Dragon Boat Racing

Today is our first full day in Leeds. We went to the enormous Kirkgate Market in the morning to buy the ingredients for this evening's dinner - scallops cooked in bacon with a celery and tomato salad. We are feeling full after eating out at a Persian restaurant last night so a light meal will suffice.

Visitors arrived at 12:00. After lunch at a local cafe we watched the Dragon Boat racing being held within Clarence Dock. Being moored there gave us a grandstand seat right by the finishing line.

Dragon Boats in action

For those who have not seen Dragon Boat racing it is based on the Chinese boat races. A Dragon boat is a long fibreglass boat seating a team of perhaps 8 pairs of people equipped with canoe-type paddles who propel the boat to the beat of a large drum mounted at the bow. The boat is steered by a steersman who stands at the stern. Local companies and organisations supply sponsored teams who compete against each other in a series of timed races to determine the event winner.