World Rowing Announces Teams for the Inaugural 2026 World Rowing Shanghai Sprints

World Rowing is pleased to announce the eight teams that will compete in the first-ever World Rowing Shanghai Sprints (WRSS), taking place on 26–27 September 2026 in downtown Shanghai. The event brings a new, high-speed racing format to the international rowing calendar, designed as a dynamic showcase for the sport, featuring head-to-head 500-metre sprint racing across six boat classes.

The teams have qualified based on the 2025 World Rowing Championships Medal Standings, ensuring that the strongest performers from the previous season will be represented.

Qualified Teams

Following their outstanding performances at the 2025 World Rowing Championships, the top teams invited to compete at the 2026 World Rowing Shanghai Sprints are:

• The Netherlands
• Great Britain
• China (as host nation and also among the top performers)
• Romania
• Ireland
• United States
• Germany
• A World Team, composed of the highest‑ranked athletes from Nations that did not qualify a complete team.

These eight teams represent the highest‑achieving Rowing nations of 2025, reflecting the depth, consistency and global nature of elite Rowing.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands enter the 2026 Shanghai Sprints as the top‑ranked nation from the 2025 World Rowing Championships, backed by exceptional depth across the squad. Early in the 2025 World Rowing Cup season, Dutch crews demonstrated commanding speed, particularly in the women’s quadruple sculls and women’s double sculls, both of which dominated their Varese heats. Their men’s single scullers, Olympic medallists Simon van Dorp and Melvin Twellaar, also progressed confidently, reinforcing the nation’s all‑round strength heading into the 2025 World Rowing Championships.

Great Britain

Great Britain continued their strong upward trajectory in 2025, fuelled by standout sculling performances. Lauren Henry remained the form athlete of the season, unbeaten in the women’s single until the final race of the season, and recording margins significantly ahead of the field. British men’s and women’s crews also claimed heat wins across the eights and sculling boats, underscoring the breadth of talent contributing to the nation’s high finish in the 2025 medal standings.

China (Host Nation)

China’s home‑Championship year delivered strong momentum across the 2025 season. With entries in 20 of 23 boat classes at the 2025 World Rowing Championships, China showcased impressive depth. In particular, the women’s double sculls, featuring Tokyo 2020 Olympic quad sculls champions Yunxia Chen and Ling Zhang, entered Shanghai 2025 as winners of both World Rowing Cups earlier in the year, making them a central force in the nation’s push toward top-table results.

Romania

Romania extended their reputation for technical excellence in sweep Rowing in 2025. Their women’s pair of Magdalena Rusu and Simona Radiș remained among the world’s standout combinations, earning finalist honours in the 2025 World Rowing Awards shortlist. Romanian crews continued to deliver consistently across boat classes at the 2025 international events, maintaining the nation’s place among the top performers leading into the 2026 season.

Ireland

Ireland enjoyed a strong competitive presence throughout the 2025 season, particularly in the smaller sculling boats. While the internal documents highlight Ireland’s active engagement across multiple boat classes during the World Rowing Cup series and Championships build‑up, the nation’s qualifying position reflects steady, high‑level performances and resilience within a tightly contested field.

United States

The United States carried momentum through the 2025 season with a blend of experienced Olympians and emerging athletes. Notably, American crews continued to challenge for top positions across sculling and sweep events in the World Rowing Cup circuit, reinforcing their qualification among the top six teams from the 2025 World Rowing Championships.

Germany

Germany entered the 2025 season with renewed strength and significant momentum across its Olympic boat classes. The return of reigning Olympic and World Champion Oliver Zeidler in the men’s single sculls was a major highlight, signalling strong ambitions for the year ahead. German crews also performed solidly throughout the 2025 World Rowing Cup circuit, advancing through key heats and semifinals and reinforcing the nation’s position among the top performers heading into the 2026 season.

World Team

The World Team brings together top-ranked athletes from federations that did not qualify a full team, forming a uniquely international composite crew. Selected on the basis of individual boat class performances at the 2025 World Rowing Championships, the World Team includes standout single scullers, world-level double sculls combinations, and strong sweep athletes drawn from France, Greece, Lithuania, New Zealand, Poland, and Switzerland. Their inclusion adds a dynamic, cross-continental dimension to the competition. The World Team will be led by internationally renowned, award-winning coach Gianni Postiglione.

A New Showcase Event for World Rowing

Developed in partnership with the Chinese Rowing Association, the Shanghai Administration of Sports, and the Donghao Lansheng Group, organisers of the 2025 World Rowing Championships and the annual Shanghai Marathon, the Shanghai Sprints will form the highlight of the annual Head of Shanghai River Regatta, taking place in the iconic and historic location of downtown Shanghai. The competition is intentionally designed as a fast, media-friendly spectacle, with simple, high-intensity formats that place athletes and storytelling at the forefront.

Each team will field 11 athletes, fully supported by World Rowing and the Organisers through travel, accommodation, equipment, appearance fees and prize money. Teams will race in men’s and women’s single sculls, men’s and women’s double sculls, mixed double sculls, and the mixed eight, showcasing a blend of power, speed and teamwork.

Looking Ahead to Shanghai 2026

The 2026 edition marks the launch of a multi-year project to bring sprint rowing to broader audiences and new markets, with a minimum of five editions taking place in Shanghai. The two-day racing programme has been deliberately scheduled after the 2026 World Rowing Championships to ensure full participation and minimal scheduling conflicts for teams.

Complete team rosters for the eight participating teams will be announced in June 2026.

World Rowing looks forward to welcoming the world’s best rowers to Shanghai for what promises to be a landmark moment in developing Rowing’s global appeal.

To watch the video presentation of the World Rowing Shanghai Sprints, click here.