Dragon boats take over Suyeong River as international regatta hits Busan
The rhythmic beat of wooden drums echoed along Busan’s Suyeong River on Thursday, as hundreds of paddlers took to the water, launching the 14th Korea Open Busan International Dragon Boat Race alongside the 17th Busan Mayor’s Cup Dragon Boat Race. Running through Aug. 24 at APEC Naru Park, the dual five-day regattas bring together roughly 850 elite paddlers and club athletes from around the globe…
Rhythmic drumbeats reverberated through Busan's Suyeong River on Thursday, accompanied by a gathering of hundreds of paddlers. This scene marked the commencement of the 14th Korea Open Busan International Dragon Boat Race, alongside the 17th Busan Mayor's Cup Dragon Boat Race. These events unfolded over a span of five days, concluding on Aug. 24, at the APEC Naru Park. The regattas attracted approximately 850 elite paddlers and club athletes from various parts of the world and Korea.
The event, orchestrated by the Busan Metropolitan Government and hosted by the Sea Scouts of Korea Busan Council, aimed to highlight the city's aquatic assets and its aspiration to become a leading destination for international eco-tourism and marine leisure. The formal racing proceedings were set to begin on Friday, following an opening ceremony that included the Dotting the Dragon's Eye ritual.
During this ceremonial act, painters filled in the traditional eyes on the ornate dragon head of the vessels, symbolically awakening the craft and wishing the paddlers a safe journey across the water.
The international contingent comprised 19 competitive teams, adding to the rich diversity and excitement of the regattas.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
