Launching from a cutting-edge art district and gliding all the way into the heart of Xixi Wetland’s emerald waters—this Sunday, 2026 Hangzhou Stand-Up Paddle-board Series (OōEli International Community) is set to race through the city’s most picturesque aquatic corridor, connecting OōEli with the famed wetland park.

This event is a seamless mashup of urban cool and wild nature. On race day, 500 paddlers will set off from OōEli International Community, widely regarded as Hangzhou’s ultimate “aesthetic model.” Home to trendsetting spots like Tsutaya Bookstore, To Summer, and the BY ART MATTERS museum, the neighbourhood oozes creative energy. And the best part? In just ten minutes, you can swap glass-and-steel city life for the hushed, watery world of old Jiangnan.

Heading north, competitors will soon find themselves paddling straight into a living ink-wash painting—Xixi Wetland, China’s first national wetland park that seamlessly weaves together urban, agricultural, and cultural landscapes. Covering roughly 11.5 square kilometers of “city lungs,” the waterway is flanked by lush camphor trees, weeping willows, and reeds. From the seat of a paddle-board, racers get a whole new perspective on this sprawling maze of creeks and channels, feeling the pulse of the current with every stroke.

The race features multiple categories to suit all ages and skill levels: Masters/Open, Kahuna, Recreational/U15, and U9/U12, with each group tackling a different course length. The Masters/Open division, for instance, covers a full 7,000 meters—the longest route of the day and the one that offers the deepest dive into Xixi’s wetland scenery. Paddlers will head north, passing by the “Dance of Cherry Blossoms” and “Climbing Clouds for Bird Watching” spots, all the way to the turning point near the Qianjin Pond bird-watching dock, before looping back. The entire journey cuts through a “forest on water,” putting participants in intimate touch with nature at every turn. The U9/U12 group, meanwhile, takes on a 1,500-meter sprint—the shortest distance, but still plenty rewarding, as it lets younger competitors soak in the stunning entryway scenery of Xixi Wetland and get their first real taste of paddling in the wild.