On October 9, several red beak sea gulls have made their first appearance of this year near the Dianchi Lake and Heigeng Park in Kunming. It is predicted that more sea gulls will arrive in the spring city in the next few days. Yet another cultural event is about to kick off in the Caohai Dam, Dianchi Lake on October 17. It is the thirteenth World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, which will last for five days.

The World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, organised by the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF), is the top dragon boat race joined by national representatives. During the races, there are over 2500 athletes and competitors from 24 countries and regions.

This year’s event composed of the Standard Dragon Boat Group and the Minor Dragon Boat Group. And the race distances for the Standard Dragon Boat Group are: 200m, 500m, 1000m and 2000m, while 200m, 500 and 2000m are for the Minor Dragon Boat Group.

As a plateau lake, Dianchi Lake has a lot of incomparable conditions for water sports projects such as dragon Boat races for decades. For local people, to resume one of the greatest social events in Kunming is such a wonderful thing.

(1900, Zhuantang Dock)

(1958, Sunrise on the Dianchi Lake)

(Daguanlou Park, aka Grand View Park in the 1950s)

(Dianchi Lake in the 1950s)

(Dianchi Port in the 1950s)

(Dianguanlou in the 1960s)

(Dianchi Fishing Village in the 1960s)

(Dianchi Lake in the 1970s)

(Farmland at the lakeside of Dianchi Lake in 1976)

Time: October 17, Tuesday, 15:00, Opening Ceremony

          October 18 – October 22, Dragon Boat Races

Address: Caohai Dam, Diachi Lake (滇池草海大坝)

(Reference: Kunming Fan; Photo credits: Yang Changfu)