CIBS Asian Marine & Boating Awards at Four Seasons, Shanghai

by Alistair Skinner, AMBA Media on 10 Apr 2010 The ‘great and good’ of the Chinese boating industry gathered in the Four Seasons Hotel Ballroom in Shanghai on Thursday evening for the Louis XIII-sponsored China International Boat Show (CIBS) Gala Dinner to honour the winners of the Inaugural Asian Marine & Boating Awards. The combination of a quality venue and a quality sponsor ensured that it was – undoubtedly – a great success and an evening to remember.

With categories including sail boats, motor boats, Clubs, events and equipment, winners came from across the whole spectrum of the boating world. Key to the awards process was the fact that it was not a pre-condition of consideration that the nominees were advertisers with any particular media group nor, had to exhibit at the China International Boat Show. The judges came from a combination of the marine industry, water sports and leisure marine media.

The evening was hosted by Cathy Cui with co-hosts Simon Pickering, a seasoned marine industry professional with 8 years of experience in China, and Alistair Skinner, founder of the first grass roots sailing club in China and President of 4 Dragons Marine.

In addition to the main Asian Marine & Boating Awards, there were also awards made to the 10 marinas considered to have the ‘most potential’ by the publishers of the Hurun Report - who are co-sponsors of the show - along with a series of ‘loyalty awards’ for companies that have supported CIBS since its early days.

This is the 15th Annual China International Boat Show, and it is hard to believe that it started all those years ago in an underground car park! This is also the last year that the CIBS will be seen at the Shanghai Convention Center on Nanjing West Road in downtown Shanghai.

Next year the Show will move to a brand new site across the river in what will be - in three weeks time - the Shanghai World Expo site. With the Expo theme being “Better City, Better Life” there can be no better venue going forward for a Boat Show than this.

The award categories and winners of the inaugural Asian Marine and Boating Awards are as follows:

Asian Boating Capital of the Year, Qingdao
Yacht Club of the Year, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club
Most Eco Friendly Marine Business of the Year, OZ Marine
Best Motor Yacht Under 40’, Sea Ray 310SDA
Best Motor Yacht between 40' to 75', Azimut 70
Best Motor Yacht Over 75', Ferretti 881
Best Brand Penetration Improvement in Asia , Fairline
Best Yacht Designer (of a yacht in Asia) of the Year, Mark Mills
Asian Regatta of the Year, Phuket King's Cup
Most Innovative Company, McConaghy Boats
Best Fishing Boat of the Year, Pama 48
Best Day Boat (dinghy/sportboat etc), J/80
Best Sailing Yacht Under 45’, Beneteau 40
Best Sailing Yacht Over 45’, Hanse 545