HONG KONG—Thousands of paddlers descended on Hong Kong on Saturday to take part in the financial hub’s International Dragon Boat competition, held for the first time in more than 4 years after they were halted amid massive pro-democracy protests and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two-day event, organized by Hong Kong’s tourism board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, drew more than 4,000 paddlers from 160 teams including from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and internationally, its tourism body said.
“It’s a great place to come back to, especially after a four-year hiatus. Can’t think of a better way to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival than with my team and the rest of Hong Kong and Asia,” said Shirleen Ho, 41, a member of the Australian National Dragon boat team….