Local teams face stiff competition in latest sailing trials

The Zhuhai-nurtured Jiuzhou Cup Blue Route Sailing Championship got underway on Nov 21 with several Zhuhai teams facing some of the country's best. Battles run through Nov 24 in the wake of the 2017 China National Windsurfing & National Sailing championships.

The International Maritime Cultural Center & Regatta Service Center off the coast of Xianglu Bay is the event base. Waterways around Jiuzhou Port and Yeli Island are also awash with windsurfers and sailors. The two venues, as well as Haibin and Lingjiaozui beaches, provide the best viewing points, according to Jiuzhou Navigation Culture, the organizer.

Unlike the just-ended national-level championships which accepted only professional sportsmen and women, the local contest is made for skilled amateurs.

More than 100 enthusiasts in 19 teams are competing in the FAREAST 28R class. They are from locations across the country such as Shanghai, Fujian, Hainan, and Guangdong provinces as well as foreign countries including the United States and Italy.

Opening ceremony [Photo by Zhu Xi / Zhuhai Daily]

Liu Guanghui, previously renowned throughout China as a sailor, and now secretary-general of the Guangzhou Yachting Association, is making a high-profile comeback.

Vying for top honors are Italy's Silver Wind which has experience in the Round Hainan Regatta, a Xiamen sailing club that won the 2012 Taihu Cup Regatta in Wuxi and the 2016 Xichang (Qionghai) International Sailing Competition, and the Lighthorse from Hong Kong. Just as eager to win is a team representing Qingdao of Shandong Province, the sailing capital of China.

Three Zhuhai teams are hoping to win glory for the host city. Among them, Haiyun Sailing Team is the first in Zhuhai to be composed of amateurs while the Blue Sky has extensive tournament experience.

The competition is sponsored by Jiuzhou Holdings Group, which is a driving force for a healthy sports industry in Zhuhai. Sailing, representing health, recreation, and economic progress, is being crafted into yet another of many calling cards, announced a city official.