All aboard: Boats compete on Hue's Perfume River as part of the May Day festivities. — VNS Phuoc Buu

THUA THIEN HUE (VNS)— Hue authorities yesterday held a boat race on Perfume River to celebrate May Day.

Eight boat teams from Hue and its outskirts competed on the 3km of the river that runs through the former capital city.

Each boat team had a skipper and 10 crew, who were fishermen and farmers.

The race was organised under traditional rules set up during the feudal times of the Nguyen dynasty.

Each boat had make two return laps cross the river and three along the river, introduced so that high-ranking mandarins on a river banks could get a good view.

Nguyen Van Dau, head of the organisers, said boat race was a tradition of districts with rivers and fishermen, offering a chance to test boat skills.

"It served as a festive event after a harvest. Now we hold this to maintain the tradition and to encourage young generations to train their bodies," he said.

Boats were made of wood, bamboo and rattan, which require skilled craftsmanship. Thus the race kept the craft alive, a reason to hold the race at the same time as the Hue Traditional Craft Festival, which ended on the same day. — VNS