Sanya, July 1, 2023  China Family Sailing Race Sanya station opened at Haihong Square, Tianya District, Sanya City. This competition is one of the Hainan Aquatic Sports Season series events. There are a total of 42 family teams from 26 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin participating in the HobieT1, T2 groups. 40 schools are taking part in the sailing knowledge quiz group, and 8 schools are participating in the sailing painting and handicraft group, with a total of 819 contestants. This competition is the southernmost venue of the 2023 China Family Sailing Race and the first time it returns to Sanya after three years.

The opening ceremony fully integrated local characteristics and sailing culture. The young people from Li ethnic minority performed their ethical dances – bamboo pole and water drum dance, fully demonstrating the charm of Li culture, bringing visual and auditory enjoyment to the audience and sailors. The audience and sailors waved the national flag, sang the national anthem, and celebrated the 102nd anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China together, and the resounding singing echoed across the field. Afterwards, the OP sailing boat symbolizing sailing enlightenment drove into the main stage, and the guests attending the opening ceremony signed their names on the clean sail surface to send blessings for the future development of sailing sports for teenagers and the public in Sanya.

Deng Chaoye, Deputy Secretary-General of the Sanya Municipal People’s Government, said: “We hope that this event will promote Sanya to become the intersection of sailing sports in various cities and become a gathering place for national sports leisure tourism projects. Utilizing Hainan’s unique water natural resources conditions to attract more people to participate in sailing sports and create a carnival of water sports.”

Xie Qiuxiong, Director of the Mass Sports Department of the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Film and Sports, said: “Facing with new development opportunities, Hainan is striving to build a new platform connecting people and the ocean, and cities and tourism. We hope that more and more people can participate in sailing through this platform, feel the charm of sailing, and hope to take this opportunity to promote sailing as a bright card of sports tourism in Hainan Province.”

Zhang Xiaodong, chairman of the China Sailing and Windsurfing Sports Association, said: “The China Family Sailing Race, as the first national sailing competition in which families as the participating units, has attracted more and more families to play the sport over the past five years. It has made huge contributions to the strategy of a healthy China and a strong sporting nation. We look forward to empowering more families to experience the charm of sailing sport and the joy of family sailing through this competition, and to enjoy the high-quality weekend time with family members.”

The scenery of Sanya Bay in July is picturesque, with the golden light shining on the sea under the breeze of the coconut wind. KwokChin-Yaufrom the Hong Kong ChinYau team said: “I love sailing very much. This is the first time I have brought my spouse and children to Sanya to participate in the family sailing race. I hope my children can develop an interest through participating in sailing competitions and be addicted this sport like me. The Family Sailing Race has a unique competition design that participates as a family unit. This concept is awesome. While competing, I think the atmosphere is more important. Whoever has the most fun and who is the happiest is the champion.”

The Jintaohao 1 and Jintaohao 2 from Shandong are two competing teams formed by one family. The father and younger daughter form team one, and the mother and older daughter form team two. The father, Qi Kai, said: “My spouse and I are both retired sailing athletes. We used to compete together often. This is our third time participating in the Family Sailing Race, and the first time we’ve come to Sanya. When we were athletes, we had no chance to compete against each other. This time, we want to have a family competition with our two daughters. My older daughter doesn’t understand the principles of sailing very well, but she can independently sail a boat. My younger daughter is still a fresh learner though. The Family Sailing Race is a test of family members’ coordination and a joyous vacation.”

Wu Qiang, the Asian Windsurfing Championship champion, watched the competition as a guest this time. Wu Qiang said: “Sanya has unique natural resource advantages and is very suitable for the development of sailing sport. I am very optimistic about the future of sailing sport development in Sanya. Sanya can use the competition as an opportunity to introduce sailing into more schools, more families, and more communities. I look forward to seeing every family having fun at sea and feeling the happiness brought by sailing.”

It is worth mentioning that, to ensure the safety of the competitors, the organizing committee of the competition organized several pre-competition training sessions and targeted practice to improve the skills of different participants. To let more people participate in the event and experience the culture of sailing sports, the host of the event has innovatively set up activities for sailing knowledge, sailing painting, sailing handicrafts, and sailing photography, attracting thousands of school students in Sanya and nei neighbors to know the sport. Children used their many paintings and handicrafts with the theme of “Family Sailing Race” to spread warmth and joy.

The host of the event has prepared tropical fruits the local specialty of Hainan and white sand De Xingyuan green tea for each family. Considering the hot weather on the field, the committee has also purposely prepared heatstroke prevention pills and toolkits,including colorful umbrellas, small fans, sunblock, as well .

The opening ceremony was attended by Zhang Xiaodong, the chairman of the China Sailing and Windsurfing Association, Xie Qiuxiong, the director of the Department of Mass Sports of the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Broadcasting, and Sports, Deng Zhaoye, deputy secretary-general of the People’s Government of Sanya City, Hu Bo, deputy secretary-general and Minister of Strategic Development of the China Sailing and Windsurfing Association, Han Jingteng, the minister of the Youth and Media Department of the China Sailing and Windsurfing Association, Zhang Mengdi, the Minister of the Marketing Department of the China Sailing and Windsurfing Association, Yang Yuting, deputy director of the Sanya City Bureau of Tourism, Culture, Broadcasting, and Sports, Cao Lei, a principal staff member of the Department of Mass Sports of the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Broadcasting, and Sports, Fu Jianjie, the director of the Tourism, Culture, Broadcasting, and Sports Bureau of Tiantai District, Sanya City, Jin Juan from China Duty Free Group Sanya Duty Free Shop Co., Ltd., Jia Dan, the president of the Sailing and Windsurfing Association of Sanya City, and Wu Qiang, the champion of the Asian Windsurfing Championship.

This event was organized by the China Sailing and Windsurfing Association, Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Broadcasting, and Sports, and the People’s Government of Sanya City, hosted by the Bureau of Tourism, Culture, Broadcasting, and Sports of Sanya City, the Sailing and Windsurfing Association of Sanya City, and co-organized by the Tourism, Culture, Broadcasting, and Sports Bureau of Tiantai District, Sanya City. The event was supported by China Sports Lottery, Hainan Province Sailing Association, China Duty Free Group Sanya Duty Free Shop Co., Ltd., China Resources C’estbon Beverage (China) Co., Ltd., HOBIE – Official Boat Sponsor of China Family Sailing Race, and Shenzhen Hongjindi Sports Brokerage Co., Ltd.