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00:00Welcome to the White House.
00:30Hello and welcome to the opening ceremony of the Rowing World Championships 2025.
00:46We're here in Shanghai in the People's Republic of China.
00:49I'm Greg Searle, Olympic gold medalist and alongside me is Martin Cross, also an Olympic gold medalist in the sport of rowing.
00:56Yeah, we're very excited to see what will be, I think, a groundbreaking opening ceremony.
01:03It certainly does look like it.
01:06And we are being introduced to Ting Ting the robot, who looks to be here walking through the streets, looking up to the clouds and in Shanghai knowing that the Rowing World Championships could be coming to this city.
01:22Yeah, but water isn't Ting Ting's thing, is it? He's out of the rain and he doesn't like it.
01:30Yeah, look, he took that step back from the puddle and that's causing him some danger being around that much water.
01:34So, look, he's gone down to the swimming pool and, again, he's denied access to the swimming pool.
01:46He's looking a bit sad, Ting Ting, I have to say.
01:49Yeah, he is, isn't he?
01:51Those children are having such a good time in that water, but, you know, it looks like he's denied access.
01:57But he doesn't want an umbrella.
01:59I wonder where he's heading.
02:00Well, you can see the World-Growing Championships are happening here from the 21st to the 28th of September here in Shanghai.
02:16He's looking like he's quite inspired to me.
02:20Certainly sped up.
02:24Where is he running to, Greg?
02:26This is a good-looking gym facility.
02:32That looks like two pretty special gym instructors.
02:36I think that's Shu Li-ja.
02:39That lady, she's an Olympic sailor, has a gold medal in the laser class from the London Olympics.
02:45And Lo-Yi Zhou is the man, if I'm not mistaken.
02:51And I think he specialises in classical dance, ballet and folk dance, and is a singer and quite an influencer here in China.
02:59And after that, go on the rowing machine at the gym.
03:04He's even dreaming of rowing, Greg.
03:07Yeah, well, I think they're right.
03:09His technique has certainly come along well.
03:12Lo-Yi Zhou looking pretty happy, as well as Shu Li-ja, the sailor.
03:18And they've sent him out.
03:20And he's at the registration office for the World Rowing Championships.
03:23Ting Ting name there, written at the top of that sheet, to sign up.
03:29But he's not sure what event he wants to go in for.
03:32Yeah, well, they've trained him well.
03:34They look happy with him.
03:35I think they're holding four fingers up.
03:37Like, maybe he's going to be a quadruple scale.
03:40Well, he's heading down to the river here, to the course.
03:47Shu Li-ja is introducing him to her friends from the rowing team, I think.
03:51And he looks pretty good in that rowing vest.
03:59He might not be a him.
04:00I think he wasn't sure what to sign up for, actually.
04:02I've given him a gender.
04:03I'm not sure that they have a gender.
04:06But they're taking their all down.
04:09Lo-Yi Zhou, proud of the coaching that he's done.
04:13And sending Ting Ting down here.
04:16And this is the Squarewater Court.
04:21About 25 kilometers from the center of Shanghai.
04:25And certainly looks like there's quite a crowd gathered.
04:29This looks like the real Lo-Yi Zhou and Shu Li-ja.
04:34And they look like they're getting the crowd going here.
04:36And they're getting the crowd going here.
04:43And they're getting the crowd going here.
04:47And they're getting the crowd going here.
04:49We're going, and we can see it.
04:52I just want to get a look at you,
04:54I don't know what you are doing.
04:56I don't know why I'm here.
04:58I don't know why I'm here.
05:07Judy's love can say what she can sing too
05:09if I have a look at it.
05:11And here come some rowers.
05:22Lots of waving arms going on in the front there.
05:27Yes, a good crowd of children there.
05:31Double skulls and single skulls, all with the Chinese rowing kit on.
05:37I'm sure these children will be inspired to have the World Rowing Championships happening here in Shanghai.
05:43Looks like there's a good delegation of athletes from around the world who've come to attend this opening ceremony.
05:52Here comes the quad.
05:58Look who's in the stroke seat.
06:00That is amazing.
06:02That is team team.
