North Texas students compete in annual dragon boat race

IRVING, Texas - Dozens of high school students competed in a dragon boat race over the weekend in the Dallas suburb of Irving. It was part of the 13th annual DFW Dragon Boat, Kite and Lantern Festival. 

International Leadership of Texas students from Dallas, Fort Worth, College Station and Houston took part in the race.

Dragon boat racing started 2,000 years ago in China.

"Yu get about 45 teams. They come in and they get to paddle and race against each other. Each boat has 20 paddlers, 10 on each side and a drummer. Our steers people they come in. They're professionals and they steer the boat for us," said Kelly Hart with the Marco Polo World Foundation.

The festival returned to Irving after a two-year pandemic break.