As the 2026 Jinji Lake Dragon Boat Race approaches, the Vipers, an international dragon boat team, is fully committed to training on Xietang River.

The Jinji Lake Dragon Boat Race is an annual event held on Jinji Lake in SIP to celebrate the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival (also known as Duanwu Festival) which, reckoned on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, will fall on June 19 this year.

A veteran participant of the event, the Vipers represents one of the most prominent foreign professional dragon boat teams in Suzhou. With over a decade of experience, they secured third place in the 12-men straightaway race in the Open category at the 2024 event. This year, they are itching to compete for the top spot again.

The team consists of expatriates from countries including the United Kingdom, France, and South Africa, all sharing a deep passion for traditional Chinese dragon boat racing. Maintaining a twice-weekly training schedule and competing across China, the Vipers sees the sport as more than a competition — it is a cultural bridge connecting diverse backgrounds through shared enthusiasm.

June 11, 2026