A Day At The Boat Races
Prior to the start of a race, competitors conduct a practice start and run a few laps around the course to practice their straight runs and cornering. These ensure that their boats are functioning properly, and also provide the betting public with useful information. During the practice, a straight run of 150 meters is timed for each boat and announced to the public. Also, competitors are not penalized for false or late starts during the practice run.
The Naha Haarii is held at the Nahashin Port (那覇新港), which is north of the Tomarin Port. Because of the traffic congestion at this time, if you have a rentacar, it’s best to find a car park nearby, and then walk to Nahashin Port. If you’re staying in Naha and trying to come by public transport, then take the monorail to Miebashi Station , and then take a 10-minute taxi to Nahashin Port.
According to the legend, Qu Yuan jumped into the River Miluo (汨羅江), on that day was May 5 -- the Fifth day of the Fifth month of the traditional Chinese calendar. So far, most people are familiar with the Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate him, which is commonly known in English as the “Dragon Boat Festival” or “Double Fifth ”. In the field of folk culture, the Chinese people to the Dragon Boat Festival Dragon with boat races and eating those glutinous rice tamales are linked with the poet. Since then, every year that day, it should be dragon boat racing, eating those glutinous rice tamales, drinking wine to commemorate Qu Yuan. Some areas in China, in the festival, people insert in the iris or wormwood on the door, which of course is to prevent the diseases or evils attack their families.
Until 1976, the first one held in Shau Kei Wan Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, which opened a dragon boat activity in modern, international, standardized sport. The nine fishermen race except the Hong Kong team, has a team has been participating from Nagasaki, Japan. Then the dragon boat races have brought to Japan, Vietnam, the United Kingdom and other countries by active participation. In 1985, Hong Kong held its first International Women's Championship, so this water sports extended to female athletes.
The racing course holds family-centered events, such as Boat Kids Park. Boat racing is one of the government-controlled competitive sports along with “bicycle racing”, “horse racing”, “auto racing”, etc., and is a competition performed on a motor board that applies the motorboat racing format. Despite being one of the few legal forms of gambling in Japan, boat racing is not enjoyed by most people. Many Japanese people have never been to a race and would struggle to give you directions to one of the large-scale venues across the country where they take place. If you’re interested in powerboat racing, then Japan is definitely the place to be. There are races taking place all over the country, and you’re sure to find one that you’ll enjoy watching.
In terms of betting pools, by far and away the highest is the Trifecta pool. On busy days, the Trifecta pools for a single race get reach over 100 million Yen. While the Win/Place pool will almost never reach 1 Million yen. The Exacta/Quinella pool generally falls right in the middle of the other two pools. Lastly, the Quinella-Place pool typically picks up a fraction of the remaining money spent by all bettors.
Recollect those years, when we were living on the peak of the mountain called as King's Park, Hung Hum district, Kowloon peninsula, Hong Kong. Each Dragon Boat Festival came, grandmother always took me to the Tai Wan Shan’s beach to watch the Dragon boat race. Dragon Boat Race is still only one of Chinese traditional festivals, not an official sport.
There are over 40 locations around Japan with dedicated betting windows where tickets can be purchased for kyōtei events. Boat Race enthusiasts can also sign up for services with specialized members’ accounts, enabling them to make bets from home, over the Internet, or via mobile phone. Bettors can purchase seven varieties of tickets, ranging from wagers on one boat to win (tanshō) to 競艇 as many as three boats to place or show with bets made in ¥100 increments. This style of betting is also shared by horse and bicycle racing.