Games venues

The Xiangshan Asian Games Sailing Center and the Banbianshan Beach Volleyball Center - venues for the 2022 Asian Games that were scheduled to be held in Hangzhou,Zhejiang, from Sept 10 to 25, but were deferred until next year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic -are located in Xiangshan and provide a broad platform for the development of marine sports activities.

"Along the coastline, Xiangshan has been building several marine sports areas and each area is developing in its distinct way," said Zheng Yi, deputy director of Xiangshan county bureau of culture, radio, television, tourism and sports.

Many competitions are being organized in the Songlan Mountain area, which is home to the Asian Games Sailing Center and serves as the training base for provincial sailing and windsurfing. A marine culture-themed water park has been built in the Damu Bay area there;sailing and yachting are available for visitors in the Dongdan area;and the Banbianshan area is building itself into a resort hub by integrating sightseeing, sports and lodging.

Although the Asian Games were not held this year, the sailing and the beach volleyball venues in Xiangshan have been opened to the public.From July to August, youth sailing summer camps were held, during which students learned sailing dinghies, and played beach volleyball and beach football.

A seaside basketball court at the sailing center held a related sports event during the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in September,as part of the "youth and sea" program. A series of activities, such as basketball games, music gigs, night markets and sailing exhibitions,were also organized.

Shi Jingbo, an official of the Xiangshan county's Asian Games Office,said the activities featuring elements of fashion and sports will also motivate Xiangshan's night economy.