OLYMPICS/ Qing dao
Athletes poised for 2007 Regatta
By Shan Dong (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-09 11:20
QINGDAO: The breeze is blowing, the sun is shining and sails are set.
The 2007 Qingdao International Sailing Regatta, the last test event before the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition, begins today.
Since the beginning of the month, sailors from around the world have converged on East China's coastal city to familiarize themselves with conditions off the Yinhai International Yacht Club, a marina close to the Olympic Sailing Base.
The formidable British squad, inspired by medal finishes at last month's ISAF Sailing World Championships off Portugal, are looking forward to more success in Qingdao.
"Probably every single member of the team can win a medal at any championship, so normally 50 percent or 60 percent can do well and get the results," Sydney Olympics gold medalist Iain Percy told China Daily.
"We are the only country to qualify for every boat place in every class for the Olympics."
Compatriots Iain and Andrew Simpson won bronze in the Star class of the recent Worlds.
The 18-member French team aim for even better results than last year when they won medals in eight of 11 events,
Athens gold medalist Faustine Merret is the star of the team. She also won gold in the women's RS:X at last year's event in Qingdao.
Other sailors have also vowed to impress.
Krystal Weir, a Laser Radial sailor from Australia, said she expected to finish in the top five or even better.
"The wind here often changes direction and there is too much tide, but now I am more familiar with the sea conditions," the current world No 5 who placed 12th in last month's Worlds said.
Weir is anticipating tough competition from American veteran Paige Railey and China's 2006 world champion Xu Lijia.
"They are my friends and also my competitors in the regatta and the Olympics," she added.
Altogether 18 Chinese competitors will vie for medals.
Place getter in the 2006 Laser Radial Worlds Xu Lijia, Athens silver medalist and bronze winner at the 2006 regatta Yin Jian and Men's windsurfing star Zhou Yuanguo will represent the home side.
Chinese competitors bagged a gold, two silver and a pair of bronzes at last year's event.
"Although we are competing at home, the water and wind conditions are same to everybody since they are unpredictable," Xu told China Daily.
The tournament has also attracted 15 Spanish sailors including five Olympic and world champions: Athens gold winners in the 49er class Iker Martinez and Xavier Fernandez, 2007 World Tornado class champions Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz, and reigning World Finn class champion Rafael Trujillo.
|
