Before the week is out...Watch this

TWO THOUSAND years ago, a Chinese politician called Qu Yuan drowned himself in protest against political corruption. The local fishermen rushed out in their boats in an attempt to save him. To prevent his body being eaten by fish they beat drums, thrashed the water with paddles and threw rice and dumplings in the river to appease the Water Dragon - and so was born the colourful modern sport of dragon boat racing. Two millennia later, the World Dragon Boat Championships are coming to Nottingham with more than 1,200 competitors taking part. A perfect family day out mixing history with competition - unless you're a politician, of course.

25-29 August, National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepoint, (tel: 0115 982 7819).