Adding to the flood of new LEGO sets announced for this upcoming this summer, LEGO has officially revealed the highly anticipated 80103 Dragon Boat Race. The set will be the third Asian-themed exclusive set launched this year following the two Lunar New Year sets, 80101 Chinese New Year’s Eve Dinner and 80102 Dragon Dance. The Dragon Boat Race set features two racing dragon boats, 15 minifigures and a viewing dock. The set will retail for SGD84.90 (around $65 USD) beginning May 1st.
While the previous two exclusive sets were very difficult to obtain in other parts of the world, LEGO announced earlier this week that regional exclusive sets like this one would have broader availability in LEGO retail stores worldwide and the LEGO Shop Online a few months after they launch. According to that information, 80103 Dragon Boat Race should have worldwide availability in several months, though we will post updates as we learn more.
80103 Dragon Boat Race is based on the Dragon Boat Festival (also known as the Duanwu Festival) originating in China and occurring annually around the end of May to mid-June. The set features two long dragon boats in red and green, each with a crew of five minifigures: three who paddle, one helmsman and one who keeps time with a drum. Each boat also features small wheels underneath so they can be raced on a flat surface.
In addition to the two boats, a viewing dock is included with four spectators. The dock features a food stall with a pot, rice bucket, six cooked zongzi, two uncooked zongzi and a food sign. A judging platform is connect to the dock with a trophy and race official minifigure.
Taking a closer look, the set comes with several exclusive printed parts as well as a few stickered elements. Of the whopping 15 minifigures, the dragon boat teams are brand new with torso and leg printing.
The official press release from LEGO and additional photos are included below.
Paddle to victory with the brand new LEGO Dragon Boat Race Set
SINGAPORE, 26th April 2019 – LEGO® Singapore has announced the arrival of the much anticipated LEGO Dragon Boat Race set to arrive on our shores! Available from 1st May 2019 onwards, the LEGO Dragon Boat Race set is expected to be a splash with fans of the sport and LEGO enthusiasts alike.
As with the two Lunar New Year (LNY) themed sets that were released earlier this year, the LEGO Dragon Boat Race set is part of the new wave of Asian themed LEGO sets. Priced at SGD84.90, the LEGO Dragon Boat Race set is expected to fly off the shelves, similarly to the LEGO LNY sets which were sold out both online and in-store shortly after their release.
The Dragon Boat Festival, popularly known as the Duanwu Festival, is a cultural festival originating in China and occurring close to the summer solstice, around the end of May to mid-June. It commemorates the life and death of the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan (Chu Yuan).
It is unofficially observed by the Chinese communities of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and Singapore. Two of the most widespread activities conducted during the festival are preparing and eating zongzi (traditional bamboo leaf-wrapped sticky rice dumplings) and racing dragon boats.
A dragon boat is a paddle boat that is traditionally made of teak wood to various designs and sizes. They usually have brightly decorated designs, with the front end shaped like open-mouthed dragons and the back end with a scaly tail. A sacred ceremony is performed before any competition in order to “bring the boat to life” by painting the eyes.
Exclusive LEGO Dragon Boat Race Set
As with the LEGO LNY sets, the LEGO Dragon Boat Race Set is part of the Spring Festival series, as can be seen by the gold medallion featured on the upper right corner of the packaging.
The latest in the series will allow fans to recreate all the color and thrills of a Dragon Boat Festival and features two impressive dragon boats (one green and one red). Each boat features a dragon head with an opening mouth and posable tail, three minifigure seats for the paddlers, space for the helmsman and drummer to stand, plus small wheels underneath for racing.
There is also a dock which features a food stall with different elements including a pot, rice bucket, six cooked zongzi, two uncooked zongzi and a food sign. The dock is attached to a viewing area for spectators and the judge’s stand with steps, decorative elements and a trophy!
The set comes with 15 minifigures which are made up of two dragon boat helmsmen, six paddlers, two drummers, two spectators, a judge, a young boy and a stall keeper. The helmsmen and paddler minifigures are brand new additions to the LEGO minifigure family.
“Our LEGO Spring Festival series is instrumental in commemorating the rich culture and celebrations of the region, and we are very excited to launch the first ever Dragon Boat Race set in Singapore,” said Cesar Ridruejo, General Manager of LEGO Singapore and Malaysia.
“LEGO is committed to producing sets that are targeted especially to fans in the region, as well as children who will get a unique play experience that is deeply fundamental in culture,” she added.
For more information on these sets, please visit LEGO Singapore or LEGO Certified Stores www.bricksworld.com and www.thebrickshop.com.sg.
Other LEGO Summer 2019 product reveals:
LEGO Architecture
LEGO Batman
LEGO City
LEGO City Space
LEGO Creator
LEGO Friends
LEGO Friends Ocean
LEGO Harry Potter
LEGO Jurassic World
LEGO Ninjago
LEGO Star Wars