The fourth annual Xiamen-Kinmen Swimming Competition was held on Sunday, when 150 competitors raced across open water from Kinmen to the mainland.

With competitors' ages ranging from 57 to just 14, the duo relay event, aims to strengthen cross-Straits ties through sport and healthy competition.

Seventy swimmers came from both the mainland and Taiwan, and about 10 traveled form Hong Kong and Macao.

Escorted by canoeists along the 8-kilometer course, competitors set out from Shuangkou village of Kinmen at 8:20 am, and arrived at Yefengzhai of Xiamen on the mainland.

The event was organized by the Chinese Swimming Association, Xiamen city government, the Chinese Taipei Swimming Association and Taiwan's Kinmen county government.

Duo Yao Han and Zhang Zibin clocked in at 1 hour 31 minutes and 29 seconds to win the men's category, while Yang Dandan and Lei Shan claimed the women's title in 1 hour 35 minutes 15 seconds. Both teams are from the Fujian Swimming and Diving Administrative Center.

"It's difficult to swim in a straight line and sometimes you have to guess the direction. Apart from that, it's smooth swimming," said Yang Dandan, 17, who also won the women's category in last year's event.

The winners of the men's and women's groups picked up 25,000 yuan ($3,900) each in prize money.

"More important than the prize money is the endurance and courage we exhibited in the competition," Yang said, adding she will try to compete in next year's event to continue her training.

Lo Chun, who earned third place with his partner Chiu Ssu-chi, said he experienced some fatigue when swimming against the current.

"Although I was a first timer at the event, I didn't rush but slowly adjusted my breath and movements," said Lo, a 17-year-old high-school student from Taiwan's Keelung city, who has been swimming since he was 10.

Lo said the event is a way for sports to improve cross-Straits ties, a bond he wishes to see get better.

Kinmen used to be a military stronghold against the mainland, but today it serves more as an island of cross-Straits exchanges, said Li Wo-shih, magistrate of Kinmen.

Li said he was happy to see more people from Hong Kong and Macao participate in the competition, and applauded the event as being a recreational activity that strengthens ties among all Chinese people.

"I expect more people to participate in the event to create a new record. Let's swim to maintain health and swim for peace," Li said.

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