An important sailing event in Qingdao – Sailing World Cup Qingdao 2016

QINGDAO, China – Zhang Dongshuang, a 26-year-old girl, participated in the races of Sailing World Cup 2016 for the fourth consecutive year. Known as “the next Xu Lijia” of the Chinese sailing team, she hopes to earn more international credits through this event so as to make it into the top ten on the world sailors list.

 

After 2016 Rio Olympics, the first Olympic-Class sailing event in the world is held in Fushan Bay of Qingdao, China. More than 100 brilliant young sailors from 25 countries and regions haven taken part in the event, including Tonci Stipanovic from Croatia, a Laser silver medalist of 2016 Rio Olympics; Pavlos Kontides from Cyprus and Mária Érdi from Hungary, Laser silver medalists of 2012 London Olympics; and Finn Lynch, the youngest sailor of Rio Olympics and the youngest Olympic sailor in Irish history. Sailors from across the world have come all the way to China hoping to gain experience through this Sailing World Cup and prepare themselves for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

 

Sailing World Cup is a top-class sailing event of World Sailing, and the sailors’ performance can to some degree influence their places on the world sailors list. Until now, many world-renowned sailing cities have hosted the Sailing World Cup including Melbourne of Australia, Miami of America, Weymouth of Britain, and Kiel of Germany. To increase the global influence of sailing sport, World Sailing decided to add a Sailing World Cup stop in Asia from 2013. By great infrastructure and natural conditions, rich sailing competition experience, solid mass foundation of sailing sport, and the reputation in the international sailing community, Qingdao has stood out and successfully hosted four sailing world cups in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Carlo Croce, World Sailing President said that for Qingdao to hold the first few Sailing World Cups in Asia will promote the development of sailing sport in China, and that Qingdao will become a leading sailing city in Asia having hosted many major international sailing events.

 

Qingdao, a beautiful coastal city in northern China, became a spotlight in the world for its sailing sport in 2008 Beijing Olympics. In the following 8 years, it has hosted International Extreme Sailing Series, Sailing World Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, Qingdao International Sailing Week, Qingdao International Marine Festival, and City Clubs Open Regatta. Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center has thus become the Olympic venue used most frequently after the Beijing Olympics. Mr. Antonio González de la Madrid, Sailing World Cup Manager, has come to Qingdao for many times, and he has much to say regarding Qingdao’s changes over the years, “Qingdao’s good water conditions are great for holding sailing competitions. Besides, Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center is at the center of the city featuring developed business and numerous sails and masts, which is great for citizens to watch sailing competitions. What’s more, Qingdao Organizing Committee can recruit many excellent volunteers for each sailing event who have provided great help during these events.”