In a historic display of grit and excellence, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Rowing Club has made waves on the world stage by securing medals against some of the most prestigious rowing powerhouses, including Harvard, Cambridge, and Munich University, at the Ulsan World Class University Rowing Festival.

Competing against universities long synonymous with rowing tradition and dominance, NUS proved that Singaporean athletes can match — and surpass — the very best. This achievement not only cements NUS Rowing’s place among the global elite but also signals a new era for competitive rowing in Singapore and Asia.

"We went into the competition as the new kids on the block - the unknown underdogs. It was certainly daunting to be competing against universities with established high-calibre crews on a world stage, especially because some of our members have done less than a year of rowing. 

However, with some experienced NUS Alumni in our team and the faith we had in our training supported by Singapore head coach OLY Jake Milton Green, we remained focused on the abilities of our crew. Rowing is a sport where the focus within a crew is one of the most crucial components of speed. Across nine gruelling races, we not only managed to maintain that focus but excelled and proved to upset previously dominant teams. I couldn't be prouder of what we managed to accomplish. We aim to set the bar even higher next year!” - Vihaan Jaswal, Captain of the NUS Rowing Club

The win highlights NUS Rowing’s growth and underscores their commitment to fostering world-class student-athletes capable of competing alongside the most established rowing programs worldwide.

About NUS Rowing Club
Established in 2023, NUS Rowing is Singapore's first ever collegiate rowing club. With the vision of being Singapore's most competitive club, NUS Rowing aims to provide rowers of all backgrounds - from complete novices to professionals - the best possible training, equipment, opportunities, progression and community. Through a culture of sportsmanship, teamwork, and resilience, we strive to nurture skilled athletes but also well-rounded individuals. As pioneers of varsity rowing in Singapore, we are committed to raising the standard of the sport while building a legacy that inspires future generations.

In the summer of 2025, we had the honour of hosting German rower, Mr Olli Zeidler, at our humble training ground - Pandan Reservoir.

Our rowing community was noticeably in awe of the World and Olympic champion, who was doing his Henley Regatta preparations on our choppy waters.  

Mr Zeidler, who spent a month in Singapore for his IMD Business School Master's Programme, was joined by Ms Sofia Meakins, Swiss rower and Olympian, who joined the National Team ladies for a water session in the double scull. Mr Zeidler and Ms Meakins engaged deeply with the rowing community in Singapore, even joining the NUS Rowing Club for dinner at Lau Pa Sat, where they shared their rowing experiences. 

Together with the rowing community, we have compiled a list of questions for Mr Olli Zeidler:

Rowing in Singapore
Q: What are your impressions of the rowing scene here at Pandan Reservoir?
A: I’m impressed by the dedication of the local rowing community, especially given the heat and difficult conditions. There’s a clear passion for the sport, and it’s great to see it in this part of the world.

Q. What’s it like rowing at Pandan Reservoir compared to the venues you typically train at in Europe? How would you rank Singapore against the other venues?
A: Pandan is very different: warm, humid, no straight buoylines and a shorter length, but it's a unique challenge and with a few changes a good place to prepare for the LA 1500m racing. While it may not match the natural beauty and professional setup of places like the Rotsee or my home course in Munich, the fast and tricky water make it a solid training venue.

Q: What has surprised you the most about rowing in Singapore?
A: Like everywhere in Singapore, the people are very nice, the rowers were super supportive and motivated to train, which is great to see as rowing is a sport that is not that well known world wide but obviously builds a strong community. 

Q:. What are your thoughts on other forms of rowing, like beach sprint, coastal rowing or even sweep? Would you venture into those forms?
A: I like the tradition of rowing and that’s why I will stick to the flat water rowing but watch the developments of the other sports closely, even if I doubt that I will ever compete in the new formats as I am already one of the older generation now

Q. ⁠Is there a message you'd like to share with the rowing community in Singapore?
A: I really enjoyed my time with you and hope to be able to come back when your new center is built.

