Taipei City Government

The 3-day-long Dragon Boat Competition at Dajia Riverside Park came to a close in the afternoon of May 5. Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the closing ceremony and expressed his gratitude to both staff and athletes for helping to make this year’s event a success.
 
During his address, the mayor pointed out that a total of 192 teams registered to compete in the tournament this year. However, due to the outbreak of COVID-19, only 182 teams made it to the games. As the event is an international competition involving a large number of participants, the organizers utilize high speed camera to ensure the fairness of the races. He believes that the city government’s continued effort in holding international competitions enhances the brand value of Taipei City.
 
Citing the 2017 Taipei Summer Universiade, Ko remarked that it has been many years since the city government organized a major international tournament. However, he noted that the National Indigenous Games will take place in Taipei City next year, to be followed by the Summer World Masters Games cohosted with New Taipei City in 2025. He stressed that Taipei City will continue to apply for hosting international competitions in the future as a way to strengthen its international portfolio and promote sports.
 
The mayor noted that there are various teams taking part in the tournament this year, from city agencies to alumni groups to religious organizations to private sector clubs. There was even a team from AIT. He was also surprised that an athlete who is 97 years old signed up with his teammates.
 
At the end of the ceremony, the mayor presented certificates of gratitude to individuals and organizations who supported the tournament.