Uganda ready for the first ever dragon boat race

Six teams have made it to the finals of the first ever Dragon boat race to be held for the very first time in Uganda.

Kasenyi Port Bell team, Bugunga, Nakiwogo B, C and A teams plus Kigungu made the cut. This was at the trial race held at Kitubulu beach, Entebbe on Saturday.

Over 30 teams are taking part in the dragon boat festival including a professional team from Zhejiang University of China.

Each boat in the race will have 22 people, 10 paddling on each side, a leader at the front drumming to give his/her team momentum and a guide at the back giving direction to the boat.

Robert Kanusu, a dragon boat race official says a perfect show on May 28, 2017 will see Uganda for the first time ever, invited to field a team at the international dragon boat festival in September, in China.

The International Dragon Boat Federation Executive President Mike Thomas promised the invitation to the world championship, should Uganda hold an up to a standard race.

Kanusu who was a winner of a Gold medal in the officiating category at the 2014 International Dragon Boat Festival in Ravena city, Italy says commitment and attitude will be very important in the race proper at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC).

"It is important to make it to the world championship first which will be a point of no return for Uganda. Qualifying first for the international dragon boat is what we want. There is always room to improve after that," he says.

Uganda is only the second country in Africa after South Africa to hold a dragon boat festival.