Home » City specials » Qingdao
City on the crest of an ocean wave
By Yao Minji |
April 8, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
YACHTS and mountains share their reflections in the crystal clear ocean waters at Qingdao - one of the most pleasant cities in China.
The host city for sailing events at the Beijing Olympics, Qingdao has taken advantage of the status to attract much more international attention.
Its Olympic Sailing Center has become the newest landmark in the city which, learning from international sailing attractions such as German's Kiel, is advancing steadily on the road to build a "sailing city."
Qingdao recently announced it was to be holding the 2010 Qingdao International Sailing Week from August 21 to 29. The nine-day event coincides with the last week of Qingdao International Beer Festival so visitors can appreciate the city's two specialties at the same time.
Major events during sailing week will include the Olympic Sailing City Mayors and International Sailing Summit Forum 2010, the 2nd Mayor's Cup International Sailing Regatta (Dalian?Qingdao), 2010 Qingdao International Sailing Regatta and 2010 International OP Class Sailing Camp and International Optimist Sailing Regatta. Sailing training camps and a Sailing Sports Open Day are also expected to attract the general public during the week.
The main base for the week's activities is the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, built close to the ocean, and free to the public.
It is quite common to see hundreds of people along the long and twisting coastline at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center to count and appreciate the dozens of national flags from countries that attended the Beijing Olympics. It is one of the best places in China to watch water sport, especially sailing.
On a normal day, all kinds of yachts and cruises with colorful logos spot the sapphire colored ocean. More boats and people are expected during large events, such as international events like the Volvo Ocean Race and Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. Both started to include Qingdao as one of the stops around the world in recent years. The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race just left the city in early March. The Qingdao yacht, featuring a red dragon, finished third on round six from Singapore to Qingdao.
"The trip was extremely difficult for a rookie like me, the most difficult time in my life. But it has also made me strong and brave. I don't think there's anything ahead in life that will frighten me in the future," says Tang Zhen, a reporter from the Qingdao Evening News.
He was one of two reporters who went with the Qingdao yacht for the 18 days of round six. From the first day, the captain told them they would be used as ordinary sailors. He even had to tie himself to the bed with ropes in order not to fall out in rough weather.
Sailing has not only made Qingdao known internationally but has also popularized the sport with Chinese people, who used to consider it a game for the rich.
"Sailing does not necessarily require a lot of expenditure. We have tried our best to popularize the sports by offering boats at all sizes, venues and training facilities. The effect is quite apparent as it has become popular in the city in just a few years," says Lin Zhiwei, chairwoman of the Qingdao Branch of China Sports Federation. She is also the organizer of the Sailing Week in August.
Lin is proud of the "2008 One Thousand Sails Entering the Campus" project that she organized to raise enough money to buy 1,000 yachts for students in the city to get a taste of the sport.
Qingdao now has 64 sailing schools and 74 teenage sailing clubs and has organized four teenage training camps. The city has also started a system of sailing certificates for teenagers at three levels and more than 2,000 of them have been awarded certificates so far.
The host city for sailing events at the Beijing Olympics, Qingdao has taken advantage of the status to attract much more international attention.
Its Olympic Sailing Center has become the newest landmark in the city which, learning from international sailing attractions such as German's Kiel, is advancing steadily on the road to build a "sailing city."
Qingdao recently announced it was to be holding the 2010 Qingdao International Sailing Week from August 21 to 29. The nine-day event coincides with the last week of Qingdao International Beer Festival so visitors can appreciate the city's two specialties at the same time.
Major events during sailing week will include the Olympic Sailing City Mayors and International Sailing Summit Forum 2010, the 2nd Mayor's Cup International Sailing Regatta (Dalian?Qingdao), 2010 Qingdao International Sailing Regatta and 2010 International OP Class Sailing Camp and International Optimist Sailing Regatta. Sailing training camps and a Sailing Sports Open Day are also expected to attract the general public during the week.
The main base for the week's activities is the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, built close to the ocean, and free to the public.
It is quite common to see hundreds of people along the long and twisting coastline at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center to count and appreciate the dozens of national flags from countries that attended the Beijing Olympics. It is one of the best places in China to watch water sport, especially sailing.
On a normal day, all kinds of yachts and cruises with colorful logos spot the sapphire colored ocean. More boats and people are expected during large events, such as international events like the Volvo Ocean Race and Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. Both started to include Qingdao as one of the stops around the world in recent years. The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race just left the city in early March. The Qingdao yacht, featuring a red dragon, finished third on round six from Singapore to Qingdao.
"The trip was extremely difficult for a rookie like me, the most difficult time in my life. But it has also made me strong and brave. I don't think there's anything ahead in life that will frighten me in the future," says Tang Zhen, a reporter from the Qingdao Evening News.
He was one of two reporters who went with the Qingdao yacht for the 18 days of round six. From the first day, the captain told them they would be used as ordinary sailors. He even had to tie himself to the bed with ropes in order not to fall out in rough weather.
Sailing has not only made Qingdao known internationally but has also popularized the sport with Chinese people, who used to consider it a game for the rich.
"Sailing does not necessarily require a lot of expenditure. We have tried our best to popularize the sports by offering boats at all sizes, venues and training facilities. The effect is quite apparent as it has become popular in the city in just a few years," says Lin Zhiwei, chairwoman of the Qingdao Branch of China Sports Federation. She is also the organizer of the Sailing Week in August.
Lin is proud of the "2008 One Thousand Sails Entering the Campus" project that she organized to raise enough money to buy 1,000 yachts for students in the city to get a taste of the sport.
Qingdao now has 64 sailing schools and 74 teenage sailing clubs and has organized four teenage training camps. The city has also started a system of sailing certificates for teenagers at three levels and more than 2,000 of them have been awarded certificates so far.
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