Cheers, applause, and shouts of encouragement filled the air as athletes raced each other on the water, their vibrant paddles gliding swiftly across the surface. Meanwhile, the cherry blossoms by the stream were in full bloom, creating a stunning picture.

This scene provided a glimpse into the 2nd Zhejiang Province Open Paddleboarding Competition, which took place in Shuangxi township, Pan'an county, Jinhua, Zhejiang province on March 24.

More than 240 participants from provincial life-saving associations and water sports enthusiasts across the province took part in the competition. The event included various competitions such as the 200-meter life-saving board rescue, straight-line sprint, 600-meter canoe rescue, and individual sprint.

Events were categorized into men's and women's groups, with additional competitions including the 600-meter four-person team dragon boat sprint and life-saving events.

The township has been harnessing its ecological resources to explore "sports+" modes and has successfully hosted three large-scale water sports events and provided water rescue training for 300 individuals.

The sports events have been playing a pivotal role in increasing income for residents, with the competition alone receiving over 1,200 athletes and tourists, generating nearly 200,000 yuan ($27,701.39) in revenue from homestays and agritainment, noted Yang Xiaoguang, Party secretary of the township.

Yang added that authorities will sustain efforts to tap into sports events to advance the in-depth integration of culture, tourism, and wellness sectors to drive rural vitalization.