Athletes Embrace Inaugural World Rowing Shanghai Sprints

The first-ever World Rowing Shanghai Sprints ended with Team World topping the standings and lifting the team trophy. Beyond the intense racing, the athletes’ verdict was consistent: the new event was fun. Its prize money also offered something more lasting and is a practical boost for rowers building their careers in the sport.

First came the fun

Ask the athletes what stood out at the inaugural World Rowing Shanghai Sprints and the answer is unanimous. The word, “fun” surfaced again and again as rowers described a competition unlike a traditional regatta, embracing a shorter, sharper race staged against the impressive skyline of downtown Shanghai.

For Dutch rower Roos de Jong, the week was packed with new impressions in a matter of days. “It really feels like we’ve been here for three weeks because we have done so much,” she said. Racing strong rivals in the heart of Shanghai made the occasion special, while the bend in the course added an extra element of unpredictability. “It’s been really fun racing and I think the bend in the middle of the course makes it more fun for us and for spectators.”

Her compatriot Mats Van Sabben agreed: “It was a lot of fun to be around the athletes because the format gave competitors time to speak outside of our usual competitive environment.” His Mixed Double Sculls partner, Lisa Bruijnincx, echoed the sentiment: “It was really nice to be able to talk to the other athletes whom you usually see in the boat, but not really out of the boat. Plus we get to race in the city with this incredible skyline in front of you. It was just really cool.”

Ireland’s Mags Cremen, who won gold in the Double Sculls with Zoe Hyde, shared that enthusiasm: “It’s nothing like we’ve experienced before. Five hundred metres, it’s such a fast race, so there’s no time for mistakes. The bend in the racecourse makes it interesting, and I suppose you love it when it goes your way! Overall, it’s unknown and it’s exciting, and it’s very enjoyable.”

Team World’s Fabienne Schweizer, a bronze medallist in the Double Sculls, too enjoyed the added technical challenge: “The racing was so fun, and I like that there is more difficulty involved, rather than just being dependent on power and technique. Then there is the new boat and the curve in the racecourse, and the one-to-one system, so that makes it all very exciting.”

Germany’s Alexandra Foester, the Single Sculls gold medallist, said the timing at the end of the season added to the relaxed atmosphere: “This has been a very fun event, it’s at the end of the season where you do not have to be so serious. For us, we are really enjoying the experiences that’s on offer in the city, and this is something different to all the normal regattas.”

Prize money makes an impact

The sense of fun was not the event’s only innovation. Athletes also welcomed another first: prize money at a World Rowing competition. The financial reward did not replace their desire to win, but it offered extra motivation and tangible recognition of the work required to compete at the highest level.

Briton Callum Dixon, the Men’s Single Sculls silver medallist, believed the prize fund “adds another layer and keeps athletes really interested, and it brings a lot of the world’s best to Shanghai.”

Olympic gold medallist and world champion Stefanos Ntouskos saw a wider benefit for rowing: “Money is good for the sport, and from a promotional [perspective], I think we can promote our sport very well.”

For de Jong, that value was especially concrete. “We can live from what we earn, but you don’t get really rich off it like in some other sports,” she said. “A fun bonus like this can really help us stay longer in the sport, and change how we make choices in our sporting career.”

Ireland’s Conan Pazzaia summed it up: “It really puts the cherry on the cake. I like sprinting, and I didn’t expect this event to happen. I’m really happy about it and I would love to come back next year.”