Annual Grand Finale of Ice Dragon Boat | 2024-2025 Ice Dragon Boat Super League Final Grandly Initiates! Xilingol Strikes a Powerful Chord for Ice Dragon Boats!

2025-01-18

On January 18, the annual ice dragon boat feast - the 2024-2025 Ice Dragon Boat Super League Final - grandly initiated at the Xilin Lake Ice Rink in Xilinhot City, Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia. Leaders and guests attending the opening ceremony included Luo Zhongyi (President of the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation), Yang Li (Member of the Standing Committee and Secretary-General of the Xilingol League Committee), Wu Hao (Vice Chairman of the Dragon Boat Culture Professional Committee of the China Association for the Promotion of Cultural Industry), He Mingjian (Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department of the Xilingol League Committee, Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the League Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Radio Television), Zhang Yingjie (Deputy Secretary and Mayor of Xilinhot Municipal Party Committee), Dai Chaoyu (Vice Mayor of Xilinhot Municipal People's Government), Yan Lijun (Director of Xilingol League Brand Promotion Center), Sun Huiwen (Secretary of the Party Group and Standing Vice Chairman of Xilingol League Federation of Trade Unions), Wang Yongsheng (Deputy Director of Xilingol League Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Radio Television), Liu Yaqing (Deputy Director of Xilingol League State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission), Baogeriletu (Chairman of Xilingol League Cultural Tourism Investment and Development Co., Ltd.), and Zhang Peng (General Manager of Xilingol League Cultural Tourism Investment and Development Co., Ltd.).

An impressive opening ceremony performance and a symbolic lighting ceremony marked the beginning of this year's dragon boat competition.

At the dragon boat eye-dotting ceremony, guests held writing brushes and followed the ancient tradition to dot the dragon boats for blessings:

The first dot on the eyes: praying for favorable weather and national prosperity

and people's peace;

The second dot on the forehead: implying the shining of auspicious stars and

good luck;

The third dot on the nose: symbolizing harmony, happiness, and peace for all

families;

The fourth dot on the mouth: wishing everyone always to smile and have great

fortune;

The fifth dot on the horns: expecting the dragon boats to bring auspiciousness,

health, and joy to the event.

The ceremony concluded successfully, with an intense atmosphere of Chinese culture lingering around the venue, infusing the ice dragon boat competition with abundant auspiciousness and hope, and inspiring the participating athletes to strive for excellence.

Luo Zhongyi (President of the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation) drapes red cloth

and dots the eyes for the dragon boats.

The China Association hosts this competition for the Promotion of Cultural Industry, the Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Radio Television of Xilingol League, and the People's Government of Xilinhot City; undertaken by Xilingol League Cultural Tourism Investment and Development Co., Ltd. and Xilinhot Junchi Tourism Industry Investment Co., Ltd.; and implemented by the Dragon Boat Culture Professional Committee of the China Association for the Promotion of Cultural Industry.

The 2024-2025 Ice Dragon Boat Super League Final is a high-level ice dragon boat event in China. The top 16 teams in the standings of the division competitions gathered in Xilingol to compete for the annual championship of the Ice Dragon Boat Super League. The participating teams are: Zhengzhou Conghui Sports Dragon Boat Team, Henan Jinshui Patrol Dragon Boat Team, Dalian University of Finance and Economics Dragon Boat Team, Guangdong Talang Dragon Boat Team, Yunnan Minzu University Dragon Boat Team, Inner Mongolia Tongqu Forest Dragon Boat Team, Chaoyang Yipan Dragon Boat Team, Tianjin Baodi Boat Sports Association Dragon Boat Team, Harbin Pingfang District Federation of Industry and Commerce Dragon Boat Team, Shenzhen International Boat Dragon Boat Team, Shijiazhuang 279 Dragon Boat Team, Nankai University Dragon Boat Team, Heilongjiang Jixi Softball Association Dragon Boat Team, Heilongjiang Suifenhe United Dragon Boat Team, Jixi Agricultural Reclamation Bureau Dragon Boat Team, and Jinzhou Ethnic Traditional Sports Base Bohai University Dragon Boat Team.

The competition site was brilliant with excitement. Athletes of all teams wore uniform costumes, fearless of the cold and in high spirits. They competed in multiple events on four tracks, going through the preliminary, quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds. The events included a 12-person ice dragon boat 200m straight race, a 5-person ice dragon boat 100m straight race, and a 12-person ice dragon boat 300m drift return race. The Ice Dragon Boat Super League Final was exciting and spectacular, allowing the audience to enjoy a unique sports feast.

Since December 2024, the 2024-2025 Ice Dragon Boat Super League has held 7 division competitions and one final in Harbin (Heilongjiang), Changchun (Jilin), Huinan (Tonghua, Jilin), Fushun (Liaoning), Kangbao (Hebei), Chaoyang (Liaoning), Shenyang (Liaoning), and Xilinhot (Inner Mongolia). With a wide radiation range and significant influence, the event covers "four provinces and one autonomous region" - Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei provinces, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with participating athletes from all over the country. It is currently a high-level ice dragon boat event in China.

The excellent presentation of these ice dragon boat events reflects the characteristics of ice dragon boat sports - high participation, wide popularity, significant influence, and strong driving force - attracting more people to pay attention to and love ice dragon boat sports. While inheriting traditional Chinese culture and promoting the dragon boat spirit, it further encourages cultural exchanges and cooperation between regions, drives the integrated development of local culture, commerce, tourism, and sports, provides platforms and opportunities for the public to participate in ice and snow fitness activities, and contributes to the inheritance and development of traditional culture.

As the Spring Festival is approaching, carrying forward the dragon boat spirit of "unity, cooperation, struggle, and progress", the Ice Dragon Boat Super League helps the "Chinese Dragon" move forward, enabling Chinese dragon boats to shine brilliantly on the world stage and realize the dream of appearing on the Olympic stage at an early date.