06:04What's he doing in the stroke of the quad break?
06:07I think he's doing about 32 strokes a minute.
06:10And setting up the crew behind him to scull that boat in.
06:14You see those dignitaries.
06:17Jean-Christophe Rolland in the front clapping his hands.
06:21Looking at future rowers.
06:25Ting Ting the robot and that crew, that quad skull.
06:29Very sitting in the stroke seat.
06:31What a great show we've got.
06:45Strong messages in this song.
06:49With Xu Li Zhao.
06:55Who took up sailing age 10.
06:57She sailed in The Optimist.
06:59Says that sailing has made her a better person.
07:03She came through to compete in Beijing where she got a bronze medal.
07:07Before coming through to London where she got a gold medal sailing in the laser.
07:11It was Asia's first sailing gold medal.
07:15She puts that down to 20 years of dedication to the sport.
07:21And I think straight away, Greg, you can see this is a blend of culture, technology and sporting spirit that we're seeing on the Square Hall water garden here.
07:35Yeah, it's a pretty good show.
07:37There's drones in the air.
07:39I think they're spelling out the words welcome to the crowd.
07:41And it is just a brilliant combination of all the senses really.
07:49Being excited by this song and the rowers coming in, the dancers coming in.
07:55It's pretty groundbreaking isn't it?
07:59Because we've got the drones in the air and then people on the water.
08:05And of course the singers on the land.
08:07It's combining all those elements.
08:09Yeah, and it's pretty good the way they're using the water as the stage.
08:13With Ting Ting there and stroke seed of that quad.
08:25Great shout out to the artistic director Hu Ji.
08:32The start of the opening ceremony.
08:35There are those letters on the drones spelling out the words welcome.
08:49Well, the crowd loved that, didn't they?
08:51Yeah, and here come our hosts for the show.
08:55The lady is Chen Chen.
08:57And the gentleman is Zhang Zheiju.
09:01Zhang Zheiju.
09:03Just introducing us to what we're going to see.
09:07And I think Chen Chen is going to do a translation into English language.
09:11Welcome to the opening ceremony of 2025 World Rowing Championship.
09:17Together we're going to witness the opening of this grand sports event.
09:29The bridges are pretty spectacular, aren't they? The covered bridges.
09:43Yeah, the covered bridges.
09:44Yeah, the covered bridges.
09:45I noticed the panels on the top of them there as well by the look of it.
09:47And this new conference centre.
09:49It's a pretty spectacular venue that's been created.
09:53This is Shanghai, China.
09:55We're now at a square hole and water courtyard.
09:57Once again, we would like to extend our warmest welcome to the athletes from all over the world.
10:01Thank you for joining us in this grand celebration on water.
10:05It's nice to be offered a warm welcome.
10:24And if you're wondering, that stretch of water behind us is the Tai Pui River.
10:30It's part of the extensive water around Shanghai.
10:35Yeah, it's not the course where the rowing is actually happening, is it?
10:39Claire Gerangelii, the Swiss para-scholar we just saw there.
10:45Yeah, so the actual rowing lake is about 20 minutes' drive from this venue where the open ceremony is happening.
10:55The big river in Shanghai.
10:58If you know the city or you've seen pictures, it's the Huangpu River, the mother river.
11:03Mayor of Shanghai, Mr. Gong Zheng.
11:08Shanghai市人民政府秘書長,馬春雷.
11:11Secretary-General of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Mr.馬春雷.
11:17世界賽兵联合会主席,蒼克里斯托夫,羅蘭.
11:20President of the World Rowing, Mr. Jack-Christophe Houlun.
11:26世界賽兵联合会執行主任,文森特·盖拉德.
11:29Executive Director of the World Rowing, Mr. Vonson Geylar.
11:34So four great dignitaries there who put this event on, and they've done a spectacular job of it so far.
11:42And I like the smart casual in it, you know, they're not wearing tyres and blazers, but nice shirts, so relaxed, isn't it?
11:48We're also joined today by the teams from around the world, representatives from the world rowing, members of the organising committee, and media friends.
11:54Thank you for being with us.
11:59The weather isn't too warm today.
