Qingdao Sailing Regatta

[Sir Rols]

QINGDAO, China, Aug 24, 2006 (AFP) - The world's best sailors have been left dazzled by China's quest for perfection in staging the first test event for the 2008 Olympics, however one vital element is missing -- the wind.

``This place is like a dream,'' Roman Budzinski, coach of Poland's windsurfing class, said this week during the international regatta at the picturesque coastal city of Qingdao 500 kilometers (300 miles) southeast of Beijing.

``I'm almost not sure if it is an illusion -- it is just an incredible place, one of the best I have seen.''

Denmark's Kristian Kjaergaard, a Laser class competitor who is aiming for his second consecutive Olympic appearance, had similar plaudits for the ultra-modern sailing venue.

``Everything is really perfect, both the organization and the facilities,'' said Kjaergaard, one of 460 world-class sailors from 41 countries racing in the 11-day event that began Monday.

Unlike the 2004 Games in Athens, which struggled with poor planning and last-minute completion of its facilities, the applause for Qingdao seems to bode well for the country's preparations for the 29th Olympiad in Beijing.

``They could hold the Olympics tomorrow,'' said Luissa Smith, communications director for International Sailing Federation (ISAF), yachting's governing body.

``We've never seen a facility built so fast and at such advanced stages of preparation and planning.''

The Qingdao Olympic sailing center was thrown up in just two years on the site of an old shipyard wharf.

Its 45 hectares (111 acres) gleam with glass buildings in sail-shape motifs and a harbor-side marina capable of docking 800 yachts.

The high-tech facilities have not come cheap, costing a total of 3.28 billion yuan (410 million dollars).

``I was fortunate to see the site in 1999 when Qingdao was a candidate city, and I can tell you that the plans that the Qingdao government presented were exceptional,'' said ISAF vice president David Kellet.

``They have delivered everything on time.''

Organizers have promised that by next June the venue will be completely finished including the Olympic village and a museum.

Concerns that China risked running aground when it came to the on-the-water complexities of getting 300 boats racing on the Yellow Sea also seem to have been assuaged.

``The race organization is good, there have been no mistakes and that is usually an enormously good sign,'' said Matthias Schmid, Austria's number one-ranked skipper in the 470, the men's double-handed dinghy class.

China held only its second major international dinghy regatta last year when it hosted the Europe class world championships in Rizhao, about two hours south of Qingdao by car.

The 2001 world title for the Optimist class, a popular children's racing boat, was the first held in Qingdao.

But no amount of planning, hard cash or cutting-edge technology has been able to dispel one consistent worry -- Qingdao's persistent lack of breeze at this time of year.

``It is our first time here and we find the conditions very hard, very technical. It's very choppy, with very little wind,'' said Benjamin Bonnaud, 25, skipper of France's number one-ranked 470 team.

``But that is why we're here, to see the place and see the conditions,'' added Bonnaud, who will stay in China to prepare for the 470 world championships next month in Rizhao.

Elizabeth Tan, a crew member on the women's 470 team from Singapore, echoed the sentiments of Bonnaud and many other sailors.

``In these conditions every move requires a lot of planning. More wind would really be good,'' she said.

Before the racing ends here on August 31, China will have embarked on its second Olympic test event, a week-long softball tournament in the Chinese capital that begins on Sunday.

AFP

Edited August 24, 2006 by roltel

[micheal_warren]

great stuff there is over 40 test events before the games but it is great to get the test events under way as it is just over 700 days before the games!

[baron-pierreIV]

great stuff there is over 40 test events before the games but it is great to get the test events under way as it is just over 700 days before the games!

China would have to. It's being forced to confront, understand and stage a number of western sports (read 'aristocratic' sports -- like yachting, the modern pentathlon, the equestrian events) that were anathema to their classless, commie culture in all those Red Guard years.

[Guardian]

Over at Cascais, Portugal, the sailing qualifications for Beijing 2008 takes place.

Link: IOC: Sailing Toward Beijing

Men's 470 Fleet

Men's RS:X Fleet

IOC Member from New Zealand: Barbara Kendall. This picture was taken at Sydney 2000

Edited July 12, 2007 by Guardian

[micheal_warren]

New Zealands Barbara Kendall is currently in 2nd place. Looking to qualify for her fifth olympic games! She won Gold in 1992, Silver 1996, and Bronze 2000. She finished 5th in 2004...

