Toronto Dragon Boat Race Parade

Over 5000 athletes from around the globe competed this Saturday at The 24th annual Tim Hortons International Dragon Boat Race Festival at Toronto Island.
Toronto Dragon Boat Race Parade
Contestants line up at the starting line for the 24th annual Tim Hortons International Dragon Boat Race Festival at Toronto Island this Saturday morning. (Kristina Skorbach/The Epoch Times)
Kristina Skorbach
6/25/2012
Updated:
6/26/2012
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 Between 180 and 200 teams competed this Saturday at The 24th annual Tim Hortons International Dragon Boat Race Festival at Toronto Island. Contestants from Canada, the U.S., Asia, Europe and the Caribbean Islands participated this year with over 5,000 athletes.

The festival began unofficially in 1987 and went public in 1989 with the work of the Toronto Chinese Business Association (TCBA). Some 27 teams participated and the TCBA believed that the event would promote the tradition of dragon boating and help promote Chinese culture to Canadians.

According to legend, dragon boating originated in an ancient Chinese folk tale of a statesman Qu Yuan, who was ready to give up his life for his country by drowning in the river. But the villagers set out to rescue Qu Yuan in fishing boats that are now represented as dragon boats.

Each dragon boat is equipped with a caller or a drummer who sits at the front of the boat and sets the timing for the team by rhythmically pounding a drum or by calling out stroke rates. The caller has a great view of the whole crew as well as other boats, and is in charge of directing the crew by shouting instructions. Behind the paddlers, a tiller keeps the boat course.

Dragon boat race festivals are celebrated annually in over 40 countries around the world.

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