24 Sep 2026
How to Follow the 2026 World Rowing Shanghai Sprints
The inaugural World Rowing Shanghai Sprints takes place on 26-27 September 2026 in Shanghai, China, bringing together some of the biggest names in international rowing for a fast-paced weekend of head-to-head racing.
Featuring eight teams, Olympic champions, World champions, and a unique sprint format designed for urban competition, the event promises a new style of rowing action for fans around the globe.
Here’s everything you need to know to follow the racing.
What are the World Rowing Shanghai Sprints?
The World Rowing Shanghai Sprints are a new international rowing event that brings together eight teams. The 2026 teams will be representing:
- China
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Ireland
- Netherlands
- Romania
- United States
- World Team (composed of athletes from France, Greece, Lithuania, New Zealand, Serbia, and Switzerland)
Athletes compete over a 500-metre course in a knockout format, with crews racing head-to-head through successive rounds to determine the overall winners.
The event features six boat classes:
- Women’s Single Sculls
- Men’s Single Sculls
- Women’s Double Sculls
- Men’s Double Sculls
- Mixed Double Sculls
- Mixed Eight
With short race distances, quick turnarounds, and a festival atmosphere in downtown Shanghai, the format is designed to bring fans closer to the excitement of elite rowing.
Watch Live
All racing from the 2026 World Rowing Shanghai Sprints will be streamed live on the World Rowing YouTube channel.
Fans who miss the live action will be able to watch session replays immediately after racing concludes, while full videos of the bronze medal races and gold medal races will also be available at the end of each race day.
Saturday, 26 September
Morning Session
10:00-11:30 CST (04:00-05:30 CEST / 02:00-03:30 GMT)
Afternoon Session
14:30-16:30 CST (08:30-10:30 CEST / 06:30-08:30 GMT)
Sunday, 27 September
Morning Session
10:00-11:00 CST (04:00-05:00 CEST / 02:00-03:00 GMT)
Afternoon Session
14:00-15:30 CST (08:00-09:30 CEST / 06:00-07:30 GMT)
Follow Live Results
Live results, race progressions, and final standings will be available throughout the competition via the official results service.
Fans can also access the latest schedules and results through the event page:
The provisional competition programme is also available on the event page, allowing fans to follow the competition from the opening rounds through to the medal races.
Follow on Social Media
Stay close to the action throughout the weekend with behind-the-scenes content, race highlights, interviews, results updates, and exclusive coverage from Shanghai across World Rowing’s social media channels.
Follow World Rowing on:
- Instagram: @worldrowingofficial
- Facebook: World Rowing
Fans are encouraged to join the conversation using #ShanghaiSprints.
Meet the Athletes
The inaugural edition features a host of Olympic and World Championship medallists from across the rowing world.
Among the athletes competing are Olympic champion Stefanos Ntouskos, Olympic and World champion Oliver Zeidler, Dutch international stars Roos de Jong, Benthe Boonstra and Finn Florijn, and Irish world champions Zoe Hyde and Margaret Cremen.
The World Team also brings together standout athletes from across the international rowing community, creating unique matchups that cannot be seen elsewhere on the World Rowing calendar.
Full crew line-ups are available here:
Don’t Miss the Medal Races
The competition will culminate with bronze and gold medal races on Sunday, where crews will battle for the first-ever World Rowing Shanghai Sprints titles.
With world-class athletes, a unique urban setting, and a format built around speed, excitement, and close racing, the 2026 World Rowing Shanghai Sprints promises to deliver an unforgettable weekend of rowing action.
Tune in live on 26-27 September and be part of the beginning of a new chapter in international rowing.