CHANGSHA, China, June 19 (Xinhua) -- What do dragon boat racing and motorcycle racing have in common? For people in a small mountainous county in central China, the answer is simple: spirit.
The finals of the 2026 Hunan Dragon Boat Super League opened on Thursday in Hunan Province, drawing competitors and crowds celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival. Along the riverbank, one cheering section stood out from the rest.
Wearing matching T-shirts emblazoned with the words "Cheer for Zhang Xue," supporters shouted encouragement for the dragon boat team from Mayang Miao Autonomous County.
Zhang Xue was nowhere near the starting line. Instead, the motorcycle entrepreneur has become one of Mayang's most celebrated figures.
As founder of motorcycle manufacturer ZXMOTO, he has earned international recognition through success in the FIM Superbike World Championship's World Supersport category. Just days earlier, ZXMOTO claimed its sixth victory of the 2026 season in WorldSSP Race 1 at the Emilia-Romagna round in Italy.
To many people from Mayang, Zhang embodies the same perseverance they admire in their dragon boat crews.
Dragon boat racing, one of China's best-known Dragon Boat Festival traditions, is celebrated across the country each year. But in Mayang, the sport carries a distinctive meaning.
For generations, the county's rugged terrain made transporting dragon boats extremely difficult. In past competitions, crews had to paddle against the current for several kilometers before reaching the starting line.
With the construction of modern transportation infrastructure, crews no longer have to paddle long distances to get to a race. But this chapter of local history has left behind something more enduring.
"All growth and breakthroughs stem from perseverance," said Cao Xuanpin, Chairman of Mayang Dragon Boat Association.
Mayang's deeply rooted spirit of resilience captured national attention last year.
During a local dragon boat race, injuries left one Mayang team with barely enough paddlers to finish. As the opposing boat gradually pulled away, Zhang Wence, one of the remaining paddlers, chose to remain steadfast.
Even though defeat was inevitable, Zhang Wence still exerted all his strength to row. Each stroke was precisely in sync with the rhythm of the race drums.
Video of the event quickly went viral on China's social media platforms. Netizens were moved by the sight of him throwing his entire body into every paddle, and gave him the nickname "Head-Swinging Brother".
"What moved people wasn't the result," said Zhang Shaoze, a dragon boat coach from Hunan. "It was the determination to keep going even when success seemed impossible."
In the eyes of many in Mayang, Zhang Xue possesses the same determination.
Zhang Xue has devoted years to the motorcycle industry and eventually established his own brand and professional team.
For decades, overseas manufacturers were the leading force in motorcycle production technology. For a Chinese enterprise, breaking into the world's elite sector was an immense challenge.
In the early days of his venture, Zhang almost built the team from scratch. While working tirelessly to secure operating funds from multiple sources, he devoted himself to in-depth technical research, determined to prove that Chinese companies could compete on the international stage.
Earlier this year, Zhang Xue returned to Mayang and met Zhang Wence in person.
Zhang Xue learned from Zhang Wence that Mayang's distinctive brown sugar, crafted using traditional techniques, was struggling to gain market recognition.
"I will bring Mayang brown sugar to the international racing stage," Zhang Xue promised.
In the following WSBK rounds held in March, Zhang Xue's team won consecutive races. The motorcycles carried the prominent words "Mayang Traditional Brown Sugar", seen by viewers around the world.
For residents back home, it was more than a logo on a racing machine. It was a hometown product appearing on one of the world's biggest motorsport stages.
According to local officials, online orders for the brown sugar increased by more than 40,000 within 10 days of the race.
Today, Zhang Xue is a widely admired inspirational figure in Mayang. Whenever his team competes in overseas events, local residents gather spontaneously to watch the live broadcast, cheering with the same passion they bring to dragon boat races.
As Mayang's dragon boat promotion ambassador, Zhang Xue has become a role model for many young paddlers.
In May this year, villagers from Zhang Xue's hometown leveled the land and built a small public cultural square to honor his achievements. In the square stands a motorcycle-inspired sculpture, beside which Zhang Xue's signature motto is engraved: "Dream big and strive hard."
The words have found an audience beyond motorsport. Not far away, young paddlers train in an indoor dragon boat pool, following the beat of drum strokes.
While young paddlers power the boats, villagers who do not race contribute by cooking meals, fixing gear, or cheering until they lose their voices.
Eighty-year-old Liu Yuhao is a perfect example. A top racer in his youth, Liu now finds it hard to walk. Yet, for the past three years, he has volunteered to sleep outside on the riverbank, guarding the team's boats overnight before big races.
Back at the finals, one of the Mayang crews claimed the championship in the 100-meter straight race on Thursday. The moment its dragon boat touched the line, cheers rose from the riverbank.
"Zhang Xue's determination to pursue his passion and never give up inspires me," said Tian Yu, an 18-year-old member of the Mayang crew. Enditem
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