GEORGE TOWN, Nov. 28 -- Long before Hong Kong hosted the first international dragon boat race in 1976, Penang held the very first one to mark the centennial celebration of the municipality of George Town in 1956.

Penang sent a team to compete in the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Race Festival in 1977 and two years later, the state hosted its inaugural Penang International Dragon Boat Festival.

The event proved a success, with 66 participating teams from Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

For many years, there were two dragon boat races in Penang, the international dragon boat festival in June, and a smaller festival in December in conjunction with the annual Pesta Pulau Pinang.

Initially, the dragon boat festival was held along Gur...