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China won four gold and eight total medals at the 2026 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Qingdao, China. All medal events were raced on Tuesday, after Wednesday’s races were moved to Tuesday because of forecast adverse weather.
A total of 108 races were packed into over 10 hours of nonstop action according to World Rowing. Earlier in the regatta, originally scheduled to run October 18-21, multiple boats capsized in challenging surf conditions.
China won gold in the coastal under-19 men’s and mixed double sculls and in the coastal men’s solo and coastal under-19 women’s solo. China also won three silver medals and one bronze to top the medal table.
American Chris Bak, the most decorated athlete in Beach Sprint’s short history, lost to Australia’s Samuel Forbes in the quarterfinals of the men’s solo, one of three Beach Sprint rowing events making their Olympic debut at the LA2028 Games. China’s Jiayu Liu beat Forbes in the final.
The U.S. mixed coxed quad of bow Malachi Anderson, Charlotte Wiley, Audrianna Boersen, Chris Bak, and coxswain Coral Marie Kasden won the gold medal race over China.
