This year's regatta accompanied by sailboard races

The China National Windsurfing Championships will be hosted by Zhuhai for the first time this Nov 11 to 20. Jiuzhou Holdings Group, the sponsor, said the competition will be held concurrently with the National Sailing Championship 2017.

More than 500 national windsurfers and sailors are expected at the International Maritime Cultural Center & Regatta Service Center and Haibin Beach.

The sailboard events are: Men's and Women's RS:X, and Men's and Women's T293. More than 200 windsurfers have already registered, ready to out-surf all competitors to be crowned winners in a competition where China has had some success.

Zhang Xiaodong of Qingdao in Shandong Province claimed a silver medal at the Barcelona Summer Olympics back in 1992, becoming the first Asian medalist in the sport.

Hosting the event is of great significance to the growth of sea sports and Zhuhai's ocean economy, especially its leisure tourism sector, said a government official.

2016 National Windsurfing Championships [Photo courtesy Xinhua News Agency]

Meanwhile, reflecting its important role in aquatic sports, Zhuhai will continue as host venue for China's largest and highest-level sailing competition.

Nearly 300 Chinese sailors, both as individuals and teams, will compete at the National Sailing Championship 2017 in five Olympic-level events. They are the Men's and Women's 470 (double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centerboard, Bermuda rig, and center sheeting) classes, Men's Laser, Women's Laser Radial (one-person dinghy), and Men's Finn (one-person heavyweight dinghy).

Held annually since 2011, the competition is a springboard to international levels and a stepping-stone for the selection of Olympics team members. This will be the second year in a row that Zhuhai has hosted it.

Local officials hope the events will cultivate elite surfers and sailors as well as boost local enthusiasm for sea sports.

The championships are sponsored by the China Water Sports Administration and Zhuhai government. The Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau and Jiuzhou Holdings Group will organize them, with Jiuzhou Navigation Culture responsible for their representation to the public.