Olympics 2008 Sailing : Will China Sailing Team Grab Gold?

Sailing as a sport began in China in 1978 and developed rapidly. More than 20 provinces, cities and regions now plan to start sailing competitions. Although there is still a long way to go for China's 470 and Tornado-class sailors to catch other world-class teams, the Olympics provides the Chinese athletes a great opportunity to learn.


As the host, China is directly qualified to enter all 11 sailing events. Sailors competing in Yngling, 49er and Finn events were selected from Qingdao.
The Chinese team also has gold medal chances in men's and women's windsurfing and the Laser Radial sailing class.


Ben Ainslie of Britain (L) and Zhang Peng of China competing in Finn class sail upwind during the first race of the sailing competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Qingdao, Shandong province,August 9, 2008. (Above)

Women's windsurfer Yin Jian won a silver medal at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. Determined to give her best performance at home, Yin has been training hard.

Laser Radial competitor Xu Lijia, currently ranked second in the world by the International Sailing Federation, is another one leading China's bid for a sailing gold.

Young and talented, Xu won the 2006 Laser Radial World Championships and took a silver medal at the 2008 Worlds. World No 1 Anna Tunnicliffe of the United States and Tania Elias Calles Wolf of Mexico are Xu's strongest rivals.

Tiantai is a local Qingdao team that is representing China in the Yngling event. It won third and sixth place respectively in the 2006 and 2007 Qingdao International Sailing Regatta.

To prepare for the Games Wang Yong, coach of the team, invited foreign coaches to help the athletes improve their skills and strategy.

Experts also gave psychological guidance to bring out a top-notch performance.

"We undertook physical training and studied competition rules in the morning, and went out on the water in the afternoons to familiarize ourselves with the venue," said Song Xiaqun, a competitor with the Tiantai team.

China has taken first place many times in the Asian Games. The women's windsurfing team has won five world titles. China won two silver medals in Barcelona in 1992 and the same in Athens four years ago - but never a gold.

According to this report by the China Daily, lets wait and watch if China grabs gold! Read more...

Goa To Hold Windsurfing National Championship

Starting tomorrow the GOA yachting association has organized a windsurfing national coastal championship off Cidade de Goa from May 14-18.


Speaking to mediapersons today, GYA President Cezar Menezes said around 20 windsurfers from all over the country will participate in the championship, sponsored by Cidade de Goa. The winners of the regatta will be awarded the trophy. The event will kick off on Wednesday with a practice race at 1530 hours.


The championship will comprise of 12 races, in which sailors will get points in the order in which they finished the race. The sailors with the least number of points at the end of the series will be awarded the Cidade De Goa Trophy.


Meanwhile, the Goa Yachting Association will also organise the optimal zonal coastal championship 2008 off Cidade de Goa for children Under-16 in optimist class of sailing dinghy from May 14-18. About 35 children from 5 clubs in Mumbai, one each in Chennai and Goa will participate in the championship. Special prizes will be awarded to sailors Under-12. A regatta fleet of beginners will race separetely. The event will consist of eight races.
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