World Rowing Federation Shanghai Sprint Race ends, World Rowing Team performs brilliantly

China News Service, Shanghai, September 27 (Reporter Miao Lu) The World Rowing Federation Shanghai Sprint Race ended on the 27th. This event is the first official event of the World Rowing Federation named after a city and based on the 500-meter sprint format.

This new event attracts eight top international teams, including the top seven national teams in the 2025 World Rowing Championships medal list. In addition to the host Chinese team, all traditional rowing teams from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, and Germany are participating, as well as a "world team" composed of rowing members from Greece, Lithuania, Switzerland and other countries.

Each team consists of 11 athletes, all of whom have either participated in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 2025 World Rowing Championships, or been selected for the 2026 World Rowing Championships national team.

After two days of competition, the World Team won the championships in the men's single sculls, men's double sculls and mixed double sculls, and won the runner-up in the coxed mixed eights event and the third place in the women's double sculls, earning the title of "Best Team".

Regarding this novel competition format, Viktorija Senkute from World Team said that it was fun and more challenging than imagined. "Especially when turning, the distance is very short, it is very difficult, I can hardly hold my paddle, it is very exciting."

This event brings rowing to the core area of the city, allowing citizens to experience the charm of rowing up close. "I heard the cheers from the shore, not just during the race but during practice as well, which is very special and something I haven't experienced anywhere else and could get more people interested in rowing," Senkut said.

In the mixed double sculls final that day, Chinese rowing team members Shen Shuangmei and Deng Zhiwei won the third place in the mixed double sculls. Shen Shuangmei and her teammate Wang Sixuan recently won the women's double sculls championship at the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games.

This is the first time that Shen Shuangmei has partnered with Deng Zhiwei. After the game, she said that this short-distance competition "has greatly improved our on-the-spot performance and adaptability. It is very intense, and it also tests concentration and response to changes in the channel."

Annemarie Phelps, vice president of the World Rowing Federation, said that the first hosting of any new event is of great significance. It is a moment to turn an idea into reality and a starting point to lay the foundation for future development. It is hoped that it can inspire new vitality and bring more attention to rowing in China, Asia and the world.