With the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak continuing to spread, it has now been announced that the Linyuan traditional Dragon Boat competition will also be called off. According to Chen Hsing-fa, head of Kaohsiung’s Linyuan District, the Dragon Boat competition usually takes place over three days, with at least 5,000 people flooding into the area each day. This year, in order to avoid large groups outdoors, not only the Dragon Boat race itself but also the attending zongzi-making competition, have been canceled.
The Linyuan Dragon Boat race was originally held back in the time when Kaohsiung County still existed, in Jhongyun Fishing Port, and would take place at night, which made it unique. The Kaohsiung City Government has already announced that the Dragon Boat race on the Love River has been canceled. The Linyuan Dragon Boat race has had to be called off in the past due to a typhoon, but this is the first time it has had to be canceled because of an epidemic.
According to Chen, the Linyuan Dragon Boat competition attracts around 60 teams registering to participate every year, and during the event tens of thousands of visitors descend on the area. With the COVID-19 coronavirus rearing its ugly head this year, however, the race will have to be canceled, as well the zongzi-making competition that is held at the same time.
Photo: Hung Chen-hung, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者洪臣宏
The Linyuan Dragon Boat race is held according to different categories. The first prize for the social category is NT$100,000, and every year attracts many teams. Last year, there was a record number of teams, with 67 participating, and the organizers put on a special bus and arranged a tour of the Linyuan Ocean Wetland Park, the Japanese Old Street and the Cingshuei Temple, which then went on to Jhongyun Fishing Port for the Dragon Boat race. This tour was very well-received, and this year they wanted to make it happen again, but the pandemic has scuppered those plans.
(Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
武漢肺炎疫情高燒不退，林園傳統龍舟賽也宣布停辦，高雄市林園區區長陳興發說，以往龍舟賽都會一連舉行三天，每天湧入至少五千人次，為避免室外群聚，不僅龍舟賽，連同包粽子比賽都一併取消。
林園區龍舟賽源自前高雄縣時代就舉行，在中芸漁港舉辦，而且都在夜間進行，成為一大特色。高市府之前已宣布停辦愛河龍舟賽。林園龍舟賽以往曾因颱風臨時取消，因疫情取消倒是頭一遭。
陳興發說，林園龍舟賽每年都吸引約六十隊報名參加，賽事期間有數萬人次前來觀賞，不過隨著武漢肺炎疫情沒有停歇跡象，連同包粽子比賽也都取消。
林園龍舟賽分組舉行，社會組冠軍獎金高達十萬元，每年吸引許多隊伍參加，去年六十七隊創下紀錄，為了行銷觀光舉辦「愛之旅觀光巴士」，安排走訪林園海洋濕地公園、日式老街及清水寺，然後直接到中芸港觀賞龍舟賽，獲得不錯迴響，原本地方希望今年再接再厲打響名號，卻受到疫情搗亂。
（自由時報）
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