A dragon boat team from Guangzhou has made history in New Zealand, winning its Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta debut as the first Chinese team to compete in the event, Guangdong media reports.
The Liede Dragon Boat Team from the Tianhe district won the mixed small boat category at the regatta on 26 January, while also posting strong results in other races held at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. The team travelled with 48 members for the competition.
Races featured Lingnan-style drumming alongside Māori haka performances, and the team’s participation was described by the Chinese consul-general in Auckland as “a vivid example of high-level cultural and sports engagement on the global stage.”
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Organisers said the result is expected to further strengthen ties between Guangzhou and Auckland – sister cities since 1989 – and noted the event’s significance for Auckland’s Chinese community, some of whom have family roots in Guangdong.
The Liede team has taken part in Guangzhou’s International Dragon Boat Race since 1994 and won gold at the 2024 Perth Dragon Boat Invitational in Australia.
Its appearance in Auckland was supported by the Guangdong Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and Hong Kong-based technology firm ShareBoating.
