2021 Hobie Open Regatta Weihai China has set sail
by Hobie Open Regatta Weihai China/ Derek Wang 30 Sep 2021 04:25 PDT
2021 Hobie Open Regatta Weihai © Hobie Open Regatta Weihai China / Derek Wang
The dusk of September 27th found Weihai cloudy and drizzling, but it didn't stop the sailors' passion for sailing and love for this beautiful city.
The City of Weihai is the host of a number of international sailing events, including Hobie International Championship, Hobie Asian Championship and Hobie Asia-Pacific Championship.
This year, while the globe is still fighting the pandemic, the Weihai Sports Bureau and the Chinese Yachting Association hosted the race with the highest safety measures and only local participants invited.
Over the weekend, 31 teams from 14 cities, including Beijing, Guangxi, Jilin, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Qingdao, locked horns with each other in Weihai, China.
Due to the bad weather conditions, the race committee had to cancel the last four races on the third day. After eight races of intense competition on the first and second day, Xiao Yu Wang and Dan Li from Dalian High-Tech Club, managed to bring the Open Category trophy home.
Since its first appearance in China 10 years ago, the Hobie 16 Catamaran has gained its popularity here, being currently number one among sailing fans and professionals. "When I first experienced the Hobie 16, I had a totally different experience from bigger boats, because it required more technique and different operation. Also, it is very easy to sail", Hui He, the champion of the women's fleet said.
Weidong Liu, the Secretary General of the Chinese Yachting Association shared, "I am very impressed to see Weihai hosting this event. Athletes from different cities in China all come to Weihai and participate in the race. HOBIE 16 is one of the most popular public sailing classes internationally. So, in the future, while more and more catamaran events will take place in Weihai or in other cities, the sailing market and popularity will get bigger in China."
Ambitious Weihai is inviting athletes from around the world to join the next international sailing race, travel around the city and taste fish dumplings!