The 2026 Zhongshan Nantou 5-player Boat Race kicked off on the Nantou section of the Jiya Waterway on September 27.

Sixty elite teams from 7 communities across the town battled through the waves, and after more than an hour of racing, Team Min'an 6 defended its champion title.

The Nantou 5-player Boat Race is a traditional sporting event dating back more than 150 years. It was added to Guangdong's provincial intangible cultural heritage list in 2012.

"I come back to my hometown every year to watch the race. It is Nantou Town's biggest event of the year, and the atmosphere is lively and vibrant," said a Nantou native now living in Macao.