YANGON, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- A traditional leg-rowing boat race will be held on the renowned Inle Lake in Nyaungshwe township of Shan state, an official from the Nyaungshwe township's Information and Public Relations Department said on Wednesday.
"We will hold a leg-rowing boat race on September 26, and the semifinals and finals will take place on September 28," Nay Myo Thurein, an official from the department, told Xinhua.
The race will feature about-100-paddler men's race, the 46-paddler men's race, the 26-paddler women's race, the 26-paddler students' race, and the single-paddler race, he said.
"The purpose of holding the boat race is to preserve the traditional leg-rowing boat and to celebrate pagoda festival, and attract visitors from other regions," he said.
Another leg-rowing boat race is scheduled for October 8 and 9 on Inle Lake, according to Myanmar Radio and Television. These traditional boat races are an integral part of the Inle Lake Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival.
Inle Lake covers an area of 489,721 hectares and is located in Nyaungshwe Township, Taunggyi District, in the southern part of Shan state. ■
