Home » City specials » Qingdao
Creating an international sailing hub
By Ni Yinbin |
August 28, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
QINGDAO'S successful hosting of Olympic Games sailing events in 2008 demonstrates its expertise in organizing big events. Now it plans to bid for the 2014 Sailing World Championships. Ni Yinbin charts the course.
Qingdao will bid for the 2014 Sailing World Championships as part of the city's efforts to become an international capital of sailing.
The announcement was made this week by Zang Aimin, a member of the municipal Party standing committee of Qingdao.
The Qingdao Yachting Association will apply to the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) before October 15, according to the association's official website.
The ISAF has announced the schedule of the bidding process. In January next year the federation will hear statements from cities intending to bid; each will make a two-hour presentation.
The decision on the 2014 competition will be made by the ISAF executive committee in February next year, based on advice of its Evaluation Commission.
David Kellett, vice president of ISAF, welcomed Qingdao's decision to bid during the 2010 Qingdao International Sailing Week from August 21-29. He said the city had the experience to organize large sailing events, as it hosted the sailing events in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Zang said the city's short-term development target was to become a world-famous water sports center in Asia. Hosting International Sailing Week was part of the campaign, and it included the 2010 Olympic Sailing City Mayors and International Sailing Summit Forum on Sunday.
More than 200 representatives from more than 20 countries and regions participated, including the International Sailing Federation, International Federation of Disabled Sailing and the European Sailing Federation, as well as mayors or vice mayors from eight Olympic sailing cities. They included Kiel of Germany, Brest of France, Southampton of the UK and Busan of South Korea.
In the forum titled "Dancing Sails, Eternal Blue," experts discussed sustainable development of Olympic sailing regattas in host cities and trends in international sailing events.
Zang said the forum would establish a platform for cooperation and development among international sailing sports.
"Based on this platform, Qingdao will work with other Olympic cities and coastal cities to explore comprehensive and multi-level exchanges and cooperation, and jointly promote the development and popularity of sailing," said Mayor Xia Geng in opening remarks.
At the forum, the Qingdao Declaration for International Sailing Activities was issued to promote the sports worldwide.
"With the impetus of modern Olympic Games, we see sailing is increasingly popular in coastal countries and regions," the declaration said.
"Large-scale sailing events such as the America's Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race, the World Match Racing Tour and the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race have far-reaching global influence. Sailing sports has become one of the most passionate and dynamic water sports and a significant bond of international sport cultural exchanges as it enhances cooperation and friendship."
The declaration emphasized the importance of nurturing young sailors, especially in developing countries.
"We call on capable countries and regions to carry out persistently the popularization of sailing knowledge and events for young people, to improve the planning and infrastructure and to create a better environment by establishing junior sailing clubs, specialized schools and training camps."
It called for more cooperation in sailing exhibitions, tourism and manufacturing technology.
"Asian countries and regions, in particular, should be encouraged to host more international sailing events popularize sailing. More technical and personnel guidance and support should be provided to Asia to make the continent with 30 percent of the world's land and 60 percent of the total population a center of global sailing sports."
As another highlight of the sailing week, the 2010 Qingdao International Junior Training Camp Regatta, ended last week. Around 300 junior sailors and 100 coaches from around the world took part from August 15-22.
Participants communicated with legendary sailors, such as Sir Robin Knox-Johston, the first person to sail single handed and non-stop around the world; Peter Gilmour, president of World Match Racing Tour; and Zhai Mo, the first Chinese who finished single-handed unpowered sailing around the world.
At the OP class competition at the end of the camp, Zhu Peng and Jiao Yaxue, both from Jiangsu Province, won the men's and women's championships.
Qingdao will bid for the 2014 Sailing World Championships as part of the city's efforts to become an international capital of sailing.
The announcement was made this week by Zang Aimin, a member of the municipal Party standing committee of Qingdao.
The Qingdao Yachting Association will apply to the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) before October 15, according to the association's official website.
The ISAF has announced the schedule of the bidding process. In January next year the federation will hear statements from cities intending to bid; each will make a two-hour presentation.
The decision on the 2014 competition will be made by the ISAF executive committee in February next year, based on advice of its Evaluation Commission.
David Kellett, vice president of ISAF, welcomed Qingdao's decision to bid during the 2010 Qingdao International Sailing Week from August 21-29. He said the city had the experience to organize large sailing events, as it hosted the sailing events in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Zang said the city's short-term development target was to become a world-famous water sports center in Asia. Hosting International Sailing Week was part of the campaign, and it included the 2010 Olympic Sailing City Mayors and International Sailing Summit Forum on Sunday.
More than 200 representatives from more than 20 countries and regions participated, including the International Sailing Federation, International Federation of Disabled Sailing and the European Sailing Federation, as well as mayors or vice mayors from eight Olympic sailing cities. They included Kiel of Germany, Brest of France, Southampton of the UK and Busan of South Korea.
In the forum titled "Dancing Sails, Eternal Blue," experts discussed sustainable development of Olympic sailing regattas in host cities and trends in international sailing events.
Zang said the forum would establish a platform for cooperation and development among international sailing sports.
"Based on this platform, Qingdao will work with other Olympic cities and coastal cities to explore comprehensive and multi-level exchanges and cooperation, and jointly promote the development and popularity of sailing," said Mayor Xia Geng in opening remarks.
At the forum, the Qingdao Declaration for International Sailing Activities was issued to promote the sports worldwide.
"With the impetus of modern Olympic Games, we see sailing is increasingly popular in coastal countries and regions," the declaration said.
"Large-scale sailing events such as the America's Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race, the World Match Racing Tour and the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race have far-reaching global influence. Sailing sports has become one of the most passionate and dynamic water sports and a significant bond of international sport cultural exchanges as it enhances cooperation and friendship."
The declaration emphasized the importance of nurturing young sailors, especially in developing countries.
"We call on capable countries and regions to carry out persistently the popularization of sailing knowledge and events for young people, to improve the planning and infrastructure and to create a better environment by establishing junior sailing clubs, specialized schools and training camps."
It called for more cooperation in sailing exhibitions, tourism and manufacturing technology.
"Asian countries and regions, in particular, should be encouraged to host more international sailing events popularize sailing. More technical and personnel guidance and support should be provided to Asia to make the continent with 30 percent of the world's land and 60 percent of the total population a center of global sailing sports."
As another highlight of the sailing week, the 2010 Qingdao International Junior Training Camp Regatta, ended last week. Around 300 junior sailors and 100 coaches from around the world took part from August 15-22.
Participants communicated with legendary sailors, such as Sir Robin Knox-Johston, the first person to sail single handed and non-stop around the world; Peter Gilmour, president of World Match Racing Tour; and Zhai Mo, the first Chinese who finished single-handed unpowered sailing around the world.
At the OP class competition at the end of the camp, Zhu Peng and Jiao Yaxue, both from Jiangsu Province, won the men's and women's championships.
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