Athletes preparing to compete - Photo: KT
On May 4-5, the race of the Tran De Commune Sports Festival, Can Tho City, took place at the Mo O ecological tourist area, about 5 km from the Tran De estuary towards the former Bac Lieu. This was one of the events that attracted tourists' attention in the series of activities of the Nghinh Ong Festival of Tran De Commune, which took place from May 3 to 9.
The athletes participating in the boat race are all fishermen from Tran De commune, possessing very strong legs and having made a living from boat racing for many years. Among them, the Son Hoang family has four athletes participating in the race, including Mr. Hoang and his three sons.
After a series of thrilling races, with his strong legs and excellent steering skills, Son Hoang won first place in the race at the Tran De Commune Sports Festival 2026.
A fisherman participating in the competition said that in the Mỏ Ó sea area of Trần Đề commune, there are more than a hundred families who make a living by fishing with long-lasting nets (also known as "trượt mong"). This is a unique and long-standing livelihood of fishermen in the coastal alluvial plains of the Southwestern Mekong Delta.
According to this fisherman, the coastal mudflats of Mo O have protective forests, suitable for many marine species to inhabit. When the tide recedes, the Mo O beach and surrounding areas reveal vast mudflats stretching for tens of kilometers.
According to a fisherman, to move quickly across the muddy coastal waters where mud reaches up to their knees to catch crabs, clams, and mussels, the people of Mo O coastal area invented a thin and lightweight sliding board as a means of transportation, which they call a "mong".
These boats consist of a sled made of thin wooden planks, a handle for steering, and a compartment for holding the seafood caught. When moving, fishermen kneel on the plank with one leg and use the other leg to push off the mud, propelling the plank forward.
According to skilled "craftsmen," making the mudskipper is very simple and inexpensive; all you need is a piece of wood about 3cm thick, over 1m long, and about 50cm wide. The wood is planed smooth to ensure it glides easily over mud and water.
After sawing the wood, one end of the plank is heated over a fire and bent to create a point where the tip of the boat rises above the mud. Near the middle, a wooden beam is placed for the fisherman to rest his hand on, "steering" the boat as he wishes.
"Instead of people sliding on sand or snow for recreation, we slide on mud to make a living," a fisherman shared.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/can-tho-lan-dau-to-chuc-giai-dua-mong-doc-dao-20260504174333002.htm
