On November 15, 2025, the finals of the fourth X9 Rowing League of the Shenzhen Xili Lake International Science and Education City X9 Alliance of Universities and Institutions, themed "Let the World See China," successfully concluded at the Nanshan University Town station. After three rounds of competition at the Guangming Maozhou River station, Dasha River station, and University Town station, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School emerged as the annual champion of the X9 League!
Competition Scene at Nanshan University Town Station of the Fourth X9 Rowing League
The Nanshan University Town station of this year’s league not only gathered member institutions of the X9 Alliance, including Shenzhen University, Southern University of Science and Technology, Tsinghua University Shenzhen International Graduate School, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, and Peng Cheng Laboratory, but also featured rowing teams from renowned domestic universities such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Westlake University, Sun Yat-sen University, and Macau University of Science and Technology. The participation of these elite teams significantly enhanced the competitiveness and spectacle of the event. Concurrently, the third Shenzhen High School Four-School Rowing League took place, with teachers and students from Shenzhen Middle School, Shenzhen Experimental School, Shenzhen Foreign Languages School, and Shenzhen Senior High School engaging in friendly competitions. This added fresh vitality to the event, further enriching the diversity and inclusivity of the participants and delivering an exhilarating and thrilling rowing spectacle for the audience.
X9 Alliance Teams in Action
Participating Teams from Partner Universities
High School Teams
The competition was divided into four categories: Men’s Eight with Coxswain (M8+), Mixed Eight with Coxswain (MIX8+), Expert Group Eight with Coxswain (M8+/MIX8+), and Women’s Eight with Coxswain (W8+). In the student and expert group categories, the coxswain’s gender was unrestricted, while the expert group had no age or gender restrictions. The mixed student category maintained a 1:1 ratio of male to female rowers.
On the morning of the 15th, the highly anticipated preliminary races commenced on the Dasha River. University teams competed fiercely over an 800-meter course, showcasing exceptional rowing skills and unwavering determination as they vied for supremacy.
The afternoon’s 300-meter sprint finals became the focal point of the event. The rowing boats glided gracefully across the Dasha River, tracing smooth and elegant arcs under the golden shimmer of the setting sun, eliciting thunderous applause and creating an electrifying atmosphere. After multiple rounds of intense competition, the champion teams from each category emerged. Ultimately, based on the cumulative points from the three stations, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School claimed the overall championship of the fourth X9 Rowing League with the highest total points. Tsinghua University Shenzhen International Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), and Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology-Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Advanced Technology were awarded first prize. Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), and Peng Cheng Laboratory received second prize. In the high school league, Shenzhen Foreign Languages School, Shenzhen Senior High School, and Shenzhen Middle School secured the championship, runner-up, and third place, respectively.
Closing Ceremony Scene
Award Ceremony
Sportsmanship Award
Best Rower Award
During the closing ceremony, student representatives from Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School performed the theme song, "Intelligence Converges, We Row Together," infusing the event with an innovative blend of technology and humanities. The performance embodied the competition’s theme of "Intelligently Competing for the Future" and showcased Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School’s development philosophy of "problem-oriented, north-south collaboration, AI-driven, and innovative integration."
Theme Song Performance
Beyond the intense competition, the X9 League provided a platform for face-to-face interaction among participating teachers and students. Through performances, flag exchanges, and interactive games, the "Rowing Night" exchange gala was enthusiastically held, fostering understanding and deepening friendships in a relaxed atmosphere and effectively promoting communication among university students.
Flag Handover Ceremony
"Racing to Carry Dreams, Education for the Future." The closing ceremony featured a grand flag handover ritual of the X9 Alliance, with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School passing the alliance flag to the next rotating chair unit, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen). With the successful conclusion of the fourth X9 League, society once again witnessed the collaborative and mutually reinforcing spirit of Shenzhen’s universities and institutions. Moving forward, the X9 Alliance will remain true to its original intention, strengthen cooperation, use rowing as a medium, and promote integration through competitions, building a broad platform for academic exchange and cultural prosperity while collectively writing a new chapter in the coordinated development of higher education in Shenzhen.
