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Amid the roar of drums and gongs, thousands of excited spectators gathered at Yamashita Park today (May 30) to attend the annual Dragon Boat Race in Yokahoma, Japan. The paddlers rowed in unison to compete for the gold medals in various races, cheered on by enthusiastic visitors and locals.
One of the attractions today was the Hong Kong Cup sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo (HKETO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.
A total of 24 teams took part in the race, competing for the chance to join the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Race to be held in July. The championship finally went to Yokohama Fuinaru after a fierce contest.
Filled with joy, the team was awarded the cup by the HKETO's
representative, Mr Albert Tang. The team will now actively prepare for the International Dragon Boat Race, hoping to come out at the top again.
The HKETO also set up an exhibition booth which attracted a large number of visitors. Panels showcasing the successful implementation of "One Country, Two Systems" in Hong Kong were set up. Apart from distributing pamphlets and souvenirs to promote Hong Kong, a quiz was also held for visitors to learn more about the city.
The Yokohama Dragon Boat Race, held since 1994, was partly sponsored by HKETO with the aim of forging a closer relationship between Hong Kong and Japan. It has become an annual tourist attraction in Yokohama and one of the largest of its kind in Japan.
Ends/Sunday, May 30, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:43
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