The two-day 5th Hengqin Tinmuk Rowing Regatta concluded amidst cheers and applause on November 30. This year's event reached new heights in scale and caliber, solidifying its position as one of the largest and highest-caliber international inter-university rowing events in China.
The international sporting event gathered over 400 athletes from 25 renowned university rowing teams, both domestic and international, including Yale, Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Tsinghua University, and the University of Hong Kong.
The races took place on a 1,400-meter course set on the Tianmu River in Hengqin, showcasing the characteristic landscapes along both banks and highlighting Hengqin's modern and international urban scenery.
On the final day, champions in six categories were determined after intense competition: Men's, Women's, and Mixed Eights with Coxswain; and Men's, Women's, and Mixed Fours with Coxswain.
The beautiful environment of the Tianmu River won praise from many international competitors. Helena Hurworth, a rower from the Western Australia Alliance team, expressed that it was an honor to participate in this race and that the environment and facilities were truly remarkable.
The proximity of Hengqin to Macao provided a home advantage. The Macau University of Science and Technology rowing team, which regularly trains on the Tianmu River, claimed the gold medal in the Mixed Fours with Coxswain event.
Zhao Yuyang, a member of the rowing team, also admired Hengqin's environment: "Hengqin is becoming more and more beautiful. Taking a walk here is a pleasure. I even heard rowers from Oxford and Cambridge say that the training environment here surpasses that of their hometowns."
Compared to previous editions, this year's event significantly enhanced the spectator experience. Along the banks of the Tianmu River course, various themed leisure spaces were set up, including a performance stage, camping activity zones, free camping areas, kite-flying zones, and rowing machine experience areas, offering an immersive rowing carnival experience for residents and visitors.
Additionally, the rowing machine experience area, open simultaneously with the races, was highly popular. Professional coaches provided free instruction and conducted fitness tests on-site, allowing complete beginners to try their hand at rowing and appreciate its charm.
Reporter | Guo Chuhua
Photo | Hengqin Online
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
