A canoeing contest, organized by the Wuxi sports bureau, was held at West Lihu Scenic Area on Oct 17 and 18.

A total of 370 participants took part in the event. Despite their lack of experience, many people who were making their first attempt managed to finish the contest under the coach's guidance after two months of training. Some veteran paddlers showed off their great skills in controlling the canoe.

A foreigner?competes in the canoeing contest. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Paul, a contestant from England, appreciated the pleasant weather as well as the beautiful scenery in Wuxi. He said he expected to take part in similar events in the future like a dragon boat race or a sailing competition.

Members of a canoeing center of Qingdao, Shandong province, were also impressed by the local water conditions. "Besides the great natural landscape, the peaceful water is really suitable for the development of canoeing," said Zhang Shunian, one of the Qingdao canoeists.

In recent years, people have been getting more actively involved in canoeing. The contest marked the beginning of water sports promotion at Lihu Scenic Area and many people showed a willingness join in, according to the event organizer.

He added that the city will hold more activities including a dragon boat race or a sailing competition next year.