Shanghai River Regatta readies city for World Championships

British national rowers showcased their competitiveness by winning the men's and women's 4.2-kilometer chase at the 2024 Head of Shanghai River Regatta, which concluded on Suzhou Creek on Sunday.

The British team is a newcomer to the Shanghai's self-developed rowing event, joining the Australian national team, University of Cambridge, and Oxford Brookes University for competition in the elite group.

During Saturday's 500-meter city sprint, the British team clinched the title of the women's elite group, followed by Australian national team and Cambridge.

Australia topped the men's elite group in the sprint, followed by Britain and Cambridge.

Eleven student teams from around the country competed in the college division. The two-day event also features the club division and two new divisions of junior and sponsor, involving more participants including middle school students.

"I'm so glad to see so many youngsters here involved in the sport of rowing," said British retired rower Sir Steve Redgrave.

Redgrave came to Shanghai together with the British national team. He won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000, as well as nine World Rowing Championships golds.

"Shanghai is the first stop for many international rowers who just competed in the Paris Olympic Games," said Redgrave.

"Rowing has a long history in UK," he said. "For young athletes, they should first have fun and enjoy rowing before some of them start to upgrade their competitiveness and take part in competitions. The friendship between teammates and the social function side of the sport is also important."

Redgrave praised the Head of Shanghai River Regatta for involving more youngsters in the competition, during which they can observe and learn from the professionals in all aspects like how to get ready and find pace quickly.

"In the UK, we have got used to start rowing from a young age," he said. "But here, to see a new sport attracting so many children is so exciting."

This year's regatta also attracted another new visitor - Vincent Gaillard, executive director of World Rowing.

Gaillard is in town for a reason: the 2025 World Rowing Championship will be held in Shanghai from September 21 to 28 next year.

"Shanghai is a renowned city with rich water resources, and I always wanted to pay a visit," he said.

Actually, Shanghai had been named the host city of the 2021 World Rowing Championship. However, under the impact of the outbreak of the pandemic, Shanghai had to wait for another four years.

Gaillard compared the relation between Shanghai and the World Rowing Championship to a marriage.

"All good marriages need patience," he joked. "I'm sure a world-class city will present a world-class event, and I know the local teams and followers are all ready."

Launched in 2021, the Head of Shanghai River Regatta has played important role in warming up the city for the World Rowing Championship.

Suzhou Creek was enlivened by the event over the past two days, with residents cheering for athletes from riversides and from the bridges. Some spectators even began to learn about rowing knowledge through various channels.

"It's obvious some faster teams have more professional skills and ability," spectator Yao Xia told Shanghai Daily. Yao lives close to the creek, and has taken her young daughter to watch the event for two straight years.

"I have learned some basic knowledge in advance like the function and working method of the helmsman, and the routing techniques, so that I can share these with my daughter," she said.