Forty-one teams from Zhuhai and other areas of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will compete in the upcoming 2023 Zhuhai Civic Fitness Sports Meet & Doumen Dragon Boat Race Invitational on June 3 on the Huangyang River.

The Open Group lineup comprises 23 teams from outside Zhuhai, including award-winning ones such as the S-DRAGON Team A from Hong Kong and the Free Dragon Boat Association. The Zhuhai Group includes 18 local teams. 

A team competes in the Doumen Dragon Boat Race Invitational [Photo by Zhang Fan / Guanhai App]

Of note, teams that win awards at this year's event will receive trophies, prize money, and typical Doumen water town delicacies, like whole roasted pigs and liquor. 

Doumen is home to many intersecting rivers and waterways, making dragon boat culture a significant part of the district's long history. 

Since the first Doumen Dragon Boat Race Invitational in 2003, the event has developed and become a major traditional sports brand project in Zhuhai that has significant influence in the Greater Bay Area. This event serves as a communication bridge, exchange platform, and friendship tie between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.

Moreover, the Doumen Dragon Boat Race Invitational was listed as a municipal-level intangible cultural heritage item in 2021.