Organised by the Sports Bureau, SJM Resorts, S.A. and the Dragon Boat Association of Macao, China, and co-organised by the Municipal Affairs Bureau and the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau, the 2023 SJM Macao International Dragon Boat Races will be held on 17, 18 and 22 June at Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre. The Organizing Committee convened the draw and technical meeting for the local races today (8 June) at the office of the Dragon Boat Association of Macao, China.

The annual Macao International Dragon Boat Races will take place during the Duanwu Festival (Dragon Boat Festival), and teams from different organisations and groups in Macao have actively registered for the event. Local small dragon races and standard dragon races in multiple categories will take place on 17 and 18 June, with a total of 138 teams participating, including: 52 teams in the Macao Small Dragon Boat Race Open Category (200m), 22 teams in the Macao Small Dragon Boat Race Women's Category, 12 teams in the Macao Government Departments Small Dragon Boat Race (200m), 6 teams in the Macao University Student Small Dragon Boat Race (200m), 32 teams in the Macao Standard Dragon Boat Race Open Category (500m), and 14 teams in the Macao Standard Dragon Boat Race Women’s Category (500m).

The Macao International Invitation Standard Dragon Boat Race Open and Women’s categories (500m) and the Macao University Student Invitation Standard Dragon Boat Race (500m) will be held on the day of Duanwu Festival (22 June).  Elite teams from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Australia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines will compete with local teams for the championship.

Performances by cultural and artistic groups are on offer during this year’s event to create a festive carnival atmosphere. In addition, there will be a themed photo area and various types of sales booths on site. Residents and tourists are welcome to come and watch the dragon boat races, experience the festive atmosphere, and jointly create a unique brand of sports tourism in Macao.

In addition, to strengthen exchanges in sports between Hong Kong and Macao, the Hong Kong-Macao Cup will be jointly held by the two regions for the first time this year. Teams participating in the Macao International Invitation Standard Dragon Boat Race and the "Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races" on 24 and 25 June in Hong Kong will compete for the championship of the Hong Kong-Macao trophy based on the aggregated results of the two events, showcasing the cooperation between the two regions in promoting multi-destination sports tourism.

For more information, please visit the official website www.macaodragonboat.com, or follow the “Macao Major Sporting Events” Facebook page, “澳門體育”(Macao Sports) WeChat public account and “澳門特區體育局” (Macao SAR Sports Bureau) WeChat subscription account.