[Filipe_Golias]

New Zealands Barbara Kendall is currently in 2nd place. Looking to qualify for her fifth olympic games! She won Gold in 1992, Silver 1996, and Bronze 2000. She finished 5th in 2004...

She finished second after today's medal race.

[micheal_warren]

She finished second after today's medal race.

fantastic result for barbara kendall! She is a fanstastic sports woman and will be one of the favourites for Olympic Glory next year.

[Filipe_Golias]

The ISAF Sailing World Championships Cascais 2007 have ended today. Here are the results:

470 (men two-person dinghy):

1) AUS - Nathan Wilmot/Malcolm Page

2) NED - Sven Coster/Kalle Coster

3) ISR - Gideon Kliger/Udi Gal

470 (women two-person dinghy):

1) NED - Marcelien de Koning/Lobke Berkhout

2) FRA - Ingrid Petitjean/Nadège Douroux

3) GBR - Christina Bassadone/Saskia Clark

49er (open skiff):

1) GBR - Steve Morrison/Ben Rhodes

2) AUT - Nico Luca Ma Delle Karth/Leopold Resch Nikolaus

3) AUS - Nathan Outtridge/Ben Austin

Finn (open heavyweight dinghy):

1) ESP - Rafael Trujillo

2) NED - Pieter Jan Postma

3) SLO - Gasper Vincec

Laser (men's one-person dinghy):

1) AUS - Tom Slingsby

2) NZL - Andrew Murdoch

3) EST - Deniss Karpak

Laser Radial (women's one-person dinghy):

1) BLR - Tatiana Drozdovskaya

2) FIN - Sari Multala

3) GER - Petra Niemann

RS:X (men's windsurfer):

1) BRA - Ricardo Santos

2) POL - Przemyslaw Miarczynski

3) GBR - Nick Dempsey

RS:X (women's windsurfer):

1) POL - Zofia Klepacka

2) NZL - Barbara Kendall

3) AUS - Jessica Crisp

Star (men's keelboat):

1) BRA - Robert Scheidt/Bruno Prada

2) FRA - Xavier Rohart/Pascal Rambeau

3) GBR - Iain Percy/Andrew Simpson

Tornado (open multihull):

1) ESP - Fernando Echavarri/Anton Paz

2) BEL - Carolijn Brouwer/Sebastien Godefroid

3) NED - Mitch Booth/Pim Nieuwenhuis

Yngling (women's keelboat):

1) GBR - Sarah Ayton/Sarah Webb/Pippa Wilson

2) USA - Sally Barkow/Carrie Howe/Deborah Capozzi

3) GBR - Shirley Robertson/Annie Lush/Lucy MacGregor

[Guardian]

Thanks for the results, Filipe_Golias. It will be interesting on how these sailors will do at Qingdao next year. By the way, how much of the water body's surface area was needed to host the event?

[Filipe_Golias]

Thanks for the results, Filipe_Golias. It will be interesting on how these sailors will do at Qingdao next year. By the way, how much of the water body's surface area was needed to host the event?

I don't have official data but, from what I could measure, the 5 race courses were limited to an area of about 15 square miles.

[micheal_warren]

Two silver medals and 5 crews within the top five at the world champs. Very promicing results in the lead up to beijing! After failing to win a sailing medal in Athens for the first time since 1980 New Zealand has renewed confidence of success in beijing

[Guardian]

I don't have official data but, from what I could measure, the 5 race courses were limited to an area of about 15 square miles.

15 square miles, huh? That helps big time for starters because I could never get that kind of answer, since I became a member here 7 years ago.

[Filipe_Golias]

15 square miles, huh? That helps big time for starters because I could never get that kind of answer, since I became a member here 7 years ago.

Well, I remind you it's not an official figure; I just saw the race course map and estimated the area limits. But it does gives an idea. These championships were planned to have a much more compact racing area than 4 years ago in Cadiz.

Anyway, I've read somewhere that Australia is already bidding for the 2011 edition.

[Guardian]

Well, I remind you it's not an official figure; I just saw the race course map and estimated the area limits. But it does gives an idea. These championships were planned to have a much more compact racing area than 4 years ago in Cadiz.

Anyway, I've read somewhere that Australia is already bidding for the 2011 edition.

That is why, Felipe, it seems that "huge and well-known world cities" with a coastline or close to a coast to major bodies of water seem to be winning bids for the Olympic Games lately. After Atlanta, we get the likes of Sydney to London so far. Will 2016 be any different? I don't think so.