12:01Sort of mid-twenties, not too humid, so yeah, good to be outside and not dressed up too much.
12:08Yeah, it's much more pleasant than it was here last week, isn't it?
12:12Yeah, certainly it was warmer last week, I think the organisers will be pleased, and certainly the athletes will be pleased with more temperate conditions.
12:18Now our team's representatives are going to enter the waters on board the traditional Qingpu sculling boats known as Yalu boats.
12:26So this looks good, these Yalu boats being sculled out.
12:33Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for athletes of 2025 world rowing championships.
12:40So we're going to have a look at the athletes on water, that's what they did in the Paris Olympics, wasn't it?
12:45They were all on boats, and it's a reprise of that, but they're being sculled down by in these very traditional Yalu boats.
12:55Yeah, and it looks like each of these boats is going to have a representative waving a flag for each of the countries.
13:04So in the front of that, it's the individual neutral athletes, and probably the most prominent of those racing here will be Yehuni Zlaty, the Olympic silver medalist in men's single skulls.
13:20Australia, of course, we've got Olympic champion Alex Hill, one of the big hopes for a gold medal.
13:29They're joined on the same boat by the team from Australia.
13:33Yeah, the Australian team looking for a bit of a turnaround after Paris, they've had a strong year.
13:38This year we'll be looking to get themselves back to former glory.
13:43Austria.
13:44So we see the Austrian and Belgian flags being waved.
13:48It's quite an art, that skilling the boat along with just a single oar at the back, isn't it?
13:59Yeah, it's quite a skill, isn't it?
14:01Yeah, I imagine it probably takes years of practice to be able to do what they're doing now.
14:06Yeah, we've got Brazil and Canada.
14:21Canada looking strong again with the women's eight competing here.
14:26They've got silver medals.
14:28In that women's eight at the Olympic Games.
14:32Kylie Filmer, three time Olympic team from Canada.
14:35She's the only returner in the Canadian women's eight.
14:39We'll be seeing racing later in the Legata.
14:48So Chile.
14:49That's actually a Croatian flag.
14:51I think these two have sat in the wrong seats.
14:53This one's a Chilean flag.
14:55Yeah, you're right, actually.
14:56And a good spot.
14:59Croatia, of course, with the iconic Sinkovic brothers, triple Olympic champions.
15:06And silver medalists back in London in 2012 here in a new crew, the four, hoping to get gold yet again.
15:17So Czechia.
15:18So Czechia and Denmark.
15:19Denmark doubling up the flags.
15:20They're joined on the same boat by a team from Denmark.
15:22They're joined on the same boat by a team from Denmark.
15:27They're joined on the same boat by a team from Denmark.
15:32Spain, Spain and Egypt, the Egyptian flag at the back.
15:51Spain, Spania, and Egypt, the Egyptian flag at the back.
15:55And they are represented here by Selfidim Mohamed,
16:01the single scholar.
16:17So here we've got the Estonian flag being waved.
16:21We're traditionally used to seeing them racing in the quad,
16:23but that quad of absolute stalwarts of the sport,
16:27not competing this time around.
16:30And Finland, still think back to the great Perti Karpunen,
16:36the single scholar, the greatest Finnish scholar of all time.
16:44And there are the teams from Britain and France,
16:51and I recognise that athlete,
16:54Viorei Obokuru, there she is,
16:57under 23 world champion,
17:00and trying to break into the British Olympic team for Los Angeles.
17:05Yeah, she's been reserved here for the team,
17:07which I suspect a number of these athletes will be reserved,
17:09or members of the management team who are here waving the flag.
17:14And the German flag here, proudly being waved.
17:15Of course, we'll be looking out for the whole of the German team,
17:20but Ollis Eidler, reigning Olympic champion in the single.
17:23Interested to see how he's got on with his year doing his NBA,
17:27away from training full-time,
17:28to see what impact that will have had.
17:30They're joined on the same boat by team from Germany.
17:33And there is the representative of the team from Greece,
17:38and behind him you can hear the cheers, can't you for Hong Kong, China,
17:41and it's a great opportunity to see how he's got on with his year doing his NBA,
17:43and now he's got on with his year doing his NBA,
17:45away from training full-time,
17:47to see what impact that will have had.
