On June 13, the 2026 “Lushan Cup” Yangtze River Economic Belt Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament kicked off at Caijiahu Lake in the Balihu New District of Jiujiang City.

It is learned that this year‘s invitational tournament, themed “Sharing the Same River, Competing in the Dragon Boat Spirit,” brings together nearly 40 dragon boat teams from 11 provinces and municipalities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt, with approximately 1,000 participants and officials. The competition features an Open Group (22-person dragon boats) and a Local Group (12-person dragon boats). In addition to retaining the 200m and 800m straight course races, a 2,000m turn race has been introduced for the first time.

Scene of the 2026 “Lushan Cup” Yangtze River Economic Belt Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament. (Photo by Liu Lixin)

In the misty June rain, accompanied by passionate drumbeats, the dragon boats shot off the starting line like arrows. The raindrops mingled with the splashes created by the paddles as the competitors rowed through the waves. At the competition site, international internet influencers from multiple countries participating in the 2026 “Discover Jiangxi” Tour of Foreign Influencers at Balihu cheered enthusiastically for the contestants. “This is my first time watching a Chinese dragon boat race in the rain. It’s truly spectacular and awe-inspiring. We also visited the nearby intangible cultural heritage market, which was also very interesting,” said Saad Adam from Morocco.

Scene of the 2026 “Lushan Cup” Yangtze River Economic Belt Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament. (Photo by Liu Lixin)

Dragon boat racing during the Dragon Boat Festival is not only a long-standing folk activity in China but also a traditional sport. “We will take this competition as an opportunity to work hand in hand with our sister cities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt to ensure the success of this invitational tournament. By uniting our strengths like ‘all rowing together to move a big ship forward,’ we aim to accelerate the shared development of sports, culture and tourism, and industries in the region. I sincerely invite everyone to visit Jiujiang in their spare time, to experience the grandeur of the rivers and lakes, and to enjoy the picturesque, poem-like scenery,” said Deng Yongxiang, Deputy Secretary of the Jiujiang Municipal Committee and Acting Mayor of Jiujiang.

During the competition, the organizers also set up a special consumer market near the venue and, in collaboration with 30 key catering enterprises in Jiujiang, launched a “Xunwei Cuisine + Exclusive Discounts” promotion to attract visitors through the event and boost sales through the festive season.

Scene of the 2026 “Lushan Cup” Yangtze River Economic Belt Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament. (Photo by Liu Lixin)

This event is hosted by the Jiangxi Provincial Sports Bureau and the People’s Government of Jiujiang City, and jointly organized by the Jiangxi Provincial Dragon Boat Association, the Jiujiang Sports Bureau, the Jiujiang Municipal Commerce Bureau, the Jiujiang Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, and the Management Committee of the Balihu New District in Jiujiang.(Lu Mengmeng, Wu Siyu, Liu Lixin)