CHENGDU, China, Oct. 3, 2025 -- The 2025 Chengdu Open Rowing Regatta was held from Oct 1 to 2 in Xinjin district of Chengdu, Sichuan province, drawing 20 rowing teams from domestic and foreign universities, along with seven rowing teams from cities in the Chengdu-Chongqing region.

The event, staged in the Xinjin section of the Nanhe River, consisted of three races: the men's eight with coxswain 800-meter straight-course race, the men's quadruple sculls 800-meter straight-course race, and the women's quadruple sculls 800-meter straight-course race.

The men's eight with coxswain race attracted 14 rowing teams from international universities, including University of Cambridge and University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, Brown University in the United States, University of Sydney and University of Melbourne in Australia, and domestic universities including Peking University and Tsinghua University.

Overseas teams from Harvard University and Princeton University in the US, as well as six teams from domestic universities, including Xi'an Jiaotong University and Chengdu Sport University, competed in the women's quadruple sculls race.

Seven rowing teams from cities in the Chengdu-Chongqing region, including Chengdu, Chongqing, Suining and Meishan, competed in the men's quadruple sculls race.

The rowing team from Brown University secured the championship in the men's eight with coxswain race, while University of Sydney and University of Otago in New Zealand won second and third place, respectively.

Henry Hollingsworth, a member of Brown University's rowing team, said he was delighted that his team won first place in such a high-level international event, noting that the Nanhe River was incredibly beautiful and competing there was a fantastic experience.

He added that the spectators on the banks were extremely passionate, and their cheers had given his team extra motivation.

Princeton University claimed first place in the women's quadruple sculls race, followed by Harvard University and Chengdu Sport University.

The rowing team from Deyang, Sichuan won the men's quadruple sculls race, while the teams from Jianyang and Meishan in Sichuan finished second and third, respectively.

The organizers said they will continue to upgrade the event and invite more top-tier teams from both China and abroad. Meanwhile, they will leverage the event to promote in-depth integration of sports, culture and tourism, turning Xinjin into a vibrant "rowing city".