Questions from the rowing community
Q: What is your diet during racing weeks? (Patrick Heuberger, 50yo)
A: I try to eat less fat and only food that gives me a light feeling and is easy to digest. Very basic oat meals, pasta/rice and protein are the foundation of my race week diet

Q. What does your race preparation look like? (M, 28yo)
A: Each season I try to peak towards world champs, so I want to be able to race 4 times 2k as efficient and fast as possible over one week. This is exactly what I practice in training, a lot of high intensity 2k trainings with different tactics to stress my body and mind in different ways to be prepared for what’s coming up in the regatta

Q: How long do you think you will continue to row? (M, 28yo)
A: I think that the Olympics 2028 will be one of my last if not the last race

Q. Who do you think has the best rowing stroke and why? (Tim Glover, 55yo)
A: Sverri Nielsen had a very nice rowing technique, he was very clean and powerful through his stroke. I admired how he made the boat go fast and challenged me even if he was a lot smaller athlete than me

Q. What kind of psychological/mental strategies do you use to push through, during high intensive training on the ergo and water? (Neil Vijayan, 21yo)
A: I always try to focus on my race plan or the training plan. Having a clear plan in mind through the session is a good anker. Setting motivational milestones in the way make the distance or time shorter. Everything what distracts your from the pain is helpful but the mental aspect is also very individual, so my tactics might not work out for everybody

We would like to thank Mr Olli Zeidler for taking the time to answer our questions, and we look forward to watching you at your next races!

The Civil Service Club recently held its 2025 edition of the Public Service Sports and Family Day, its annual event for all civil servants. The event, held on 26 July 2025, featured indoor rowing as part of its inter-agency team games, in addition to pickleball, tchoukball, and dodgeball. 

The indoor rowing challenge, led by Olympian & National Rower Joan Poh, saw great success as we introduced Concept2 slides. Rather than having the teams move on a fixed machine, the slides gave an on-water rowing experience, and the teams could row together on the ergometers. This is the first time Singapore has seen an indoor rowing challenge with slides. 
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“It was incredible to see the energy and enthusiasm from the teams — some of whom were trying rowing for the first time! By introducing the Concept2 slides, we brought the rhythm and teamwork of on-water rowing into an indoor environment. This is more than just a workout; it’s a sport that builds connection, resilience, and trust. I’m excited to see indoor rowing take off in Singapore as both a fitness and community activity.” – Joan Poh, Olympian & National Rower

Apart from planning for the indoor rowing challenge, tryout and training sessions were available for the teams. The teams could experience indoor rowing with the slides while receiving coaching from professionals like Ms Pamela Leow, who is a World Rowing Level 1 and Strength and Movement Coach (MSc).

A total of 6 organisations participated in the indoor rowing challenge: Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health, Civil Service College, Government Technology Agency of Singapore, and Sport Singapore. 
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The challenge featured a Men’s Team Relay (4 males), a Women’s Team Relay (4 females), and a Mixed Team Relay (2 males, 2 females). 4 ergometers were set up on slides, and each team rowed a combined distance of 1000m in synchronicity, where it’s the ultimate test of team work and team effort — no one could simply spin off on their own. To put it simply, there could be no star rower!

The ergometer cable will extrapolate the wattage produced by each rower on the machine, and the timings were computed. Through a round robin system, we ranked the teams according to the number of wins. Congratulations to the following winners of each category!

Women’s Team Relay
Champion: Ministry of Home Affairs
2nd: Civil Service College
3rd: GovTech (1)
4th: GovTech (2)

Men’s Team Relay
Champion: Ministry of Health
2nd: Ministry of Home Affairs (2)
3rd: Ministry of Defence (1)
4th: Ministry of Home Affairs (1)

Mixed Team Relay
Champion: Ministry of Home Affairs
2nd: Ministry of Defence
3rd: Ministry of Health (1)
4th: Ministry of Health (2)

Thank you to the Civil Service Club for this opportunity to share our wonderful sport, and we are certain that this challenge will be a trailblazer for Singapore to see more indoor rowing events with slides.

We would also like to thank Mr Desmond and Mr Goh Tua Soon for being our point of contact, and to our dedicated volunteers: Ms Lim Jia Yan (Former Rower), Mr Paul Ong (Member of Easter Rowing Club), Ms Pamela Leow (Strength and Movement Coach), and Ms Jasmine Poh (Participant at the last Singapore Indoor Rowing Championships).
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For anyone out there looking for a recreational or competitive activity, we have you covered! Sign up for our Learn-to-row programme, and we will show you why rowing is one of a kind. If you are only looking to venture into indoor rowing, do mention it in the Learn-to-row form under “Anything you'd like to ask or share with us?” 

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