World Team and Germany crowned champions as World Rowing Shanghai Sprints conclude in Shanghai

The inaugural World Rowing Shanghai Sprints came to a thrilling conclusion on Sunday, with the World Team winning the Mixed Double Sculls title and Germany claiming victory in the Mixed Eights after another day of dramatic head-to-head racing on Shanghai’s Suzhou Creek.

Following Saturday’s crowning of the men’s and women’s singles and doubles champions, attention turned to the mixed events, where athletes faced the same unique format of morning time trials followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal races over the 500-metre course winding through the heart of Shanghai.

By the end of the day, the World Team pairing of Viktorija Senkute and Nikolaj Pimenov and the German Mixed Eight had etched their names into the history books as the first-ever winners in their respective events.

Dutch lead qualification as mixed doubles impress

The Mixed Double Sculls competition produced close racing from the outset.

The Netherlands’ Lisa Bruijnincx and Mats van Sabben topped the morning time trial in 1:35.34, finishing ahead of Germany’s star combination of Alexandra Foester and Oliver Zeidler, with Ireland’s Konan Pazzaia and Margaret Cremen completing the top three.

The knockout rounds produced several dramatic finishes. China, represented by Deng Zhiwei and Shen Shuangmei, advanced impressively to the semi-finals despite having little experience racing together.

“Honestly, reaching the mixed doubles semifinal was quite unexpected because we’ve never rowed together as a pair before,” said Shen. “For both of us, we simply wanted to perform as well as we could in this competition. We wanted to use this opportunity to compete against some of the strongest international rowers, challenge ourselves, and better understand where we stand.”

The closest races came in the semifinals. The Dutch edged out China by just 0.23 seconds after a thrilling duel, while the World Team double overturned a one-second deficit at the halfway mark to narrowly defeat Ireland.

World Team power to mixed doubles gold

The final brought together the two strongest crews of the day, with the Netherlands facing the World Team for the inaugural Mixed Double Sculls title.

The World Team, racing from the outside lane, made the stronger start. The Dutch crew responded brilliantly through the middle section, moving into the lead by the 250m mark and appearing well positioned to take gold.

But the race turned in the final metres.

Pimenov, renowned for his finishing speed, lifted the rate and power in the closing sprint, helping the World Team claw back the deficit. Stroke by stroke, the margin disappeared until Senkute and Pimenov surged alongside and then past the Dutch crew at the line.

The World Team took victory in 1:35.34 to secure gold.

The result reflected the strong team atmosphere that had developed among the international squad throughout the weekend.

“We’re having a lot of fun, and Nikolaj’s really helping me to steer because I had big troubles yesterday,” said Senkute. “The team spirit is the best part, and I really enjoy it. Yesterday we were celebrating each other’s win like it’s our own.”

Pimenov agreed, highlighting the unique nature of the World Team.

“We’re here to enjoy being in the community. It’s like a festival of rowing. We’re really supportive of each other, in and out of the boat. This experience is amazing and we’re making really good friends.”

China claimed bronze after defeating Ireland in the bronze medal race.

Mixed Eights delivers dramatic finishes

The Mixed Eights competition provided some of the most exciting racing of the entire weekend.

The Netherlands narrowly topped the time trial standings, beating Romania by just 0.08 seconds. However, the margins became even tighter once the head-to-head racing began.

Germany emerged as a serious contender from the quarter-finals, setting the fastest time of the round and displaying impressive speed through the twists and turns of the Suzhou Creek course.

“I think it’s a chance for everybody,” said German stroke Theis Hagemeister. “It’s a completely different distance, so we don’t know how fast everyone can go over 500 metres. I think we can win, but at the same time, everyone can win.”

The semi-final between Germany and the Netherlands proved one of the races of the weekend. The Dutch started quickly, but Germany gradually erased the stagger before the crews sprinted side-by-side toward the finish.

Germany prevailed by a remarkable 0.04 seconds.

Meanwhile, the World Team defeated Romania to secure a place in the gold medal race.

For the World Team, the event carried additional meaning. Their crew brought together athletes from several nations, including New Zealand’s Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch, who both have strong connections to Shanghai after winning world titles there in 2025.

“Both of us won our first World Championship gold in Shanghai last year, so it’s very cool to be back in Shanghai racing in a different but just as exciting format,” said Welch.

Taylor added: “It’s really special for us to be brought together for this competition. We’re a pretty tight group, probably one of the tightest groups here. It’s been awesome.”

Germany seize mixed eights crown

The final saw Germany take on the World Team in a battle between the fastest crews of the afternoon.

Both crews started cleanly. Racing from the outside lane, the World Team worked hard to preserve its stagger advantage and remained in front through the opening stages and under the first bridge.

Germany, however, used the inside lane effectively and steadily reduced the deficit. By the midway point, the German crew had edged in front and continued to build momentum as the finish approached.

The World Team fought back strongly, but Germany held firm and crossed the line with around half a length to spare.

Their winning time of 1:23.25 secured the inaugural Mixed Eights title and completed an impressive progression through the knockout rounds.

The Netherlands claimed bronze ahead of Romania.

A successful debut for the Shanghai Sprints

Over two days of racing, the inaugural World Rowing Shanghai Sprints showcased a different side of the sport, combining elite athletes with a fast-paced knockout format and the unique challenge of racing through the bends and bridges of the Suzhou Creek.

The event produced dramatic finishes, tactical steering battles and plenty of surprises, with competitors repeatedly highlighting both the challenge and enjoyment of the format.

Sunday’s champions completed the list of inaugural title winners:

Mixed Double Sculls
🥇 World Team (Viktorija Senkutė & Nikolaj Pimenov)
🥈 Netherlands (Lisa Bruijnincx & Mats van Sabben)
🥉 China (Deng Zhiwei & Shen Shuangmei)

Mixed Eights
🥇 Germany
🥈 World Team
🥉 Netherlands

Together with Saturday’s singles and doubles champions, they become the first athletes to write their names into the history of the World Rowing Shanghai Sprints, bringing a memorable weekend of racing in Shanghai to a close.