Washington Dragon Boat Festival Features Record Turnout, with Taiwan's Representative Competing and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Attending

Washington, June 16 (CNA) - Ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival, the Washington Dragon Boat Race kicked off today on the Potomac River, attracting a record 42 teams and nearly 1,500 participants. Taiwan's representative to the U.S., Alexander Yui, participated in the competition for the first time, while U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Joshua Young and the Ambassador of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the U.S., among others, were present to inaugurate the event. The 23rd annual Washington Dragon Boat Race was hosted by the Taiwan-U.S. Cultural Association. The opening ceremony was emceed by the association's CEO, Carol Hu. Dignitaries including Representative Yui, Deputy Representative Yang Yi-shan, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Joshua Young, and Ambassador Jacinth Henry-Martin of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the U.S. attended. Yui and Young also dotted the eyes of the dragon boats, officially starting the competition. In contrast to last year's event, which was interrupted by poor weather, today was sunny and pleasant. Competing for the first time, Yui told CNA that he deeply felt the importance of teamwork on the boat. 'When everyone is in sync, the boat moves especially fast,' he said. He mentioned the most difficult part was paddling upstream to the starting line before the race. The key is for everyone's movements to be synchronized. 'Once you achieve that, the boat feels smooth and starts moving forward briskly.' He noted that managing Taiwan-U.S. relations similarly requires concerted effort. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the U.S. organized nine teams this year, including a military delegation named 'TECRO YUSHAN,' as well as teams from the political, press, congressional, consular, and administrative sections. Organizers stated that a record 42 teams and nearly 1,500 athletes registered for the event. The races were divided into community, corporate, government, education, and youth divisions, with 200-meter and 500-meter sprint events. The perennial champion 'YUSHAN' team won third place in the open 200-meter race and second place in the 500-meter race this year. The Taiwan-U.S. Cultural Association noted this year's diverse lineup of teams, including community representatives, diplomats, media professionals, overseas Taiwanese groups, and university teams, as well as teams composed of cancer survivors and deaf individuals, showcasing a spirit of inclusion, diversity, and resilience. This turned the dragon boat race into not just a sporting competition, but a platform for cultural exchange and a celebration of life. In addition to the water-based competition, the association said the Taiwan cultural exhibition area was another major highlight, with booths set up by the Tourism Administration and the Overseas Community Affairs Council to promote Taiwan's tourism and cultural features. A Hakka cultural experience area displayed Dragon Boat Festival sachets, Year of the Horse mascots, and handmade pinwheels, giving the public a chance to experience the beauty of Taiwanese folk culture. (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150517