From China to the Charles, Racing for a Cleaner Tomorrow

Rowers of the Dare to Dream and the Pudong Vanke School rowing clubs. (Photo by Salma Sheikh)  

For the Global Canal Rowing Club (GCRC), the race is about more than crossing the finish line—it’s about starting a movement toward a sustainable future.

Global Canal Rowing Action (GCRA), the driving force behind GCRC, launched a “Zero Carbon, Clean Water,” campaign at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, using rowing to highlight the importance of protecting waterways and reducing carbon emissions.

The campaign is built on three core pillars. “The first one is promoting rowing as a healthy sport, the second is the global sustainability campaign and the third is the human connection with water,” said Ken Lee, co-founder of GCRA and former Secretary General of the Asian Rowing Federation.

The Global Canal Rowing Club’s roots trace back to a historic rowing journey along China’s Grand Canal, an ancient waterway that has been in use for over 2,500 years. In 2011, GCRC launched its first major initiative by joining a rowing competition along the historic canal. Forty-six participants embarked on a row from Beijing to Hangzhou.

“We did the rowing all the way through Beijing to Hangzhou, which is 1,800 kilometers of rowing. It took one month,” Lee said. “This was our exposure to world rowing.”

Global Canal had two boats in this year’s Head of the Charles Regatta this year, A men’s eight finished 32^nd in Saturday’s Club Eights, while a women’s Club Eight finished 42^nd in their race.

Global Rowing also brought a total of eight youth boats to the Regatta, representing the Dare to Dream Youth Rowing Club and the Pudong Vanke School Rowing Club, both from Shanghai.

For 17-year-old Julie (Yiyue) Gu, who competed in the Youth Women’s Doubles for the Dare to Dream Club, the race was about more than just competition.

“The atmosphere here is incredible. We’ve been to other big regattas, like the one in Belgium, but there’s nothing like this,” she said of her experience at HOCR. “The community in Boston is amazing—everyone seems to know about rowing, and the bridges were packed with people cheering us on. It’s so different from Shanghai, where rowing isn’t as widely known.”

Fifteen-year-old Irene (Zirun) Geng, who competed in the Women’s Youth Coxed Quads for Pudong Vanke School Rowing Club, shared a similar sentiment.

“It’s an honor to be here,” she said. “This is my first time at HOCR, and it’s been so impressive—the vibe, the cheering crowds, and the chance to connect with other rowers from all over the world.”

Tommy (Yifei) Xiong, who competed in the Men’s Youth Coxed Quads, described the event as a festival. “Everyone is cheering, and the energy is amazing. It’s like nothing I’ve seen before,” he said.

Not forgetting the other reason they’re here, in between their races, the youth rowers are activists.

“We’ve been talking to other teams and race organizers about our initiatives—things like using reusable water bottles instead of plastic and reducing waste at events,” Gu said. “We even visited Harvard to meet with scholars and discuss sustainability and water conservation. It’s inspiring to be part of something that isn’t just about the sport but about making a real impact.”

Lee is focused on ensuring these values are passed on to future generations. “Youth programs are one of our biggest messengers for this campaign,” he said. “We want young rowers to grow up understanding the importance of sustainability—not just in rowing, but in their everyday lives. They’re the future leaders of this movement.

Ken Lee (Photo by Salma Sheikh

“We’re just getting started,” Lee said. “We’ve reached six continents and over 200 cities, but the movement is growing every day. And with every stroke, we’re rowing toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.”