Wang Jingli wangjingli0715@163.com MORE than 400 rowers from local and international teams showcased their skills and stamina in the third stage of the third Shenzhen X9 Alliance of Universities and Institutes Rowing League Around X-Lake Sciensity on the serene waters of the Dasha River in Nanshan District on Saturday. Members from the University of Cambridge’s and the University of Oxford’s rowing teams were invited to engage in friendly matches with domestic universities. The Cambridge and Oxford teams had a total of 28 members from 10 different countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy. “We encountered some challenges initially, but we recovered, and that’s the important thing. I am really proud of all the rowers because it’s hard work to catch up and overtake. Everyone has put in really strong movements,” Abi Owen, from the Oxford team, said. As the team’s coxswain, Owen is responsible for steering the boat and coordinating the power and rhythm of the rowers. Even though the Oxford team was faced with the challenge of competing in an unfamiliar environment and a hot, humid climate, Owen said that the experience was “great and a lot of fun.” In friendly races with domestic teams, the Cambridge team clinched the championship. Janik Schüttler, a member of the Cambridge rowing team, expressed satisfaction with the outcome despite not reaching his full potential. Acknowledging the strong competition from other teams, he said, “Some of the other teams were really good. They were putting up a good fight.” During the award ceremony, Theo Langslow, also a member of the Cambridge team, said that the competition highlighted the fact that they are connected by their passion for rowing despite their diverse backgrounds. He was optimistic that rowing has a promising future in both China and the U.K. This was the first time that many of the foreign rowers had been to Shenzhen or China, and they were happy to be invited. Many noted that Shenzhen is beautiful and its residents are warm and friendly. Song Bing, a professor at the Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, thought that the participation of the Cambridge and Oxford teams was a great opportunity that will contribute to strengthening Shenzhen’s global reputation. The Dasha River leg of the spring season included three categories: the student group men’s eight with coxswain, the mixed eight with coxswain, and the expert group men’s eight with coxswain. The third X9 rowing league consists of spring and autumn seasons, each comprised of three races. Teams earn points based on their placements in the six divisional races to determine the overall annual champion. Officially established ahead of the first stage of the first rowing league around X-Lake Sciensity on Nov. 6, 2022, the X9 Alliance aims to help the rowing league become a sports intellectual property for Shenzhen that will be a prominent draw for science and education. | 