In order to meet the needs of entertainment and sports competitions of local dwellers, many attractive sports activities and tournaments are scheduled to be organised across Da Nang to celebrate National Day September 2.

The 2024 Da Nang Open Traditional Boat Race for the VTV8 Cup will take place on September, attracting nearly 400 athletes from 22 boat racing teams in Da Nang and Quang Nam Province

Today, August 24, the Hai Chau Open Pickleball Tournament officially opened at the semicircle of Nhu Nguyet Street, attracting more than 60 athletes from pickleball clubs citywide. The participating athletes are divided into groups to compete in men's doubles and mixed doubles.

Along with localities across the country, in Da Nang, pickleball, a new sports resembling tennis, badminton, and table tennis, attracts a large number of players, especially young people through training courses and friendly tournaments.

Pickleball is played on a rectangular court, either indoors or outdoors. In a pickleball match, two teams, each consisting of either two or four players, stand on opposite sides of the rectangular court. Players use a smooth-faced paddle to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a 34-inch-high (0.86 m) net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball is a sport that combines tennis, table tennis and badminton, as players play on a court similar in size to a badminton court, using a flat racket that is smaller than a tennis racket, but larger than a table tennis racket, and using a ball that is smaller and lighter than a tennis ball.

Mr. Tran Van Manh, Director of the Hai Chau District Culture and Sports Centre, said “This is the first time the centre has organised a pickleball tournament. This sport has just appeared in Viet Nam, promising to bring players and spectators exciting matches. The opening ceremony of the tournment and demonstration competitions take place at the semicircle of the Nhu Nguyet Street, aiming to introduce this kind of sports closer to the community. After the opening ceremony, the main competitions will take place at the Tuyen Son Sports Aren. In addition to the pickleball tournament, to celebrate this year's National Day, the centre is organising the 2024 Da Nang Open Club Sports Dance Championship from August 24 to 25 at the APEC Sculpture Park".

Similarly, many sports activities have been organised in Hoa Vang District to celebrate the National Day. In particular, the Hoa Vang District men's football tournament is taking place excitingly and attractively at the Centre for Culture, Information and Sports of Hoa Vang District. This is a traditional tournament of the district, with the participation of 11 teams from communes in the district including Hoa Bac, Hoa Chau, Hoa Khuong, Hoa Lien, Hoa Nhon, Hoa Ninh, Hoa Phong, Hoa Phu, Hoa Phuoc, Hoa Son and Hoa Tien.

The teams are divided into groups, competing in a round robin to select 8 teams for the quarterfinals. At the end of the qualifying rounds, teams Hoa Chau, Hoa Son and Hoa Ninh were knocked out of the tournament.

According to Mr. Dinh Viet Tran Tho, Director of the Centre for Culture, Information and Sports of Hoa Vang District, the tournament not only creates a useful playground for people to compete but also brings a vibrant sports competition atmosphere to celebrate the big national holiday, thereby strengthening solidarity, and learning and exchanging experiences among athletes.

Together with the localities, on the occasion of National Day, the municipal Department of Culture and Sports coordinated with the Viet Nam Television Center in the Central - Highlands Region (VTV8) to organise the 2024 Da Nang Open Traditional Boat Race for the VTV8 Cup.

The boat race will take place on September 1 on the Han River with the participation of nearly 400 athletes from 22 boat racing teams in Da Nang and Quang Nam Province.

The athletes will compete in two categories for men and women. The male teams will complete 3 laps, equivalent to 7.5km, whilst the ladies’ teams have to complete just 2 laps, equivalent to 5km. Each unit is allowed to send a maximum of two male teams and two female teams for the tournament.

In 2023, the event marked its return after nearly 6 years of interruption, attracting much attention from thousands of people and tourists. This year's boat race is expected to create an interesting highlight in the city.

According to Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Trong Thao, the city, together with units and localities, strive to organise a variety of competitions on the occasion of National Day, aimed at creating an exciting atmosphere of competition as well as promoting the development of mass sports movements in the city.

Reporting by PHI NONG - Translating by M.DUNG