From dragon boat mayhem in Hong Kong to today's international contest
Strict rules were put in place for the event after locals and Japanese brawled over a race result
In 1978, stone throwing, insults and a brawl involving paddles marred the international dragon boat races in Tsim Sha Tsui East, with Japanese and local paddlers arguing over the result of one contest.
Organised by the then Hong Kong Tourist Association, the event was televised across Asia, as was the brawl.
Bob Wilson and other members of the then Hong Kong Amateur Rowing Association realised that the races should be organised professionally with standardised rules. They thought that it might at the same time be a chance to promote their newly-founded association.
Cooperating with the Tourist Association, Wilson and his colleagues set official race rules for the 1979 races in Tsim Sha Tsui. The course distance was fixed at 640 metres and photographs were taken at the finish line to ensure fairness.
"The funny thing is, as dragon boat racing spread around the world, a couple of other regattas adopted the same racing distance," said Wilson. "But this is the maximum length we could do at Tsim Sha Tsui."
With the rapid growth in dragon boat clubs worldwide, the International Dragon Boat Federation was established by the end of the 1980s. Wilson was elected its founding president.
