New Silk Road Int'l Dragon Boat Festival kicks off in Lithuania

Hosted by Lithuanian Dragon Boat Federation and co-sponsored by China Dragon Boat Association, this is the first time that Lithuania has an event like this.

"We are a combined team from Lithuania and Poland and we are huge fans of this sport. We love paddling and we always have strong desire to win," Olga, a member of the joint team for dragon boat racing, told Xinhua.

Dragon boat racing, which dates back 2,000 years and originated in southern China, is a traditional competitive water sport. During the race, teams of some 20 paddlers paddle furiously to the beat of a drum, offering spectators great excitement.