Recently, the opening ceremony of the 5th Shanghai (Chongming) Leisure Sports Meeting and the opening ceremony of the Mingzhu Lake Paddle Fun Competition were held in the Mingzhu Pearl Lake Scenic Area, Xisha Islands. On the same day, more than 200 participants from Chongming Island and other places took part in the competition.

The competition was divided into 4,000-meter and 500-meter race around the bid, parent-child 200-meter race around the bid and fun shooting group. Many racers came from the urban area for the competition. As one of the most popular fashion sports among water sports enthusiasts worldwide, paddle sport attracts people of all ages to actively participate with its characteristics of being easy to learn and suitable for young and old.

At the beginning of the competition, the wind and waves were challenges for the players. It required not only endurance, but also rowing skills. However, the racers strove forward on the lake with all their strength. The atmosphere of the competition was quite fierce. There were not only the adults who participated in the competition in groups, but also many family players who took children to participate in the parent-child competition. The little paddle players were also unwilling to be outdone, and marched forward by the wind and waves bravely.

The competition fully took advantage of the unique natural water area of the Mingzhu Lake. While the paddle sport was promoted through the great performance of professional coaches and enthusiasts, Chongming's water sports and leisure projects was also enriched.

It is learnt that the sports meeting will last until November. Through the model of "ecology plus sports", 10 major events in the four sectors of "fields, forests, water and roads" are set up so as to deeply integrate Chongming's natural ecological environment and vigorously develop outdoor fitness and leisure projects such as cycling, road running, football and water sports. Multiple leisure benchmark projects, such as the Mingzhu Lake Paddle Fun Competition and the China Yangtze River Dragon Boat Race, are to be cultivated and constantly organized with the purpose of attracting the downtown people for the sports and leisure tourism in Chongming Island and creating outdoor sports with Chongming's ecological characteristics.