A dragon boat crew exerts all of their strength in a dragon boat race in Hunan on Monday, June 2, 2008. [Photo: rednet.cn]

The third International Dragon Boat Invitational began on the Miluo River in central China's Hunan Province on Monday, June 2, to celebrate the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 8th this year.

More than a dozen dragon boat teams from Australia, Netherlands and other regions across China participated in the race.

Before the start of the race, all the boat crews participated in a one-minute silent tribute to the victims of the recent Sichuan earthquake.

The team from Gungxi University took the first place in the race.

The Miluo River is the famous location of Qu Yuan's ritual suicide. He was the poet from the Chu State during the Warring States period, who committed suicide in protest of the corruption during that era. Dragon boat races are traditionally held to commemorate his death.