On the evening of August 24, the opening ceremony and start of the 2024 Shandong Port"Far East Cup" International Yacht Rally were held. Attending the opening ceremony and flag-granting ceremony were Vice Mayor Zhao Shengcun of the Qingdao Municipal Government, President Sun Lijie of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing City Development Promotion Association, General Manager Li Fengli of the Shandong Port Group, Director Cai Quanjì of the Qingdao Municipal Sports Bureau, General Manager Tan Peng of the Qingdao Tourism Group, Vice Presidents Zhu Yuetao and Jiang Jing of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing City Development Promotion Association, and Director Zhang Min of the Qingdao Sports Development Center, among other dignitaries.
The 2024 Shandong Port"Far East Cup" International Yacht Rally attracted over 140 athletes from seven countries including China, Russia, South Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Indonesia, who formed eight teams. According to the schedule, the participating yachts departed from Qingdao on August 25. The full route of the rally includes Qingdao (China), Vladivostok (Russia), Pohang (South Korea), Mokpo (South Korea), and back to Qingdao (China). The journey will take 26 days, with the closing ceremony scheduled for September 20 in Qingdao.
In the lead-up to the event, crew members arrived at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center to register and receive briefings on competition rules and maritime safety. During their free time, they explored various tourist attractions in Qingdao, tasted local beer and seafood, and experienced the city's charm.
Among the eight participating teams, notable mentions include:
·The Russian Seven Feet Sailing Team, which has won the"Far East Cup" International Yacht Rally five times consecutively.
·The Waltz Sailing Team and the Moscow Sailing Team, both from Russia.
·The Qingdao Sailing City Guizhou Xinyou Sailing Team, comprised of retired sailing athletes and coaches from the Shandong Provincial Sports Training Team.
·The Far East Cup International Women's Sailing Team, the first all-female team to participate in the"Far East Cup."
·The SailingIn Guangyuan Baiyang Combined Team, consisting of sailing enthusiasts and retired athletes from the United States, Indonesia, and China.
·The Tianyuan Investment Jumping Sailing Team, formed by sailing enthusiasts and professionals.
·The Pohang Sailing Team, sponsored jointly by the Pohang municipal government and POSCO, a prominent South Korean company.
During the race, the fleet will travel to Russia, where they will participate in port activities in Vladivostok and be part of the Eastern Economic Forum taking place in early September, promoting cultural exchanges between the participating countries and regions. On the return journey, there will be additional activities in Pohang, South Korea, including participation in the"East Sea Cup" organized by the Pohang municipal government, as well as a seminar on marine environmental protection in Mokpo, South Korea. The teams are expected to return to Qingdao around September 19.
This event is guided by the Chinese Yachting and Windsurfing Association and co-hosted by the Qingdao Major International Yacht Race (Festival) Organizing Committee, the Qingdao Municipal Sports Bureau, the Shandong Port Group Co., Ltd., the Qingdao Olympic Sailing City Development Promotion Association, and the Qingdao Tourism Group Co., Ltd. In recent years, the"Far East Cup" International Yacht Rally has become a Qingdao-branded international offshore yacht race, serving as a successful implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative. The race aims to strengthen sports and cultural exchanges in Northeast Asia, building a platform for cooperation in sports, culture, tourism, and trade between China, Russia, and South Korea. It not only fills the gap for long-distance yacht races in the Asia-Pacific region but also deepens Qingdao's reputation as a"Sailing City," enhancing the city's international image.