Pokhara, June 25. The Nepal-China Friendship Dragon Boat Race Festival successfully concluded in Pokhara on Saturday, with China’s Sichuan Dragon Boat Team emerging as the champions. The team showcased exceptional performance by clinching the title in both the 200-meter and 500-meter races. Nepal’s ‘Nara Dragon Boat Team’ secured the first runner-up position in both tournaments, according to the organizers.

In an impressive display of strength and skill, the Sichuan Dragon Boat Team completed the 500-meter distance in just 2 minutes and 20 seconds, while finishing the 200-meter race in a remarkable 53 seconds. The Nara Dragon Boat Team from Nepal displayed commendable performance, taking 2 minutes and 23 seconds to complete the 500-meter race and 56 seconds for the 200-meter race.

For their outstanding achievements, the winning team from China received a cash prize of Rs 1.1 million, with each team member receiving Rs 550,000. The Nara Dragon Boat Team was awarded a cash prize of Rs 700,000 for securing the second position in both tournaments.

The two-day-long festival was jointly organized by the Embassy of China in Nepal, the Pokhara Metropolitan City, and the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). A total of eight teams, including three from China, four from Nepal, and one from Singapore, participated in the competition. The Yunnan Dragon Boat Team from China’s Yunnan Province emerged as the third-place winner in both competitions, as announced by the organizers.

To show appreciation for their participation, each team received a token amount of Rs 100,000. The winners and participating teams were honored by esteemed dignitaries, including National Assembly Chairman Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, State Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sushila Sirpaili, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song, and Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City Dhanraj Acharya. The event aimed to strengthen cultural ties and boost tourism between Nepal and China, with hopes of attracting more Chinese visitors to Nepal in the future.