On June 17th, the two top universities in Hubei Province, Wuhan University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology jointly held the first Dragon Boat Competition, attracting thousands of spectators. After two rounds of fierce competition, the two teams ended in a tie, making the race as thrilling as the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race.

  

The first round was the men’s 800 meter straight race, with 22 players in total taking part, was won by WHU’s team. While HUST team won the second round, the mixed 500 meter open straight race.

  

The dragon boat competition was initially proposed by WHU’s President Li Xiaohong after the two universities signed a strategic and cooperative agreement on cultivating talent and scientific research. In the signing ceremony, President Li indicated that WHU and HUST could borrow the ideas from Oxford and Cambridge and hold the dragon boat competition annually on the East Lake, and President Li Peigen of HUST agreed. Thus, the two universities started to make detailed preparations.

  

A canoeing race will also be part of this competition next year, with other prestigious universities such as Harvard, Yale and Cambridge Universities will be invited to compete as well. The two universities look forward to shaping this competition into an internationally renowned cultural symbol of Wuhan and Hubei.