The 2025 SJM Macao International Dragon Boat Races are slated to be hosted in May at the Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre, with this year’s Macao Standard Dragon Boat Race to also include for the first time the introduction of a mixed category.
Details of the upcoming races were announced during yesterday’s press conference at Grand Lisboa Palace (GLP) in Cotai.
This year’s event will kick off with small dragon boat local races on May 24, while the Macao Standard Dragon Boat Race will be held on the following day and see the return of the Open Category and Women’s Category, along with the new mixed (male-female) category, which will have 18 teams.
The races will then be followed up by The Macao International Invitation Standard Dragon Boat Race and the Macao University Student Invitation Standard Dragon Boat Race, both to be held on the day of the Duanwu Festival* (aka Dragonboat Festival), which falls on May 31 this year.
Dragon Boat Association of Macao, China President Vong Ka Hou told reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s event that the mixed category is hoped to give female athletes more participation opportunities.
Vong also noted that organisers are hoping to attract more teams from overseas to take part in this year’s races, adding that the event regularly sees teams from Thailand, Indonesia, the mainland and Hong Kong, and hopes to also attract those from places such as South Korea and the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Sports Bureau (ID) President Luís Gomes also highlighted the activities aside from the races in his speech, noting: “Alongside the races, there will be sporting and cultural activities and performances, creative products booths, and food stalls, contributing to the traditional and lively carnival atmosphere”.
SJM Managing Director Daisy Ho Chiu Fung said in her speech that “this year, we aim to further refine our efforts, spread the culture of dragon boat racing even further, and attract more elite international teams to compete, while also inviting more visitors from around the world to experience the vibrant tradition of dragon boat racing and enjoy the lively atmosphere of this event in Macau”.
Team registration, which started earlier this month, ends tomorrow at 10 p.m., while training begins on February 27. Teams that have set up online accounts can register for their categories between Thursday and February 26.
More event and registration details can be found at www.macaodragonboat.com.
* “Duanwu Festival” can be translated as the “Festival of the Fifth Day” or “Festival of the Fifth Noon.” It is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which is why it is also commonly referred to as the “Double Fifth Festival.” The festival is widely known for traditions like dragon boat racing and eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), and it honours the memory of the ancient poet Qu Yuan. – DeepSeek
SJM Managing Director Daisy Ho Chiu Fung (3rd from left), Sports Bureau (ID) President Luís Gomes (4th from left), and Dragon Boat Association of Macao, China President Vong Ka Hou (5th from left), along with other guests, pose for a group photo after yesterday’s press conference at Grand Lisboa Palace (GLP) in Cotai. – Photo: Rui Pastorin
