Dragon boat racing at La Standiana
The origins of dragon boat racing date back to an ancient legend from more than 2,000 years ago. It said that fishermen set off in their long, narrow boats with a bow and a stern resembling a dragon in search of the Chinese poet and statesman Qu Yuan who had thrown himself into the Miluo river in protest against the governing party’s oppression.
The legend inspired a sport in 1975 when the Hong Kong Tourist Association used the popular tradition to create a new internationally recognised discipline.
Dragon boat racing is a team event where participants row long, narrow boats which are traditionally decorated to look like Chinese dragons.
Dragon boat competitions often feature high-speed racing over set distances with teams selected according to different categories and ability levels.
La Standiana is Ravenna’s rowing centre which, every year, welcomes clubs and international teams for their training camps as well as hosting national and international rowing, canoeing, dragon boat and finswimming competitions. La Standiana features an artificial lake which is 2,500 m long and 700 m wide, offering an Olympic-standard 8-lane course, considered to be one of the best-equipped rowing facilities in Europe.
If you love dragon boat racing or rowing, this is the place to be!
