Athletes from south China's Guangxi claimed both the men's and women's 60-meter races in single bamboo drifting on the opening day of the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of China, currently being held in Sanya City, Hainan Province.
Drifting on a single bamboo pole was once a means of transportation, originating from northern Guizhou province. In 2021, it was inscribed on China's list of national intangible cultural heritage. Today, this ancient practice has evolved into a sport where competitors must balance on their poles as they race at high speeds.
For many onlookers, this unique sport seems like something out of a Chinese kung fu fantasy novel, but it really is possible to learn to balance on a bamboo pole as it slides down a river. Masters of the sport say that once a racer can manage to stay upright, success often comes down to raw muscle.
"This sport requires a lot physically from the athletes. The technique is to use the interaction force between the bamboo pole and water to find balance. But how to race faster depends on the athlete's physical strength," said Lu Chuntao, single bamboo drifting women's 60m winner.
Even professional rowers find the technique challenging. As Lu points out, athletes need to maintain a sharp and present mind to keep from falling in the water.
"The most difficult thing of the sport is multitasking, as you need to keep your balance standing up, while keeping your direction, and at the same time speeding up. So it's not an easy task to accomplish, and we fall down quite frequently," said the champion athlete.
This marks Lu's third appearance at the National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities, but her first time winning the 60-meter event. She had previously won the 100-meter and 200-meter titles at the past two editions.
For her, the victory is also a win for her cultural background and heritage.
"I'm from the Zhuang ethnic group and I'm very happy that I was finally able to win in all three women's events of this sport in the Games, and I've achieved my goal this time. I think the beauty of the sport is that it showcases an athlete's power and balance on the bamboo," said Lu.
Wei Bingyue, a compatriot of Lu from Guangxi, won the men's 60-meter race, securing both titles for the region during the morning session of the single bamboo drifting event's opening day.
Guangxi claims victory in single bamboo drifting races at China's ethnic games
