WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1994
13
FOURTH ANNUAL HK DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL
TO BE HELD IN NEW YORK IN AUGUST
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THE FOURTH ANNUAL HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK WILL BE HELD AUGUST 13-21. IT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE AND THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK AT A NEWS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY (JULY 12).
THE FESTIVAL, SPONSORED BY HONGKONGBANK, USA, WILL CULMINATE IN AN EXCITING DRAGON BOAT REGATTA ON THE HUDSON RIVER IN NEW YORK
ON AUGUST 21 (SUNDAY), WHERE TEAMS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL COMPETE FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
THE WINNING TEAM OF THE HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE IN NEW YORK WILL BE AWARDED THE HONGKONGBANK CUP AND WILL BE FLOWN TO HONG KONG BY THE OFFICAL FESTIVAL CARRIER, UNITED AIRLINES ΤΟ PARTICIPATE IN THE HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL RACES SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 1995.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE IN NEW YORK, MR ALEX FONG, POINTED OUT THAT THE HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE IN NEW YORK IS RECOGNISED BY THE PRESTIGIOUS HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL RACES.
"THIS YEAR'S RACE IN NEW YORK REPRESENTS A CONSIDERABLE EXPANSION OF DRAGON BOAT RACING IN AMERICA OVER LAST YEAR'S CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE HUDSON RIVER," MR FONG SAID.
"I ANTICIPATE THE 1994 FESTIVAL WILL SURPASS ALL PREVIOUS YEARS IN TERMS OF QUALITY, SCALE AND PARTICIPATION, HE ADDED.
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AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, HONGKONGBANK USA, MR MICHAEL GEOGHEGAN, PRESENTED THE FESTIVAL SPONSORSHIP CHEQUE TO CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION YORK, MR RODERICK RICHARDS.
OF NEW
"HONGKONGBANK'S SPONSORSHIP OF THE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL COMMEMORATES ITS ASIAN HERITAGE AND UNDERSCORES ITS COMMITMENT TO BOTH NEW YORK AND HONG KONG, SAID MR GEOGHEGAN.
"THE FESTIVAL IS A UNIQUE CELEBRATION OF THE INDUSTRIOUS, COMPETITIVE SPIRIT SHARED BY OUR TWO CITIES, AND AN IMPORTANT MEANS OF STRENGTHENING THE CULTURAL AND COMMERCIAL TIES BETWEEN THEM."
MR RICHARDS EXPLAINED THAT THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL BEGAN WITH PRELIMINARY DRAGON BOAT RACES IN PHILADELPHIA ON MAY 15 AND IN BOSTON ON JUNE 18.
A TWO-DAY LOCAL NEW YORK CITY EVENT WITH 30 TEAMS TAKES ON AUGUST 13-14 IN QUEENS, NEW YORK.
"THEN THE WINNING
PLACE
TEAMS FROM THESE THREE EVENTS ARE BEING INVITED TO COMPETE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE ON AUGUST 21 ON THE HUDSON RIVER," MR RICHARDS SAID.
IN ADDITION TO THE EXCITING DRAGON BOAT COMPETITION, THE HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK WILL FEATURE CULTURAL EXHIBITIONS CELEBRATING TRADITIONAL CHINESE FOOD, CRAFTS, DANCE AND MARTIAL ARTS AT VARIOUS VENUES IN NEW YORK CITY.
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