By KHT Staff. Photos courtesy of Cindy Wu/Liberty Times.
KAOHSIUNG — The city government team won the international friendly race at the Kaohsiung Dragon Boat Carnival on Sunday, with a time of 2 minutes and 4 seconds, while the AIT-Kaohsiung team took second place, coming in ten seconds behind.
Sports Minister and Olympic badminton champion Lee Yang (李洋) joined the mayor’s team as lead paddler. Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), serving as flag bearer, said before the race that the team had to win after finishing third last year. He joked that if the city team failed to take first place, everyone would have to jump into the Love River.
Lee said he had tried similar boat races before, but it was his first time competing in dragon boat racing. He said the sport depends heavily on teamwork.
Outgoing AIT-K Deputy Director Sam Goffman receives the 2nd place trophy from KH City Council Speaker Kang Yu-Cheng (康裕成)
The friendly race featured the city government team, AIT Kaohsiung, the Japan-Taiwan Kizuna Dragon Boat Team A, and an international team.
The city team finished first, followed by AIT Kaohsiung in second and the Japan-Taiwan Kizuna team in third. The international team placed fourth.
The event also included participants from the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Kaohsiung, the Thailand Trade and Economic Office’s labor section, and Hachioji, Japan, one of Kaohsiung’s sister cities.
