Dragon Boat Race Training Camp
This weekend, twelve young interns from the Intern2China program embarked on an intensive training camp in Nantong to prepare for the upcoming Dragon Boat Race, which will take place on May 24–25 in Shanghai along the Suzhou Creek River.
The Dragon Boat Race is a major event organized by the Shanghai government, coming from ancient ceremonial traditions that originated in southern central China more than 2,500 years ago.
Today, this race continues to honor that tradition, symbolizing teamwork, unity, and cultural pride. Last year, the event attracted 3.51 million online and offline spectators, with a total of 9.8 million views, and around 20,000 people attending in person on site.
This year, the Benelux Chamber of Commerce has been given the opportunity to participate in this prestigious competition, which is why we all came together for this dedicated training session. Our twelve participants, along with our boat captain, Gaspard from the Chamber of Commerce, must operate as one, finding harmony in both rhythm and pace. During the race, a drummer sets the tempo, guiding us with steady beats to maintain synchronization. In dragon boat racing, success is entirely dependent on coordination and collective effort; every paddle stroke must be perfectly aligned.
We were briefed at the Nantong Baoyuehu Training Camp by a team of professionals. The program included a theoretical introduction to dragon boat racing, an explanation of its rich traditions, and a guided tour of the state-of-the-art training complex. We then spent the rest of the weekend practicing along the river that flows through Nantong, perfecting our movements and building team spirit.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the organizers for their trust, to our sponsors for making this project possible, and to the Chamber of Commerce for the organization.
The official race will take place on the weekend of May 24–25, and we are counting on you to come and cheer us on! Join us on Saturday along the riverside and cheer us on!