17:48They're joined on the same boat by team from Germany.
17:50And there is the representative of the team from Greece.
18:03And there is a representative of the team from Hong Kong, China,
18:08and it's fantastic because they've put in a mixed eight.
18:12And normally, you know, in Europe, North America,
18:14you don't get to see them, they generally compete in the Asian Games,
18:17but to have four men and four women to compete in the mixed eight
18:21is sensational, I think.
18:23Yeah, it is sensational.
18:24We're seeing the representatives from Hungary.
18:27And I think we're going to see Indonesia.
18:32As you say, Martin, a mixed eight and a mixed double,
18:34we're going to see here for the first time at the World Championships,
18:36so a nice step forward for the sport of rowing,
18:38putting these mixed events at the World Championships.
18:47There we've got a representative from India.
18:52Rowing nation is seeing more of recently on the international stage.
18:57I think sharing the boat with Ireland.
19:00Ireland have been a strong rowing nation, a small team,
19:04but they've been high performers in recent years.
19:07Fiona Murta racing here with a famous bronze in Tokyo.
19:12She's racing here in the single, really looking forward to seeing her race.
19:15Yeah, and there's a team from Iraq.
19:22It might even be back our Dulemi,
19:25who's competing in the single skulls here.
19:31And he's sharing the boat with the Italians.
19:34Italian quad, one of the favourites in that event to take gold.
19:53Israel and the Japanese representatives.
19:58Japan sent quite a significant para team here.
20:04And one of their athletes is Mori Takuya.
20:07They're joined on the same boat by team from Japan.
20:09They're joined on the eighth place in Paris in the PR1 in single skulls.
20:14Yeah, of course, we're seeing para events here in the World Championships.
20:20Para programme running alongside the Olympic programme.
20:23As we're seeing Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan.
20:28So good to see the reach of the sport of rowing around the globe.
20:32Entries from so many countries.
20:34Joined on the same boat by team from Republic of Korea.
20:42So, I recognise that man.
20:44He is, I think, Saulius Ritter,
20:46who a while back was world champion for Lithuania in the quad.
20:50I think he held down the three seat, the key seat in the boat.
20:53And he's now their team manager.
20:56With an athlete from Malaysia.
20:59Good entry from Malaysia here.
21:08Moldova.
21:09That little bit of that country next to Romania.
21:22And the Mexican representative, of course, Kenya Lashiga.
21:26I think she's a three-time Olympian.
21:29They're joined on the same boat by team from Mexico.
21:32And the starved in Dancing with the Stars in Mexico.
21:36That's pretty impressive, isn't it?
21:38I think she has a massive following there.
21:41As we're welcoming the team from the Netherlands.
21:43The Netherlands were the leading country on the medal table at the Paris Olympics.
21:47We'll be looking to see how they will be starting the new Olympiad.
21:54Alongside the representative from Norway.
21:56They're joined on the same boat by team from Norway.
22:00That looks like a Kiwi flag over there.
22:09The New Zealanders.
22:10Yeah, they've got so many strong athletes in these championships.
22:15One that stands out for me is Logan Ulrich.
22:19Who won the men's single skulls at the big Lucerne regatta.
22:24A couple of months ago.
22:25They're joined on the same boat by team from Peru.
22:28Yeah, fantastic entry in all the events.
22:30But that single skulls, men's and women's really stands out.
22:34There's one to look forward to.
22:38This is the representative for Poland.
22:41Poland.
22:45Poland.
22:48Alongside Romania.
22:50We probably could also stake a claim to trying to be the strongest rowing nation here.
22:55If I can say led by Simona Radice.
22:58They're joined on the same boat by team from Romania.
23:00Two times gold medalist and Olympic silver medal to her name as well.
23:05A very strong team as we're seeing this South African flag being waved there.
23:10South Africa.
23:11Yeah, they've got a strong combination here.
23:13Back then Bohingch Cohen.
23:16Friends.
23:18Reunited together.
23:19Back in the pair again with Slovenia.
23:23Slovenia.
23:32Here's Slovenia, and then we've got Serbia.
