China's oar-some start to World Rowing Championships

China's first-ever World Rowing Championships kicked off in Shanghai on Sunday, with over 1,000 athletes from 55 countries and regions set to compete in the Qingpu district of the East China metropolis.

The championships, organized by World Rowing, the sport's international governing body, and set to run until Sept 28, represent Shanghai's highest-level single-sport world championships this year, as well as being the city's first integrated international competition for both able-bodied and para athletes.

Rowers will vie for medals across 23 boat classes at the Shanghai Water Sports Center, which features a competition-standard 2,250-meter, eight-lane course.

According to the official website of World Rowing, the men's single sculls has emerged as the most popular event with 36 teams participating, while the women's single sculls has drawn 20 teams. The PR3 mixed double sculls in the para-rowing has reached a record 14 entries.

The 2025 championships will introduce the mixed double sculls with 11 entries, while the mixed eight, previously tested at the 2025 World Rowing Cup in Varese, Italy, in June has attracted 10 entries. China is featured in 20 of the 23 classes.

Olympic champions will headline the competition, including Chinese stars Chen Yunxia and Zhang Ling, who claimed gold in the women's quadruple sculls at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and won the two World Cup events this year.

Early on Sunday, Chinese fans already had reasons to be cheerful as Li Yawei and Sun Man won their lightweight men's double sculls preliminary race, as did Zou Jiaqi and Fu Ling for the women in the same class.

The men's quadruple sculls saw the Chinese quartet of Wang Jia, Mu Xiaolong, Liu Baishun and Zhang Quan book their place in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Monday will see Chen Yunxia and Zhang Ling take to the water in the heats for the women's double sculls, Han Wei contest the men's single sculls heats, as well as action for Chinese teams in the men's and women's fours. On the para-rowing side, Shao Shasha is set to line up for the PR1 women's single sculls preliminaries.

"We've renovated the competition venue according to World Rowing's standards," Liang Li, deputy director of Shanghai sports training base management center, said.

The venue features enhanced accessibility, including shortened pathways from boat houses to docks, wheelchair-friendly ramps, and convenient rest areas.

"We have upgraded all the barrier-free facilities to provide the best support for para athletes," Liang noted.

Safety measures include six rescue boats, while spectator facilities feature a 2,000-seat main grandstand equipped with sun protection and electronic screens for live coverage.

Vincent Gaillard, executive director of World Rowing, expressed his excitement about the event: "It is not the first time we have come here, but this time it's getting very serious. All the indicators are great. We're going to have a landmark and benchmark world championships.

"The cooperation between World Rowing and Shanghai has been exceptional. The preparation is very professional and well-organized. We're in the city that combines both the heritage of the past with the future of rowing," he added.

The athletes, too, seemed to enjoy the venue.

"It was good. Very fast out there, a little bumpy, but that comes with the fast conditions. But, great racing to open up the regatta," said Jacob Plihal of the US quadruple sculls team on Sunday after qualifying for Tuesday's semis by taking second place behind Britain in heat one.