The 2026 Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament took place on June 20th on the Pearl River section between the North Gate Square of Sun Yat-sen University and the Guangzhou Bridge. A total of 105 dragon boat teams and more than 3,800 rowers participated. After intense competition, the champions of the 22-person dragon boat 600-meter straight race were decided in each category: the Men's and Women's Open Category went to the Guangzhou Jinbo Commercial Dragon Boat Team and the Guangzhou Baiyun Renhe Dragon Boat Team, respectively; the Men's International Category crown was claimed by the Guangzhou Yuexiu District Water Sports Association International Friends Men's Dragon Boat Team; and the University Student Category champion was the Beihua University Men's Dragon Boat Team.

As one of the largest dragon boat events in the Lingnan region, the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament has been held for 41 years. Featuring strong Guangfu cultural characteristics, the event has built a strong foundation among local communities. During the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival holiday, Guangzhou received more than 6.3 million tourist visits, generating 4.45 billion yuan in cultural and tourism consumption. The "Chengdexi" Dragon Boat Festival in Liede village alone attracted more than 210,000 visitors in a single day during the festival, pushing foot traffic in surrounding commercial areas to record highs. Meanwhile, the dragon boat manufacturing industry has also been thriving. In Shangjiao Village, Panyu District, one of the oldest dragon boat manufacturing bases in southern China, the nine boatyards have seen a surge in orders, with production schedules extending to 2027 becoming the norm.

As public enthusiasm continues to rise, the local government is also proactively addressing the trend. Guangzhou has explicitly stated its intention to leverage the "dragon boat economy," planning a comprehensive integration of culture, tourism, sports and commerce. In July, Guangzhou's "Dragon Boat Super League" will officially kick off. Each of Guangzhou's 11 districts will select three teams, while invitations will also be extended to teams across the Greater Bay Area. The tournament is expected to run through November.

2026广州国际龙舟邀请赛举行

6月20日，2026年广州国际龙舟邀请赛在中大北门广场至广州大桥之间的珠江河段举行，105支龙舟队伍、3800余名龙舟健儿参与。经过激烈角逐，22人龙舟600米直道竞速决出各组别冠军：男子、女子公开组冠军分别由广州市金铂商业龙舟队、广州市白云区人和镇龙舟队获得，男子国际组冠军花落广州市越秀区水上运动协会男子国际友人龙舟队，大学生组冠军归属于北华大学男子龙舟队。

作为岭南地区规模最大的龙舟赛事之一，广州国际龙舟邀请赛已“划”了41年，广府特色浓郁，群众基础深厚。2025年端午假期，广州接待游客超630万人次，文旅消费44.5亿元，仅猎德一条村的“撑得喜”龙舟节，端午单日人流便破21万人次，周边商圈客流创历史新高。与此同时，龙舟制造业也极为红火——华南最古老的龙舟制造基地之一番禺上漖村，9家船厂“爆单”成了常态，订单排期已到2027年。

民间热度持续攀升，政府层面也在主动破题。广州明确提出要在龙舟经济上做文章，从文商旅体融合的方向全面布局。7月，广州“龙超”便将鸣锣。全市11个区各选3支队伍，同时面向大湾区发“英雄帖”，赛事预计持续至11月。

文｜记者 苏荇 柴智 
图｜记者 钟振彬 柳诚 刘志勇 实习生 张婉晴
译｜魏薇
英文审校｜曾敏