23:35We need to wave that flag, there it is.
23:37Serbia, of course, hosted the last rowing world championships
23:41before the Paris Olympics.
23:42We were in Belgrade.
23:46The flag of Sudan.
23:48They're joined on the same boat by team from Sudan.
23:51You can nicely see the reach of rowing around the world.
24:03I recognise that as a Swiss flag,
24:06and Switzerland, the famous quarter Lucerne,
24:10will be holding the 2027 Olympic qualification regatta.
24:17And the world championships.
24:19Yeah, it will be the world championships.
24:21They always do the qualifying regatta as well,
24:24but we have the world championships in 2027,
24:26where it proves to be looking to qualify
24:28for Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
24:34Seen that Togo flag being waved.
24:36Yeah, Okoko Komalandi.
24:40I think she was the flag bearer for Togo in the Paris Olympics.
24:44She looks well-practiced at some flag-bearing.
24:47Tunisian athlete there.
24:49They're joined on the same boat by team from Tunisia.
24:57A lot of these athletes actually train in Tunisia,
25:01the African athletes.
25:02With the menace and women,
25:03with the viewers,
25:04four young youngsters together.
25:05Four young people have joined.
25:05So Togia had fantastic success in the under-23s,
25:10and, of course, it's hard not to think of the terrible conflicts
25:15in Ukraine, all that people have endured destruction
25:22of their rowing clubs in towns like Haasson.
25:24have endured destruction of their rowing clubs
25:27in towns like Khiausung.
25:42Did we see Uruguay?
25:44We're seeing the United States of America
25:47flag happily being waved.
25:51It was a strong rowing nation,
25:52particularly targeting the eights,
25:55particularly the women's eight, actually,
25:56where they've entered every world championships
25:59in every iteration.
26:00They've said an American women's eight,
26:01often very successful.
26:04Uzbekistan now.
26:06Yeah, they've just built a brand new rowing course
26:10at the cost of about 20 million euros
26:15and had fantastic success in the recent world
26:19under-19 championships,
26:21taking up a couple of medals.
26:22So rowing on the up in Uzbekistan.
26:25Now, let's give the warmest applause
26:27to the host team,
26:28the people's Republic of China.
26:31Good set of representatives.
26:33Few more flags being waved.
26:35Always the last to come into the stadium, aren't they?
26:37The host nation.
26:38Yeah, I love that.
26:40And everyone's cheering and clapping here,
26:42as you would expect.
26:46There's two athletes
26:47that the Chinese expect to perform,
26:51Chen Yixia and Zhonglin,
26:53gold medalists from Tokyo in the women's quad,
26:57and setting the world the light here in the women's double,
27:00one of the favorites for gold.
27:01China has the largest delegation
27:04and the most diverse event entries.
27:06Two Olympic champions,
27:08Zhang Ling and Chen Yunxia,
27:10both hail from Shanghai.
27:14And I think you heard the significance there, Greg,
27:16that those two ladies are both inhabitants of Shanghai.
27:21Yeah, it feels important, doesn't it?
27:23Yeah.
27:23So Zhongzhezhu comes back out with Chen Chen,
27:28speaking to us in English.
27:38It is a great honor and pleasure
27:39to have all the participating roars.
27:42May you outstanding achievements over the coming week.
27:53Please rise if you can for a national flag
28:04and national anthem of People's Republic of China.
28:23Thank you so much.
28:26All right.
28:27플
28:41There's aっと
28:43up,
28:46fool
28:46You
28:48Please get seated.
29:01There's a lovely moment as the national anthem was played.
29:03The flag went up and the wind seemed to almost just pick up as it got towards the top of the
29:07mast.
29:08Now, please welcome Mr. Ma Chun-Lei, Secretary General of the Shanghai Municipal People's
29:13Government, to address the ceremony.
29:14So, here comes Mr. Ma Chun-Lei, who is going to give us a welcome.
29:33So, he's giving us the speech here in Chinese.
29:38Luckily, we've heard a little bit of a heads up on the message, and he's welcoming everyone
29:43here to Shanghai.
29:51Just setting out Shanghai as a long history in the sport of rowing.
