The 2026 Chinese Dragon Boat Tournament, the nation’s premier dragon boat racing event, opened on Thursday at Enyang Dragon Boat Park in Bazhong, southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

Held over two days during the Dragon Boat Festival, the competition has drawn more than 1,100 athletes from 54 teams across the country to the historic town of Enyang.

This year’s tournament features eight divisions, including professional, youth and under-16 categories, alongside newly introduced local men’s and women’s events that allow community paddlers to compete on a national stage.

Racers will battle across distances of 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 metres, while a new 2,000-metre pursuit race makes its debut this year. The finals will take place on Friday, the day of the Dragon Boat Festival.