinese traditions, super shining everything else happening in the city on that day

The festival is highly promoted as one of the major attractions Hong Kong has to offer to tourists and this applies especially this year since the 10th anniversary of the cities handover to China is closing in.

For the local Fishermen this day is perhaps the most important celebration each year, even more than the Chinese New Year is.
It’s not only honoring the happenings around Qu Yuan, who was a beloved minister and poet, drowning himself during the Warring States Period after the kingdom of Chu lost the war against the Chin in ancient China.
No, not only that, - it’s also the simple tradition of families coming together to socialize while enjoying the exciting and sportive dragon boat battle against each other.

These family battles of the Fishermen with their whatever long traditions form the roots of today’s modern dragon boat racing.

Let us never forget that our sport, as we know it today and world-wide, would perhaps never exist in its extend as a modern sport without the tremendous support from the Fishermen, who supplied the so called Hong Kong style boat to overseas and helped so much teaching all of us about the traditions and how to paddle it.

Well wait a moment, wasn’t it the Hong Kong Tourist Association who did all that?
Yes, true enough! But the fishermen were the advisers, the teachers, - the backbone.
They had the boats.

Still today they support the sport and Dragon Boating wouldn’t be what it is, - the fastest growing sport on our globe -, without the Fishermen.
They warmly welcome everybody who has an honest interest and I think we all should really respect the Fishermen and thank them for all the joy and fun they have brought to the world.

There are numerous races on that Festival day in Hong Kong, I don’t know how many, but for sure more than ten and actually they all need to be mentioned and deserve coverage on Dragon Boat Net.

Unfortunately it is for practical reasons not possible to be everywhere, since Dragon Boat Net is currently only a one-man show.
For the reason of its 40th anniversary the Stanley race has been chosen to go to.
If anyone wants to write about the other races, I would be more than happy to publish it on Dragon Boat Net.
As said before, since long many of the races on Dragon Boat Festival day have become a major tourist attraction with the Stanley race being the biggest and best known to the Western world.

The Stanley race: New sponsor, new name: AIA Stanley International Dragon Boat Championships 2007.
As long the name, as big the event, - it’s the biggest Dragon Boat event in the world.
A one-day race with breath taking 208 crews participating, more than 15.000 spectators and 150 junks moored around the racecourse. All these figures are records.
The event is that big, it brings the small village of Stanley in the very South of Hong Kong Island virtually to a stand still. If you come late it will take you a long time to work your way through the crowds until you have reached the Main Beach where the races are taking place.

It was a beautiful sunny day this year and a great party on its own full of excitement and drama. The race distance was 270 m and a total of 12 narrow lanes were set.
Two teams from overseas, Australia and Philippines, where in and adding a lot positive atmosphere. It was really nice to see them and hopefully they also enjoyed the day, so that they will come back to Hong Kong again.

Not having the official results but in the Grand Final the Devils Advocates won the Cup followed by Sea School Old Boys on second and the ING Buzz coming in third.

Despite a few discussions what could have been better organized or doubts on decisions from the race judges after some boats getting off lane, I thing with so many crews and people it is impossible to satisfy everybody.
Looking at it as a total, the event gave quite an well organized impression and let’s don’t forget to congratulate the organizing Stanley Residents Association holding this important event since 40 years, which seems to be another record in promoting this nice and colorful sport.

Looking at the team entry applications it becomes clear; the event still wants to grow.
The venue itself, the Stanley Main Beach will not do so and has forced the organizer to actually turn down late entries leading to some teams being disappointed.
Inquiries for next years race have started already again, what proves the popularity of the event.

Talking about money, the Stanley Int. is known to causing quite some cost to participating teams on entry fees, tent rental, junk mooring fees and so on.
Many teams are complaining about it but are participating and finally supporting the festival year by year again.
Also many people are not aware about the huge charity funds raised by the Stanley Internationals and that the organizer invests in boats and facilities being made available to the community for training throughout the season and year.
That is a thing again you don’t see that obvious anywhere else in Hong Kong.
There are always two sides of a medal you need to look at.

As usual in the evening all the paddlers proceeded to the Bar Street or Promenade at Stanly Bay, where then probably one of biggest and wildest parties of Hong Kong develops through out the night. The race winners fill their trophies with beer and share it with everyone.

As a total conclusion, when coming to Hong Kong the whole event belongs on your “10 Things to do List” as a visitor and tourist.

Henning Wiekhorst
Dragon Boat Net