29:56Yeah, it goes back over 100 years to the mid-19th century, when the European nations started
30:05rowing here and founded rowing clubs.
30:07But Shanghai is the oldest center for rowing in China.
30:13And he started in Shanghai.
30:15And they're very proud of that fact on the Zhuzhu Creek.
30:19And he's celebrating the world-growing is showing trust in China and the organizing committee,
30:30by bringing the rowing world here to Shanghai.
30:35And he's hoping to write a new chapter in that long history of rowing in Shanghai and rowing in China.
30:51And I'm sure that will be a good chapter, if I look at the enthusiasm in this opening ceremony,
30:56and the conditions that we're seeing on and around the lake.
31:01Yeah, and it's such a big deal for the town of Shanghai.
31:10And we can see that by the profile of the officials here, the mayor, and Mr. Ma Chunlei,
31:20the Secretary General of the Shanghai municipal government.
31:24And of course, it's massive for world rowing to come back to Shanghai when the 2021 World
31:32Championship had to be postponed because of the pandemic.
31:35Yeah, that's right.
31:36Yeah.
31:37Yeah, that's right.
31:38We have traveled, as World Rowing do, probably every four or five years traveling outside of Europe
31:46and getting here, but first time in China, hosting the World Rowing Championships.
31:52And finally, Mr. Ma Chunlei, wishing everyone luck with their competition.
31:58Now, please welcome Mr. Jean-Christophe Hollande, the President of the World Rowing to deliver
32:08the speech.
32:09So, Jean-Christophe Hollande, Olympic gold medalist from the Sydney Olympic Games in the pair.
32:17And the President of World Rowing, taking to the stage.
32:23He shall deliver a speech to us.
32:24So, I think he's going to do it in English, so we won't need our translations.
32:31Dear Mayor of Shanghai, Mr. Gong Shen, dear Secretary General of Shanghai municipal government,
32:43Mr. Ma Chunlei, distinguished guests in your grade and capacities, dearing friends, ladies and
32:53gentlemen.
32:54Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great excitement and enthusiasm that we gather here today in
33:04Shanghai for the 2025 World Rowing Championships.
33:10This is a very special moment for all of us, as it is the first time that the World Rowing Championships
33:20at the elite level are held in China.
33:26We were meant to be here in 2021 already, but the pandemic forced cancellation.
33:35Today, four years later, we are truly delighted to finally be here in this vibrant and dynamic
33:46city.
33:48Shanghai has a close and long-standing bond with rowing.
33:55In October 1859, foreign enthusiasts organized China's first regatta on the scenic Suzhou Creek,
34:11making Shanghai the cradle of Chinese rowing.
34:16With such a proud tradition, Shanghai hit the perfect stage to welcome the world's best athletes.
34:29I would like to welcome, to worldly welcome, all the athletes and the teams.
34:34Dear athletes, you are more than 700 coming from all over the world.
34:45You have trained tirelessly and the time has now come for you to compete at the World Championships,
34:52the greatest event of the year for our sport.
34:57I wish you to deliver your best.
35:02I wish you to perform at your highest level.
35:07And just as importantly, I wish you to enjoy the spirit of this great event.
35:16We very much look forward to witnessing a week of thrilling, fair and inspiring racing.
35:28To allow you to compete in the best possible environment and with the best possible promotion,
35:39I would like to thank, to thank very much the Organdine Committee and everyone involved for their dedication
35:48and hard work to make these championships a reality.
35:53Thank you to all the volunteers.
35:56The time to deliver has now come for you as well.
36:00Last but not least, I would like to thank very much and express our gratitude to all the partners
36:10for the essential and outstanding support, and in particular to the Shanghai Municipal Government
36:19and the General Administration of Sports of China.
36:25And now, it is my great pleasure to invite the Mayor of Shanghai, His Excellency Mr. Gong Chen,
36:34to join me to formally open the 2025 World Rowing Championship in Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
36:46Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Haaland.
36:49Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Haaland.
36:52Thank you, Mr. Haaland.
36:57So, lovely words from Jean-Christophe Roland.
37:03And we now have the Mayor coming up onto stage as well.
