Vibrant traditional boat racing on the Huong River

HNN.VN - Amid celebrations marking the 81st anniversary of the success of the August Revolution and National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2026), the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism held the opening ceremony of the 37th Traditional Boat Racing - 2026 on the morning of September 2.

Leader of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism encouraged and presented commemorative flags to the teams at the opening ceremony

From early morning, large crowds of local residents and visitors gathered along both banks of the Huong River to watch and cheer on the racing teams, creating a vibrant atmosphere on the holiday.

This year’s race features 10 boats from the teams, including: Trieu Son Dong (Hoa Chau Ward); Trieu Son Trung and Giap Trung (Kim Tra Ward); Thu Le and Mai Duong (Quang Dien Commune); Quang Vinh (Dan Dien Commune); An Cuu Ward; Huong An Ward; Thuan An Ward; and A Luoi 4 Commune.

The race spans 700 - 900 meters with 3 turning points: upper, middle, and lower. The event comprises 10 race categories, held during the day. Alongside the men’s Tien races and women’s Tien races, the race also includes a mixed men’s-and-women’s Tien races.

Held annually, the traditional boat racing is not only a sporting competition among racing teams, but also a cultural tradition of the Ancient Capital, held to celebrate the country’s National Day.

Beyond enriching the spiritual life of the people, the event serves to promote Hue’s image to visitors, continue promoting the campaign ‘All people take exercises following the example of Great Uncle Ho’, and preserve and develop a traditional sport rich in the identity and culture of Hue.

Following are some photos from the boat racing, recorded by Hue Today Online:

Start

Excitement from the very beginning

A thrilling moment at the turning point

Spectators closely followed their teams’ racing boats

Forces ensured the security and safety of the boat racing on the river

The refereeing team worked seriously to ensure fairness throughout the race

The vibrant atmosphere along the riverbanks

The moment A Luoi 4 Commune’s racing team celebrated the First place in the men’s Cung race, in its first-ever participation in the race