Prestigious universities compete in Chengdu Rowing Regatta

The 2026 Chengdu Open Rowing Regatta took place from Oct 1 to 2 in the Xinjin district of Chengdu, Sichuan province, drawing 37 teams comprised of some 270 rowers from home and abroad — the biggest and strongest field in the event's history.

The event, held along the urban stretch of the Nanhe River in Xinjin during China's National Day holiday, was divided into university and open categories.

The university category featured six teams from prestigious overseas universities: Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom, Princeton and Stanford in the United States, the University of Otago in New Zealand, and McGill University in Canada.

They took part alongside six Chinese university teams from Peking University, Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Sun Yat-sen University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Chengdu Sport University.

The 12 university teams competed in a mixed eight with coxswain over an 800-meter straight course, as well as a newly added 3.3-kilometer pursuit race. The pursuit race covered almost the full urban section of the Nanhe River, requiring rowers to strike a fine balance between sprint speed, endurance, and mid-race tactical adjustments.

The open category attracted 25 teams from rowing clubs, school societies, enterprises, and individual enthusiasts, who competed in the men's and women's quadruple sculls over an 800-meter straight course.

Located at the confluence of five rivers, Xinjin boasts a boat-racing tradition dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Today, in addition to the annual rowing regatta, it still holds traditional dragon-boat races every Dragon Boat Festival.

During the regatta, Xinjin launched a cultural exchange program under the theme "Millennia-old Ferry Landing, Global Paddlers' Gathering". The program featured two initiatives: the Global Paddling Experience Ambassador and the Global Paddling Partner, designed to bring local water-town heritage and global trends together.

International rowers were paired with dragon-boat paddlers to share paddling skills, join intangible cultural heritage workshops, eat local food, and watch the races.

Glen Sinclair, head coach of the Otago University Rowing Club, who has come to Xinjin multiple times for the regatta, said the cross-cultural experience was an important part of the event, and that his rowers really enjoyed it.

"The regatta gets more professional every year. For me, it has always been the most professional university regatta in China," he said. "In my club, it's the one everyone talks about and wants to compete in."

For Sinclair, Xinjin is a really special place, like a home in China. He said he was impressed by local people's friendliness and their growing willingness to communicate. "When we're walking through the streets, small children will try their English speaking with us, and ask us about our countries," Sinclair said.

To enhance friendship between Chinese and foreign youth, a series of events were held alongside the regatta, including an international youth city walk, youth cultural exchanges, and gatherings for students from top universities.

Additionally, supporting activities were staged to add to the festive atmosphere. Visitors could try paddleboarding and kayaking, browse a riverside market for specialties, enjoy street performances, and watch a nighttime show featuring water ski stunts, Sichuan opera fire-spitting, and fireball performances.