From May 27 to 28, the 2018 China’s World-famous Collegiate Regatta took place in Shangyu district, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. XMU women’s rowing team won the silver medal in women’s 1000m coxless four. (time: 3’26’’50)

The regatta was hosted by Chinese Rowing Association and Shaoxing municipal government. This year it offered two events, i.e., men’s 1000m eight coxed (M8+) and women’s 1000m coxless four (W4-). This global rowing challenge brought together a host of elite crews from a total of 18 world-renowned universities at home and abroad, including 10 international teams from Oxford University, Cambridge University, University of London, Imperial College London, Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, University of Sydney, Melbourne University, University of Otago and 8 domestic teams from such prestigious universities as Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University, Xiamen University, etc.

XMU women’s rowing team fielded four crew members to compete in women’s 1000m coxless four. Despite the drizzling rain during the race,  the four XMU girls braved the elements and did their best to finish top of their group in the preliminary and semi-final rounds, advancing smoothly to the final. After a fierce contest in the final, XMU team eventually took home the silver medal in women’s 1000m coxless four (the gold and bronze went to Shanghai Jiao Tong University 3 ' 23 65 and Oxford University 3 ' 35 27, respectively).

To face off against the top crews from across the globe, XMU women’s rowing team had made full preparations for this year's regatta. The participating crew had to commute to the Water Sports Center (Jimei district, Fujian province) for their daily training. In addition to the routine workouts, two extra morning training sessions were added to the schedule, which means that  they had to leave for the Center at five o'clock before the daybreak every morning; when the training was done for the day, they had to hurry back home to the campus for classes. The girls trained so hard and so much that their hands were covered with calluses and blisters. However, they hung in there in face of the tough conditions and high-intensity training and displayed the prowess of XMU by shining in the race.

Source: http://news.xmu.edu.cn/3e/63/c1552a343651/page.htm

Editor: Wu Qianyi