Sail The Seas This Weekend: Beijing Sailing Regatta

All hands on deck: Beijing Sailing Center will hold its July regatta this weekend, July 20-21, at its base in Qinhuangdao. Eight teams of three sailors per boat will race Omegas, with the top three taking home prizes. Fees apply, contact 400 180 0107 or sailing@beijingsailing.com to register, space is limited.

For those surprised by the idea of a Beijing regatta, don't be. In a Beijing word-association game, “landlocked” will certainly make an appearance before “wet.” However, as the home of perhaps the country’s largest outdoor community, active Beijingers are always interested to try new sports, including those that take them onto – or even into – water. Both the local sailing and scuba diving
communities participate regularly in their chosen passions, and probably much closer to the city center than might be expected.

Aofan Sailing Club
Host to the rowing and canoeing events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, this refurbished venue is home to Aofan Sailing Club, a professional sailing club aimed at “[promoting] and [encouraging] the sport of sailing in China, whilst providing the perfect environment to share the experience with friends and family.” The name “Aofan” is a combination of the Mandarin words for “Olympics” (aoyunhui) and “sail” (fan).

Four types of boats are available for rent: the Optimist, a small boat ideal for ages six to 14; the Far East 11, a one-person boat; the OMEGA Monomer, and the WATA Catamaran, which hold four and five to six people respectively,
including a coach.

A variety of courses and memberships are available for individuals as well as families. Sailboats can be rented by the hour or day (ranging from RMB 120-600 per hour to RMB 500-1,800 per day), while memberships (ranging from RMB 3,500-6,000 for a family, plus certification training) are valid for the entire season. Coaches cost an additional RMB 150-300 per hour. Membership is the more economical choice once you’ve given sailing a try and have decided you enjoy the thrill. Inside Beijing Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park, 19 Zima Lu Shunyi District (5949
4599) 顺义区白马路19号奥林匹克水上公园内

Beijing Sailing Center
For purists who insist that sailing should be, like, on a real sea or something, located 90 minutes from Beijing by train, the Beijing Sailing Club provides a range of dinghy sailing boats to suit all abilities and age groups, from Optimists for kids fun, Topper Topaz for adult learners through to the Topper Omega for spinnaker and trapezing experience. Qualified English and Chinese instructors offer weekend courses for those wanting to gain experience (RMB 1,900) and the one-hour Sailing Experience (RMB 240) is a gentle introduction to dinghy sailing and features of each sailing boat. Beijing Sailing Center also organizes and participates in regattas both in Qinhuangdao and other locations. Beijing Sailing Center, 22 Wenti Road, Harbor District, Qinhuangdao, Hebei 0335 8362045. 河北秦皇岛市文体路22号游艇俱乐部院内北京航海中心.

Photo: Panoramio.com