East Lake in Wuhan hosts international regatta

Twelve rowing teams from the world's top universities are in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province to participate in the 2014 Graceful East Lake International Universities Rowing Regatta.

The heat wave couldn't stop the competition.

The one-day Olympic-style rowing regatta featuring teams of eight rowers was held on one of the most famous and ancient scenic spots in Wuhan -- the provincial capital's East Lake.

Teams from 12 universities, including Cambridge, Yale, and the University of Copenhagen and Shanghai Jiaotong University have all come with the hope of winning.

This is the second year the city has hosted the event, which attracted thousands of spectators.

After two heats, the men's team from the University of Amsterdam claimed victory; rowing the 800-meter course in 2 minutes 13 seconds -- just a half second ahead of Shanghai Jiaotong University. The Cambridge team came in third.

The women's event was won by the team from New Zealand's University of Otago. This is their second victory at the event. Organizers also staged a dragon boat race, folk performances and other cultural activities for the foreign competitors and local spectators.