Victoria Harbour swim: champions retain titles, Shenzhen visitor calls event an honour
Shen Tingxie and Nie Zhiyan defended their titles at the 2026 Victoria Harbour swim. A 60-year-old Shenzhen tourist described the event as an honour, noting mainland China lacks similar water trials. A 14-year-old debutant focused on learning rather than ranking.
The 2026 Victoria Harbour swim was held on the morning of 15 November, with the competitive race starting at 7:30 am. Shen Tingxie and Nie Zhiyan successfully defended their titles in the men's and women's categories respectively.
Shen Tingxie won the men's race for the seventh time, completing the course in 15 minutes and 35 seconds. He said the placement of the navigation buoys was ideal and the water temperature was comfortable. He rated his performance as passable, noting that he had been ill before the race and was not able to compete at his best.
Nie Zhiyan won the women's race in 16 minutes and 55 seconds. She described her condition as ideal, said her opponents were stronger this year, and added that the on-site instructions were clearer than last year.
A 14-year-old swimmer made her debut in the competitive category. She stressed that her goal was to learn rather than to achieve a high ranking, so she felt no pressure. She noted that swimming in the harbour was different from training in a pool.
A 60-year-old Shenzhen tourist took part in the leisure category. She described the Victoria Harbour swim as a special event and said it was an honour to participate. She noted that many different types of outdoor competitions in mainland China do not require a water trial. Another participant said that last year the harbour currents were faster, making this year's swim feel easier.