By Nick Mulvenney
QINGDAO, China (Reuters) - The first official test event for the 2008
Olympics got underway on Monday afternoon when a fleet of boats sailed out into
the Yellow Sea to begin competition in the biggest regatta ever held in China.
The Qingdao International Regatta was opened by Beijing organizing
Committee President Liu Qi in a ceremony on Sunday evening, just under two years
before the Games start in the Chinese capital on August 8, 2008.
Pre-competition concerns about a lack of wind at the purpose-built venue in
the Eastern Chinese port city were eased a little by a fair breeze which set the
flags around the harbor fluttering on Monday morning.
"We will have difficulties in August as the wind speed, sea current and
tide range are adverse to holding an top level international regatta," Qingdao
mayor Xia Geng told a news conference at the weekend.
"Despite this, we are confident our technical staff will find solutions."
Other concerns for the organizers were China's complete lack of any
tradition in sailing as a sport and the inexperience of all concerned in dealing
with a top level event with nearly 500 competitors in more than 300 boats.
"During the past three years, Qingdao has done its utmost to deal with the
challenges," Xia added.
"We have tried our best to publicize sailing and sent many staff to study
abroad."
The impressive 3.28 billion yuan facility, built from scratch over the last
two years, has yet to be completed and what will be the athletes' village is
still a concrete shell.
The consensus of opinion among those who witnessed preparations for the
2004 Athens Games, however, is that Qingdao is well ahead by comparison.
"Essentially, these guys could hold the Olympics tomorrow," said one
International Sailing Federation (ISAF) official.
A new format for the Olympic sailing competition adopted by the ISAF last
year is being used at the regatta and features a medal race aimed at providing a
climax to each of the 11 events.
The second test event for the 2008 Games this year is the world softball
championship, which starts in Beijing on Sunday.
