The 2024 Nanjing Universities Rowing Open is held in Nanjing. [Photo/xhby.net]

A university rowing competition commenced on the scenic waters of the Qinhuai River in Nanjing on April 14.

The event featured eight teams from renowned universities including the UK's Oxford and Cambridge as well as local teams representing colleges in Nanjing. The team representing Nanjing colleges clinched the championship in the men's eight-rower single-scull with coxswain 1,000-meter race.

Eight teams from home and abroad compete in the event. [Photo/xhby.net]

Following the competition, participants enjoyed an evening cruise along the Qinhuai River aboard traditional Chinese boats. Benjamin Burk Hardin from Oxford University remarked, "I find the nighttime scenery along the Qinhuai River just as beautiful as during the day; it's a sight not to be missed. The trees along the banks and the ancient architecture, all the decorations here are incredibly stunning."

Participants in the rowing competition enjoy an evening cruise along the Qinhuai River. [Photo/Nanjing Daily]

Modern rowing originated in the UK in 1829 when Oxford and Cambridge held the first intercollegiate rowing race on the River Thames.