37:09I think we're going to have a moment of official opening of these World Rowing Championships 2025.
37:18World Rowing Championships 2025.
37:20All right, friends, let's get to the record.
37:23Three, two, one.
37:31So, they pushed down those buttons.
37:36Yeah, magic water cannon being fired.
37:39Nice little double act between Jean-Christophe and His Excellency Mr. Gong Chen.
37:48Now, we're standing for another anthem,
37:51which is going to be the anthem of World Rowing,
37:55which is a familiar tune to some of us.
37:58Bibi, please go to.
38:23Bibi, please go to.
38:25Please get seated.
38:26Thank you, Mr. Haaland.
38:28So, that anthem used to play all the time when World Rowing used to be called FISA,
38:35and there were no flags in medal ceremonies.
38:37Yeah, we didn't have flags being raised at World Championships,
38:41we just had that anthem played for each medal ceremony.
38:44So, yeah, stirs a few emotions for those of us who rode back in those days
38:48to see flags go up, and that tune being played.
38:52Probably for myself and Martin Sat here, amongst many others tuning in.
38:55Now, Shanghai officially enters rowing time.
38:57The eyes of the world will be focused here,
39:00witnessing the dedication and the glory of every athlete.
39:04So, it's nice to have the eyes of the world here on Shanghai.
39:19As the final chapter of the opening ceremony,
39:21we're going to enjoy a powerful song.
39:23It is not just a theme song written for the rowing competition,
39:26but also a tribute to all the dream chasers.
39:30Now, the theme song is not only for every time in the competition,
39:33it is not only for every time in the competition,
39:36but also for every time in the competition
39:39who rode back to all of unequemections.
39:40It is our 맘 to the very young audience.
39:42We're going to celebrate this together with a happy and wish to the one
39:45great song.
39:46Here is the fun song for the famous song.
39:47Let's see, the famous singer, of唐妖庄,
39:48the actor, the singer, of the song, the song,
39:49the song, of the song, of the sea.
39:50The song, of the flying, of the sea.
39:51The group, of the sea, of the sea.
39:52And the athlete, of the sea.
39:53It's a great song for the high or the sea.
39:55And thank you for joining the title of the title of the match.
40:00Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome famous actor and singer David Wong
40:04together with the team Empire Reast and the boats and airships on the water
40:08to perform the theme song of 2025 World Rowing Championships.
40:13Please enjoy!
40:15So this feels like a very special moment that we're going to hear this song
40:19Breaking Waves to Glory performed live.
40:23Songs we've heard specially written for these World Rowing Championships.
40:34You can really feel those drums, can't you? Just as the...
40:38Yeah, quite emotive, with this drumming going on.
40:41And then these boats coming in over from the hidden position, coming into view.
40:53A real building of enthusiasm coming here as these drummers come down through the audience here.
41:08There's boats going around and around. We're still in the drumming introduction here.
41:13Oh, nice to see the World Rowing Emblem.
41:16Oh, that is fantastic. And of course, created by a Chinese or Japanese artist.
41:22Yeah. From Asia.
41:26And that is beautiful symmetry.
41:29That's off to Artistic Director Hu Ji for that synchronicity.
41:36It has been a beautiful opening ceremony so far, culminating with this performance of the song.
41:41This drumming just kind of building up, building up, feeling like we're still a way off the crescendo, but it's just thumping through.
41:57Great performance by the drummers on the stage, being joined by the walk-on drummers at the front.
42:17Here we go. We're moving into another level of enthusiasm.
42:26I can tell you this is David Wong, who was introduced for Wong Yaoching.
42:33And he is going to sing this song, which has been written for these championships.
42:38This is certainly something pretty special at the World Rowing Championships.
42:52I can't remember anything quite on this scale in my history.
42:57No, I'm struggling to think of an opening song for the World Rowing Championships before.
43:03The idea of charging into tomorrow's race through the waves to chase the golden prize is pretty special.
43:15Yeah, and he's also an actor of some repute in China.
43:20Big name in the world of Chinese popular music.
43:27Again, spectacular performance coming with different dancers.
