Dragon boats race on hard track of ice

A dragon boat race was held on Sunday in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, but the water beneath them wasn't liquid. It was the frozen Songhua River.

The event, sponsored by the Harbin Federation of Trade Unions, attracted thousands of residents and tourists despite the extremely cold weather. It involved 18 teams from enterprises and various city units.

Competitors used metal paddles to stab the ice and propel their dragon boats — each 11.2 meters long — on a 200-meter track.

The 27,000-square-meter Workers' Ice and Snow Park will open free to the public for 50 days, according to the federation.