Naha Haarii Dragon Boat Races, 3rd May
Hydroplane boat racing is one of a few varieties of public wagering allowed under Japan’s strict gambling laws. Other types include horse racing , bicycle racing , motorcycle speedway (ōtorēsu), and lotteries. The sport features professional drivers guiding speeding boats around a set course. Races take place at established venues located throughout the country. While still popularly referred to as kyōtei, the association promoting the sport has officially adopted the English name "Boat Race." In 2021, boat racing in Japan generated net sales worth approximately 2.33 trillion Japanese yen.
During the practice, a straight run of 150 meters is timed for each boat and announced to the public. Also, competitors are not penalized for false or late starts during the practice run. Hidden in plain sight, kyōtei is an easily accessible facet of national life, owing to its central role in Japan’s betting landscape.
The British team on board their F50 did not see the Japanese boat and that resulted in a significant crash, with both boats being unable to continue. Thirty years ago, at 14, I was a child who made a huge mistake. I married my first boyfriend because I was pregnant with his child. I found myself trapped in an abusive relationship with a man who abused pain medication every day, refused to work and only wanted to live off government assistance. I didn’t believe in any of that and vowed to work myself out of that life. It was a seventh win in eight SailGP finals for Australia driver Tom Slingsby.
At the race, you’ll also notice some smaller race boats, called sabani, which typically hold 12 people. In the olden days, fishermen used these sturdy sabani to travel great distances. Despite being one of the few legal forms of gambling in Japan, boat racing is not enjoyed by most people. Many Japanese people have never been to a race and would struggle to give you directions to one of the large-scale venues across the country where they take place.
The Naha Haarii is held at the Nahashin Port (那覇新港), which is north of the Tomarin Port. Because of the traffic congestion at this time, if you have a rentacar, it’s best to find a car park nearby, and then walk to Nahashin Port. If you’re staying in Naha and trying to come by public transport, then take the monorail to Miebashi Station , and then take a 10-minute taxi to Nahashin Port. Competitors are assigned an engine and a boat at random to use for race day. Competitors can tune their own engines between the exhibition run and the race. Up until 2012, they were also permitted to use their own propellers.
The hard-luck story of the day was Japan, skippered by Australian Nathan Outteridge. Born in Okayama, Japan in 1964, Tomo has covered horse racing, professional baseball, golf, boxing and more in his role as a sports writer. He first encountered casinos before Macau was returned to China in 1999. He has traveled to South Korea and Manila to cover events and scope out the local scene. He has studyied “How to get along with casinos,” a topic he learned of 競艇 from Osaka University of Commerce.