Edited July 14, 2007 by Guardian

[Filipe_Golias]

Besides China, which has a default entry in all 11 sailing classes, Great Britain is the only nation that has managed to qualify for every class, all during this year's ISAF World Championships.

France, Germany and the United States have qualified for 10 classes.

[micheal_warren]

Besides China, which has a default entry in all 11 sailing classes, Great Britain is the only nation that has managed to qualify for every class, all during this year's ISAF World Championships.

France, Germany and the United States have qualified for 10 classes.

New Zealand has qualified in 8 out of the 11 classes!

[Fox334]

Canada qualified 7 boats, which isn't bad at all, but our best finish was a seventh place. It seams wining a sailing medal in Beijing could be a long shot...

[Filipe_Golias]

Canada qualified 7 boats, which isn't bad at all, but our best finish was a seventh place. It seams wining a sailing medal in Beijing could be a long shot...

We got 5 out of 7 classes, with four top 10ers and two 4th places ( 1 point from bronze in 470 ). Portugal hasn't won an Olympic sailing medal since a bronze in Atlanta.

[Guardian]

Latest IOC article, regarding the sailors that have or will try to qualify for Beijing 2008. This time, the next Olympic qualifier will test the Qingdao venue itself next month.

Link: IOC: From Cascais To Qingdao

IOC member Barbara Kendall in action

And as a silver medalist at Cascais

Would you like to be here?

Robert Scheidt of Brazil coming toward you

[Filipe_Golias]

The 2007 Qingdao International Regatta was held during August 9-24, serving as the pre-Olympic test event.

Results:

49er

1) Stevie Morrison/Ben Rhodes (GBR)

2) Iker Martinez/Xabier Fernández (ESP)

3) Peter Hansen/Soren Hansen (DEN)

Men's 470

1) Nathan Wilmot/Malcolm Page (AUS)

2) Nick Rogers/Joe Glanfield (GBR)

3) Álvaro Marinho/Miguel Nunes (POR)

Women's 470

1) Elsie Rechichi/Tessa Parkinson (AUS)

2) Ai Kondo/Naoko Kamata (JPN)

3) Ingrid Petitjean/Nadege Douroux (FRA)

Finn

1) Ben Ainslie (GBR)

2) Pieter Jan Postma (NED)

3) Peer Moberg (NOR)

Laser

1) Paul Goodison (GBR)

2) Rasmus Myrgren (SWE)

3) Maciej Grabowski (POL)

Laser Radial

1) Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)

2) Jo Aleh (NZL)

3) Evi van Acker (BEL)

Men's RS:X

1) Tom Ashley (NZL)

2) Yuan Guo Zhou (CHN)

3) Julien Bontemps (FRA)

Women's RS:X

1) Bryony Shaw (GBR)

2) Alessandra Sensini (ITA)

3) Jessica Crisp (AUS)

Star

1) Robert Scheidt/Bruno Prada (BRA)

2) Hamish Pepper/Carl Williams (NZL)

3) Xavier Rohart/Pascal Rambeau

Tornado

1) Roman Hagara/Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT)

2) Darren Bundock/Glenn Ashby (AUS)

3) Xavier Revil/Christophe Espagnon (FRA)

Yngling

1) Sarah Ayton/Sarah Webb/Pippa Wilson (GBR)

2) Renee Groeneveld/Annemieke Bes/Marije Kampen (NED)

3) Ekaterina Skudina/Diana Krutskikh/Natalia Ivanova (RUS)

Medal table:

01. GBR | 5 1 0 | 6

02. AUS | 2 1 1 | 4

03. NZL | 1 2 0 | 3

04. AUT | 1 0 0 | 1

04. BRA | 1 0 0 | 1

04. USA | 1 0 0 | 1

07. NED | 2 0 0 | 2

08. CHN | 0 1 0 | 1

08. ESP | 0 1 0 | 1

08. ITA | 0 1 0 | 1

08. JPN | 0 1 0 | 1

08. SWE | 0 1 0 | 1

13. FRA | 0 0 4 | 4

14. BEL | 0 0 1 | 1

14. DEN | 0 0 1 | 1

14. NOR | 0 0 1 | 1

14. POL | 0 0 1 | 1

14. POR | 0 0 1 | 1

14. RUS | 0 0 1 | 1

[Guardian]

Just before Great Britain hosts the 2012 Olympic Games, I guess, in this sport, they want to make their intentions known there next year.

[Rob2012]

It all bodes very well indeed.