When it happened to rain during the dragon boat racing competition, the spectators and athletes were inconvenienced. However, to the event organizers, it was great news because the safety of the athletes was reinforced.
The organizing committee’s Secretary-General Zhou De-Fu pointed out, when it does not rain, a strong southwest wind always blows on the Tamsui River starting from 10 am. If the competitors are not careful, it is easy for boats to overturn. Since the opening ceremony on the 20th, three dragon boats have already overturned during practice.
To reinforce safety and water rescue measures, the organizing committee asked the water rescue unit and Taipei City firefighters to assign more lifesaving personnel, patrol boats, and lifeboats. But these past two days, because the water was calm, they were not used.
At the same time that the dragon boats were competing fiercely on the water, the cheerleading team gave a wonderful performance on shore.
One of the cheerleading team was made up of military men accompanied by a small marching band. They performed songs and dances as well as chanted cheers. Their precise movements and military discipline received unanimous praise.
The Daojiang Business cheerleading team not only changed their costumes every day, but also their routine. Most of the songs selected by the team were folk songs favored by young people. The cheerleaders’ smiles never faded as they sang and danced, and they were the most popular with the younger audience.
The Stanford Center team in the international group was made up of students from various countries with an equal number of male and female members. They were a team that participated for the experience rather than a prize.
On the first day of competition, they were defeated by the Hong Kong Life Saving Society team because they were unfamiliar with the rules. The situation unfolded as follows: the Hong Kong Life Saving Society was in the lead at first, but because their steersman made a mistake, their boat changed direction, thus allowing Stanford to overtake the lead. But when they had to grab the winning flag, Stanford’s prow was in the wrong direction, and they missed the flag. The sports meet announcer was also anxious for the team, continuously using the microphone to shout: “The winning flag is not important; the time the boat stern crosses the finish line can be used to determine the score.”
It’s a pity that the Stanford team did not hear the announcer clearly. They concentrated on paddling backwards so they could grab the flag. Just as Stanford’s boat was approaching the winning flag, the Hong Kong Life Saving Society finally adjusted their direction and paddled at full speed towards their winning flag, again taking the lead and ultimately winning the difficult race. (Central Daily News reporter Yang Jian-Kang)
[June 25, 1982 / Central Daily News / Page 3]