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Over 120,000 spectators and 5000 dragon boat race paddlers from North America and overseas will share the joy of Olympic Spirit at this year's Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival at Centre Island when members from the Royal Canadian Riding Academy autograph at a special session to be held tomorrow (June 22, Toronto time) to celebrate the forthcoming Olympic events.
More than 50 government dignitaries, sponsors, community leaders today (June 21, Toronto time) attended the opening ceremony of this two-day annual event. The event has close to 180 race teams from Canada and the U.S. competing for a number of championships, including a Hong Kong Cup sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office (HKETO) in Canada. Participating in this year's races include eight teams of challenged youths, and first time international teams from Germany and Trinidad, as well as USA teams from Boston, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.
To celebrate Hong Kong as the co-host city of the 2008 Equestrian Events, the HKETO sponsors a special autograph session for the members from the Royal Canadian Riding Academy representing by Jacqueline Brooks, Diana Burke and Penny Rowland to promote the event to Canadians.
Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival is a two-day annual event that has brought sports, multicultural entertainment and international spirit to Toronto since 1989. The festival is organised by the Toronto Chinese Business Association to promote the tradition and sport of dragon boat racing and to foster awareness of Asian and Chinese-Canadian culture and cross-cultural understanding.
Ends/Sunday, June 22, 2008
Issued at HKT 10:25
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