‘Dragon Boat Race Festival’ begins at Pokhara’s Phewa Lake

KATHMANDU: The second edition of the ‘Nepal-China Friendship Dragon Boat Race Festival’ kicks off today (Sunday) in Pokhara, aiming to strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties between Nepal and its neighboring country China, while promoting Nepal’s tourism.

The event is being held at the scenic Phewa Lake, a prime tourist destination in Pokhara, and will feature athletes from Nepal, China, and Singapore.

The competition will run until Dec 30.

Jointly organized by the Gandaki Provincial Government, Pokhara Metropolitan City, the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, and the Nepal Tourism Board, the festival will see the participation of 20 teams.

Pokhara Mayor Dhanraj Acharya stated that all preparations for the event have been completed.

According to him, 129 athletes from Chengdu, China, arrived in Pokhara on Dec 26 via a chartered flight.

The participating teams have been practicing daily at Phewa Lake.

The competition will feature eight teams from China, one from Singapore, and 11 teams from various parts of Nepal. Nepal’s teams include Gandaki, Bagmati, Karnali, Tribhuvan Army Club, Dragon Boat Gandaki, Begnas Team, Rupa Lake Team, and the Nepal Rafting Agencies Association (NARA).

The festival includes races in two categories: 500 meters and 200 meters.

Winners will receive a prize of USD 5,000, while runners-up and third-place teams will be awarded USD 2,000 and USD 1,200, respectively.