On Wednesday, the first exhibition dragon boat race took place on the Wisłok River in Rzeszów. The competition, in which crews from the University of Rzeszów and the Rzeszów University of Technology competed, provided an opportunity for the academic community to come together as part of the celebrations marking the University’s 25th anniversary. The event was officially opened by the Rector of the University of Rzeszów, Prof. Adam Reich, MD, PhD.

The race took place on a stretch of the river along the city beach by the Rzeszów dam. The race, featuring 12-person crews, required the rowers to synchronise precisely and work in unison with the rhythm set by the drummer. The University of Rzeszów crew were the first to complete the 200-metre course, finishing the race in 45 seconds.

Although a winner was crowned, the main aim of the event on the water was not sporting competition, but rather having fun together and bringing students together in the open air in the spirit of fair play. The organisers hope that the competition will become a regular fixture in the calendar of academic events in Rzeszów.

The exhibition race formed part of the three-day Festival of Academic Sport and Science (FASoN). The event was part not only of the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the University of Rzeszów, but also of the programme of events marking the city’s designation as the European City of Sport 2026.