China hosts international university regatta

Home to some 1.35 billion people, China has built a reputation for doing almost everything on an epic scale. Since the success of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, sport has played an increasingly major part of China’s policy. Rowing has enjoyed an explosion of popularity, especially within China’s university towns – although the term ‘town’ is hardly the right word for these metropolises.

Rowers took centre stage in two of these university cities earlier this August when some of the top when many international university teams traveled to face off against the top university rowing talent from China. Two regattas for eights followed by a 10 day cultural programme and exchange gave athletes plenty to do throughout the duration of this unique event organised by the Chinese Water Sports Administration (the Chinese Rowing Association).

Pavia University (ITA) took top honours in the final of the first regatta, the “Xinzhu Cup 2015 the 6^th International University Rowing Regatta” in Chengdu, western China. Racing over 800m, Pavia had the advantage over Shanghai University (CHN) and University of Amsterdam (NED).

Local favorites, Wuhan University claimed victory in the second regatta ahead of Amsterdam and Pavia. The race, called the “Graceful Dragon International Universities Rowing Regatta and Cultural Exchanges 2015” took place over 800m in Wuhan City, which is nearly 1,200 kilometers east of Xinjin City.

Racing was only a small part of the series of events, with seminars and cultural activities taking place in both cities that aimed at building international partnerships and developing university rowing in China. Wuhan alone is home to 80 universities and colleges serving close to 1 million undergraduate students. Rowing is becoming more and more common on university campuses with new teams starting each year.

Xidian University, which fielded a crew in these events, established their rowing team in April of this year and in the first four months, they have attracted more than 350 students to their programme. These races and, perhaps more importantly, cultural exchanges, are helping fuel this exponential growth in the sport of rowing in China.

The local and international rowers attended conferences that focused on leadership, education and innovation. Students heard from leaders in global business and also made their own presentations on a variety of subjects. The topics ranged from ‘Functions of rowing to the forming of college students’ personality and competence’ to ‘The promotion of rowing to the construction of campus culture in universities and the problems of holding rowing in universities’.

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“Rowing is one of the traditional and influential Olympic events,” says Antonio Bassi, member of the Lombardy Rowing Committee and affiliated with the Pavia University team. “It is good for nurturing teamwork, spirit and passion. All these regattas will facilitate the development of rowing in China, enhance cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries and spread the image of an open and confident country.”

“More than sport,” says Bassi, “this event was really an exciting human adventure of cultural exchange. It was an amazing meeting of so many international university crews from all over the world. And the chance to discover the Chinese culture by seeing some beautiful Chinese places and tasting great local food.”

Participating crews at this year’s events came from across China and around the world. From China were Shanghai Jiaotong University, the Fourth Military Medical University (in Wuhan, established 2009), Xidian Univeristy (founded April 2015), Peking University and Wuhan University. International teams travelled from Canada (Queen’s University), Germany (Macromedia University), Great Britain (London University), Italy (Pavia University), the Netherlands (University of Amsterdam ), New Zealand (Otago University), Russia (Saint Petersburg University) and the United States of America (Yale University). A local high school also attended the event.

“From all the international crews,” states Bassi, “a big thank you to the organizing committee, to the judges, coaches, working staff and the wonderful volunteers… and ready for next year!”