1st leg of China Dragon Boat Tournament completed in Wanning

Watch Video

Play Video

Hainan is holding the annual Dragon Boat Tournament. Wanning was the site for Thursday’s competition, which was stop one of 10 of this year’s tour.

Before the contest a smoke show took place to signal the beginning of the day’s events. The first race involved female squads -- this is the first year that woman have been allowed to compete.

Participants compete in a dragon boat race in Wanning, a county in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 22, 2012. Sixteen teams from all over the country took part in the China Long Zhou (dragon boat) Tournament 2012. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

In the 200-meter final, the team from Liujiang claimed victory. They make history as the first ever women’s champions. They also won the 500-meter title later in the day.

On the men’s side, defending champion Shunde continued their domination at the year’s competition, winning both the 200-meter and 500-meter events by beating Liujiang. Most members of the Liujiang team are from the newly established national team.

Participants compete in a dragon boat race in Wanning, a county in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 22, 2012. Sixteen teams from all over the country took part in the China Long Zhou (dragon boat) Tournament 2012. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Participants compete in a dragon boat race in Wanning, a county in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 22, 2012. Sixteen teams from all over the country took part in the China Long Zhou (dragon boat) Tournament 2012. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)