Wenzhou, a city nearly four hours' drive southeast of Hangzhou, played host to the dragon boat racing of the Hangzhou Asian Games from Oct 4 to 6. The races witnessed the most outstanding performance of the Chinese team in history, as they pocketed five golds and one silver medal.
Little did anyone know of the great success to come as the preparations of the races began as early as six years ago when Wenzhou was confirmed as one of the Games' co-host cities in late 2017.
The entire process, from location selecting, designing, renovation to the construction, took more than three years from October 2018 to December 2021. The venue is ultimately located in the southern part of Ouhai district's central area.
The racing venue, officially named Wenzhou Dragon Boat Center, was designed based on the dragon motif, incorporating elements from the Oujiang River and local landscapes.
The construction of the center continued without halt even during the Chinese New Year. It transcended basic delivery of functions, making highlights in preservation of traditional culture. The newly excavated dragon boat lake resembles a mirror shining in the heart of the center.
The Wenzhou Dragon Boat Center became fully operational in March 2021, gearing up for pre-Asian Games test events. Ahead of the opening of the Games, multiple drills were held to ensure smooth execution of the races.
The center, by promoting dragon boat experience and non-profit relevant activities such as canoeing, could potentially spur more interest and investment from individuals and society as a whole in fitness as well as sports culture.
