City canals venue for rowing race with dinghies

AMSTERDAM – Rowing championships usually are held in canoes but the Dutch also use traditional flat-bottom dinghies for such contests. The annual Amsterdam sloepenrace, which covers a 24-kilometre distance through the city’s canal system, is not just a sports event but still more a traditional festivity with folkloristic overtones. Crews maneuver their boats past numerous bridges, which frequently demands great skill, all under the watchful eyes of thousands of onlookers. The event includes a range of activities, including open-air concerts.