43:32I have the feeling he's not going to stay out on that boat all the time, Greg.
43:36No, it would be pretty cool if he was to come and get even closer to the arena,
43:41because as you say, he's a pretty big name here in China.
43:48He's not going to come out of the boat, is he?
43:51He's taking off a safety harness there, that's good.
43:54Then hand is another microphone.
44:01Here we go.
44:02He's actually there.
44:03You can see the enthusiasm of the crowd as he appears in the centre here.
44:06Yeah, they're really combing their head around us, aren't they?
44:10Well, I think it's a good song as well.
44:11Yeah, well, yeah.
44:12It's pretty catchy.
44:13It's your sort of music, Greg.
44:14The row, row, row, I particularly like.
44:20And now we've got the drummers into the boat, and he's come out to be on the stage.
44:24Quite tough, the Ting Ting rowing through that wake.
44:30He's been a bit of a star, this opening ceremony, Ting Ting, hasn't he?
44:31He has. He started up the opening ceremony.
44:32Ting Ting dreaming of these women.
44:33He's been a bit of a star, this opening ceremony, Ting Ting, hasn't he?
44:35He's been a bit of a star, this opening ceremony, Ting Ting, hasn't he?
44:36He has. He started up the opening ceremony.
44:37Ting Ting dreaming of these world-growing championships, as we know, since 2021.
44:38When Shanghai should have hosted, but of course, we're unable to.
44:39So it's been a long dream.
44:40He's been a bit of a star, this opening ceremony.
44:41Ting Ting, hasn't he?
44:42He has.
44:43He started up the opening ceremony.
44:44Ting Ting dreaming of these world-growing championships, as we know, since 2021.
44:45When Shanghai should have hosted, but of course, we're unable to.
44:46So it's been a long dream for the people of Shanghai and for Ting Ting.
44:47And now here we are with it coming to fruition.
44:48And now we're going to be a star, this opening ceremony.
44:49He's been a bit of a star, this opening ceremony, Ting Ting, hasn't he?
44:52He has.
44:53He started up the opening ceremony.
44:54Ting Ting dreaming of these world-growing championships, as we know, since 2021.
44:55When Shanghai should have hosted, but of course, we're unable to.
44:56So it's been a long dream for the people of Shanghai and for Ting Ting.
45:11And now here we are with it coming to fruition in this fantastic ceremony.
45:16We are the future now.
45:18We are the future now.
45:20It has arrived.
45:23Yeah, I like that lyric, through waves we chase the golden flame.
45:30Yeah.
45:31Which is what all the rowers will be doing.
45:36Here's the championships unfold this week in Shanghai.
45:40In Shanghai.
45:41Yeah.
45:42And I like the idea of the rhythm of the heartbeat and the rhythm of the boat.
45:45So it's got a real connection to the sport of rowing.
45:49We are the future now.
45:59Rowers in the background.
46:00Yeah, some of the Germans are particularly enjoying it in the background.
46:05There we go with the fireworks going off.
46:10It was spectacular performance.
46:14The performance.
46:15The performance.
46:16The performance.
46:17The performance.
46:18The performance.
46:19The performance.
46:20The performance.
46:21The performance.
46:22So, Tuli Zha, Paseyla, Louie Yeo, some stars of the Great Britain Rowing Team now, enjoying
46:35the show, performance director Louise Kingsley.
46:47Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes today's opening ceremony.
46:51Thanks again for being with us. Goodbye.
46:56What a fantastic welcome it's been to these World Rowing Championships.
47:02We hope you have enjoyed our coverage.
47:05I am Greg Searle, joined by Martin Cross.
47:07We will be bringing you coverage together with our colleague, Camilla Hadlan Horrocks of
47:13The Racing, as it gets going through these championships.
47:17But thank you very much for joining us.
47:18Any final words, Martin?
47:19Yeah, love this opening ceremony.
47:22I mean, I wish it could be like this every World Championships, but what a fantastic job
47:27these people have done, people of Shanghai, really to set us fair for the 2025 World Rowing Championships.
47:37Thank you for joining us, and we hope you enjoyed the programme.
47:39We will see you soon on the water.
47:41Goodbye for now.
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