Great Britain has named its squad for the 2026 World Rowing Shanghai Sprints, and it’s a landmark moment for Leander with eight of the 11 selected athletes representing Leander. Leander continues to be the springboard to success on the GB team – shaping athletes who rise to the highest level.
The World Rowing Shanghai Sprints brings together 88 athletes from the eight top teams in the world, competing across six boat classes in a knockout regatta over a 500m, two-lane course in the heart of the city in September.
Eight Leander rowers have been selected:
- Hannah Scott (Leander Club / Bann RC)
- Eleanor Brinkhoff
- Heidi Long
- Harry Geffen (Leander Club / Yale)
- Cedol Dafydd (Leander Club / Bath University RC)
- Douwe de Graaf
- George Bourne
- Jack Tottem (Leander Club / Oxford University Boat Club)
World Champions George Bourne and Douwe de Graaf formed the stern pairing of the Men’s Four that electrified the Shanghai Water Sports Centre last summer. Their dominance has carried straight through the World Rowing Cup circuit and Henley Royal Regatta, where their unbeaten streak remains intact.
2024 Olympic Champion Hannah Scott added another gold at World Rowing Cup III and captured the Princess Royal Challenge Cup at HRR.
Cox Jack Tottem, a bronze medallist in Shanghai, will once again line up with Leander teammates Heidi Long and Eleanor Brinkhoff. Tottem and Long have returned to the Eight, claiming gold at World Rowing Cup III, while Brinkhoff has led the Women’s Four from stroke seat, earning bronze in Lucerne.
2025 world silver medallists Cedol Dafydd and Callum Dixon join Harry Geffen, who has spent the season in the Men’s Eight, securing silver medals in both Seville and Lucerne.
About the Shanghai Sprints
The World Rowing Shanghai Sprints is one of the sport’s newest high‑energy formats: short‑course racing in a dramatic city backdrop. It’s built to highlight speed, technical precision, and rapid decision‑making – qualities our athletes have refined over years of training on the Thames.
With tight racing windows, razor‑thin margins, and a global spotlight, Shanghai promises to be a compelling challenge for the GB squad.
Image thanks to British Rowing
