"Marine Formula 1" Launched in Sailing City of Qingdao

-The Exciting 2017 Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 2 Qingdao "Mazarin Cup" Starts

QINGDAO, China, April 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 28, the 2017 Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 2 Qingdao "Mazarin Cup" opened in Qingdao, China. As one of the only five events to be granted "Special Event Status" by World Sailing, Extreme Sailing Series™ went to Qingdao, the "Sailing City" for the seventh time this year.

As the second act of the 2017 season, Qingdao attracted nearly 40 sailors from seven international sailing teams including Alinghi from Switzerland, Land Rover BAR Academy from Great Britain, Oman Air from Oman, Red Bull Sailing Team from Austria, SAP Extreme Sailing Team from Denmark, etc. The sailors represent 9 nations, boasting between them: 4 gold medals from 10 Olympic campaigns, 18 America's Cup campaigns, 8 Atlantic crossings, 21 world championship titles, 25 European championship titles and 96 National championship titles. The return of strong teams and the participation of new teams made this event keenly anticipated. In this event, the legendary figures of the America's Cup, the Olympic heroes and many world champions were all here to compete with each other. Among them were Arnaud Psarofaghis, the head of the two-time America's Cup winning team, Pete Greenhalg, an Extreme Sailing Series veteran, Ed Smyth, a three-time America's Cup and five-time Sydney-Hobart headsail trimmer, and Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher, the double Olympic gold medal-winning Austrian duo.

According to Mr. Ji Gaoshang, Director General of the Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Sports, the 2017 Extreme Sailing Series continued to take place during the May Day Holiday. Sailors from different teams put on excellent performances in Fushan Bay on the hydro-foiling GC32 catamarans. During this event, diversified activities were carried out including the Optimist sailing performance, exchange between sailing celebrities and sailing school students, remote-control boat show, so as to promote the deep integration of sailing sport with such industries as culture, tourism, conventions, economy and trade. In addition, the CEIBS 24-Hour Elite Challenge in Qingdao was also launched, integrating the experience of the beautiful landscape in the Qingdao World Horticultural Exposition Garden and the brand advantage of the Olympic Sailing City. A new brand of sporting events featured by hills and sea was thus created. Under the leadership of the government and funded by the public, a series of market-oriented activities themed Happy Sports Show with local characteristics were organized in Qingdao. With mutual benefits and win-win results, these activities helped foster a market for the folk sports brand performance in urban communities.

Sailing is a unique feature of Qingdao, where the modern and contemporary sailing and windsurfing as well as other marine leisure sports originated. Madam Zang Aimin, Executive Vice President of Qingdao Olympic Sailing City Development Association; Vice President of Qingdao Major International Sailing Events (Festivals) Organizing Committee had a lot to say about the promotion of Qingdao's brand as the Sailing City. She said that in recent years, Qingdao had successively held the Sailing Competitions of 2008 Beijing Olympics, Sailing World Cup, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, Volvo Ocean Race and Extreme Sailing Series^TM. In addition, Qingdao had carried out many sailing popularization activities such as Promoting Sailing in Schools and Welcome on Board to popularize sailing among students and citizens. Taking Qingdao as a leading city of sailing sport in Asia, the World Sailing granted Qingdao the Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Development of Sailing Sports in the World. As a city built by the sea and prosperous due to the sea, Qingdao carried out the event of Qingdao-China Sailing on the 21^st Century Maritime Silk Road based on its geographical advantages and uniqueness. Starting from the Arctic Ocean, "Qingdao-China" sailed through the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, completed half of the "Global Village", and created a world record of the multi-person non-stop navigation along the Northeast Passage of the Arctic Ocean. What's more, the 21^st Century Maritime Silk Road - 2016 "Far East Cup" International Regatta was also successfully held in Qingdao, building a sailing platform for exchanges among China, Japan, South Korea and Russia in sailing, culture, economy, trade, etc.

In Qingdao, the popular annual Qingdao International Sailing Week·Qingdao International Marine Festival is known as the biggest special sailing festival in Asia. Two important activities of this festival are Qingdao International Optimist Training Camp& Regatta and Qingdao International University Students Sailing Training Camp. Over 300 youth sailors from more than 10 countries and regions such as Australia, Italy, USA, Ukraine, Singapore, Japan and South Korea, and over 100 students from top universities like Peking University and Tsinghua University have participated in the Camp.

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