The downpour prior to the start of the third Houhai River Dragon Boat Race didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the rowers on the water and the audience along the banks.

Amid the rain, the crowds cheered as the race started at 8:30 a.m. yesterday. Eighteen teams from Shekou Subdistrict raced and enjoyed the weekend ahead of the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on Thursday.

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Rowers of Globe Trotters, a team of 11 expats from 10 countries, cut through the water in the Houhai River Dragon Boat Race in Shekou yesterday. Photos by Han Ximin except otherwise stated

Expat racers

Among the teams, the Globe Trotters was made up of 11 members from 10 countries, which was organized by Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats (SMSCE).

“I am exhausted, though we didn’t win. We tried our best to row and everyone had given it all they could,” Kerry Howell from Northern Ireland, said at an interview after the first round. “For me, it was a victory and I think all those guys think it is too.”

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Jorieke van Dijk from the Netherlands, the drummer of Globe Trotters, waves to onlookers.

It was Howell’s first time to take part in a dragon boat race in Shenzhen. But back in his home country, he once took part in a Viking Long Boat Race and he also kayaks.

“It is rare to see the enthusiasm of the audience coming to watch the race on a Sunday morning in the rain. It was a fantastic day,” said Howell, who planned to grab some beer with friends after the race.

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Spectators cheer for their teams.

It was the second time for Jorieke van Dijk from the Netherlands, a schoolteacher, to participate in the dragon boat race. However, this year, instead of being a rower, she is the drummer. “During the race, we manage to keep our rhythm and stroke at a pace. It was challenging as you need to tell the rowers when to stop and turn,” she said. Her husband also participated in the race.

“Life in Shenzhen is very comfortable, and this year’s race has a great atmosphere with so many people lining up on the sides of the river to cheer. It makes a difference for the rowers,” Dijk added.

Shafiei Ehsan from Iran, a newcomer to Shenzhen, is a postdoctorate student working on a two-year project at the Southern University of Science and Technology.

“Through this amazing activity, I got to know more people. It was very good,” Ehsan said.

Intl. community

The race was held to uphold the Dragon Boat Festival customs, show one of the many charms of the Chinese culture and enrich the life of residents in Shekou, according to its organizer Shekou Subdistrict Office. At the same time, the race presents the achievements in water treatment at Houhai River, which was once a manmade canal for sewage of the Houhai neighborhood.

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Dragon boat paddlers compete in a traditional Chinese dragon boat race on Houhai River in Shekou yesterday. Lin Songtao

This was SMSCE’s third time to organize international teams to participate in the race to help expats integrate into the local community and immerse themselves in traditional Chinese culture, according to Yang Yan, director of SMSCE.

Shekou Subdistrict, which accommodates Shenzhen’s largest expat population, is home to over 8,000 expats from over 100 countries, according to official data.

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SMSCE was established June 28, 2017 to help expats better adapt into the local community. In September 2020, Shekou Foreign Legal Assistance Center, a free legal service platform for expats managed by SMSCE, was established, providing legal and notary services to expats.

Over the years, SMSCE’s services have been expanded from providing expats’ temporary residence registration forms to various issues based on expats’ needs such as visas, work permits, driver’s license, pet registration, and cross-cultural activities.

In February this year, Shekou was selected as one of the first batch of 20 international blocks by the Shenzhen Foreign Affairs Office.