The 2026 Chengdu Open Rowing Regatta to Open in October With a Record 35-Team Field

CHENGDU, China – September 16, 2026 – The 2026 Chengdu Open Rowing Regatta will bring 35 teams and about 260 rowers from China and overseas to the Nan River in Xinjin District on October 1–2, with Stanford University and McGill University set to compete for the first time.

The organizing committee announced on September 14 that the event, approved by the Chinese Rowing Association, is set to feature its largest field to date. Racing will take place on the urban stretch of the Nan River in Xinjin District of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in southwestern China, during China’s National Day holiday.

Crews from the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Princeton University and the University of Otago will join Stanford and McGill in a six-team overseas university lineup. They will compete alongside six Chinese university teams, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Sun Yat-sen University and Xi’an Jiaotong University.

A new 3.3-kilometer pursuit race will add a longer-distance challenge to the program. Beyond the competition, riverside performances, water sports activities and international youth exchanges will connect the regatta with the holiday celebrations across Xinjin.

A longer course and an expanded field

The university division will feature mixed coxed eights racing over an 800-meter straight course. The newly added 3.3-kilometer pursuit event will require crews to balance speed, endurance and race tactics over a course that takes in Wujin Covered Bridge and the riverside scenery of Xinjin.

Spectators will be able to follow the longer race from multiple points along the riverbanks. The format will offer a different viewing experience from the shorter straight-course races, bringing more of the urban waterfront into the competition.

The open division is expected to feature about 23 teams from water sports clubs, schools, businesses and rowing communities. Its men’s and women’s quadruple sculls events will be held over 800 meters. Heats in both divisions are scheduled for October 1, followed by finals on October 2.

The overseas university field spans Europe, North America and Oceania. The return of Oxford and Cambridge, alongside the first appearances by Stanford and McGill, will broaden the regatta’s international participation.

A waterfront celebration from day to night

The October 1 opening ceremony will use a main stage at the Nan River Water Sports Center and two additional floating stages, giving spectators several vantage points for performances on and beside the water.

The wider program includes a Sichuan indoor rowing challenge, a riverside market and a water sports carnival. Visitors will be able to try stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking, sample local food and browse cultural and creative products. Street performances will add to the festival atmosphere.

A new evening show is planned for this year’s event, combining water-skiing displays, live music, DJs, Sichuan opera fire-breathing and traditional fire performances. Sing-alongs and appearances by visiting university students will bring audiences on both banks into the celebrations. Nighttime paddleboarding and kayaking displays are also planned.

Related holiday activities across Xinjin will include a fish-head hotpot season in Anxi, village basketball in Huaqiao, a lily festival at Huawu Renjian and a National Day carnival at Banzhulin. Shopping districts, hotels and restaurants will also offer holiday promotions.

Rowing opens the door to cultural exchange

An international youth exchange program will begin on September 23 and run for more than 10 days. Planned activities include city walks, visits to universities such as Sichuan University and local primary and secondary schools, and gatherings that bring Chinese and overseas students together.

Visiting rowers are scheduled to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with host families, explore the Eastern Suburb Memory cultural venue in traditional hanfu clothing, see giant pandas and visit Wuhou Shrine. Rural visits and a walk through the century-old Taiping Old Street will introduce participants to more of Chengdu’s local life.

Overseas university rowers are also set to travel to the competition venue on Chengdu Metro Line 10 for the first time, taking in the surrounding landscape on their journey to Xinjin.

Alongside the youth exchanges, alumni and invited professionals will take part in regatta activities and visits to explore the local business environment. These meetings are intended to encourage links between universities, research and industry.

With international university racing at its center, the two-day regatta will give visitors a chance to experience Xinjin’s waterfront, food and cultural life during the National Day holiday.

About the Xinjin District People’s Government

The Xinjin District People’s Government is the local government authority of Xinjin District in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. It oversees local economic and social development, public services and urban development, while supporting cultural, sporting and international exchange initiatives across the district.

Media Contact
Company Name: The Xinjin District People’s Government
Contact Person: Wendy He
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Country: China
Website: https://www.xinjin.gov.cn/xjxrmzf/index.shtml