Cambridge, Oxford Brookes rowers to exchange skills on Suzhou Creek
International rowers, including the famous rowing squads from the University of Cambridge, Oxford Brookes University, and the Australian national team, will gather in Shanghai for the 2023 Head of Shanghai River Regatta, which will be held on the iconic Suzhou Creek on September 16-17.
This year's regatta will continue to set the two disciplines of 4.2-kilometer chase and 500-meter city dash. The city dash is for both team and individual rowers. Teams from home and abroad will be divided into three divisions – elite, college team and club – to exchange skills.
As the city's self-developed sports event, Head of Shanghai River Regatta was introduced in 2021, and so far, mainly involved national teams and clubs due to pandemic travel restrictions.
The Shanghai Regatta has been nicknamed a "landscape competition".
Coming into the third edition, a handful of high-level rowing teams from overseas have confirmed their participation, including the University of Cambridge, Oxford Brookes University, and the Australian national team.
Rowing has a history of over 170 years for the two world renowned British universities. The annual competition between the Cambridge and Oxford teams attracts global interest, and the Shanghai event will provide local residents a glimpse of the inter-school rowing competition culture.
College teams from Shanghai and China will also play an important role at this year's event. Those who have confirmed their participation include Peking University, Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shanghai Ocean University, Sun Yat-sen University, as well as teams sent by colleges from China's Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Route maps of the 4.2-kilometer chase and 500-meter city dash
Registration for the club division is now open to the public. Those interested can log on to the event's official site www.headofsh.com to send in their applications before August 27. The entry results will be announced on September 1.
The top prize for team disciplines is 50,000 yuan (US$6,855), and 6,000 yuan for individual items.
A rowing-themed market will be set up so that Shanghai residents can be better involved in the two-day event. Rowing simulators will also be arranged along the creek to allow locals to experience the sport.
