������������������������������������ 24 THURSDAY AUGUST 14, 2008 Chinese sailing weaning new stars Passionate, fast-learning youngsters I can become a professional and sailing athletes. I have a strong participate in the Olympics,” In July each year, 10 out- are working hard to become pros interest in sailing and said Zhang. standing young sailors go to Twelve-year-old Huang Shi- Kiel, a coastal city in northern I do hope someday hao, who is on the same team Germany, famous for its long By Guo Xin Zhang Lu, an 11-year-old girl, I can become a as Zhang, said "it’s so great seafaring history, to learn from and Huang Yanhong won third place in her age group — just like flying". German sailors. at last year’s Qingdao Aquatic professional and “I watch international sailing Over the past three years Sports Youth Sailing Competi- participate in the competitions on TV. My favor- the Qingdao Municipal Gov- QINGDAO: While top sailors from tion, an amazing performance Olympics. ite event is Yngling. I dream ernment has worked hard to all over the world compete to reach since at the time she had only of being one of the top sailing promote sailing among young- their Olympic dreams on Fushan trained for two months. ZHANG LU athletes,” said Huang. sters. Forty-two schools now of- Bay in Qingdao, local youngsters “As she ranked in the top three 11-year-old sailor There are many other young- fer courses in sailing, while 80 are working hard to become one after only two months, I must say sters who have developed a pas- yacht clubs have sprung up for of them in the future. Zhang Lu has a really good tal- sion for sailing in Qingdao. They elementary and middle school The boys and girls, mostly ent for sailing,” her coach Liu “She has become more outgoing study sailing at school and prac- students. There are more than elementary and middle school Yuanyuan told China Daily. and quick-minded,” said Liu. tice at sea over summer vacation. 2,000 young sailing enthusiasts students, spent almost all their In the beginning Zhang Zhang is determined to de- Many have turned in excellent in Qingdao, Liu said. school vacation at a summer learned sailing just for fun, velop into a star sailor one day. performances, with some chosen “The seas of Qingdao will camp to learn theories and but quickly found it rewarding. “I have a strong interest in by the Shandong Sailing Team, be the birthplace of famous More than 1,000 pupils sail OP boats in training in Qingdao. practice sailing skills. Others saw a change in her. sailing and I do hope someday soon to begin their careers as Chinese sailors,” Liu said. By Ju Chenghao Couple competes for different nations By Zhao Ruixue because he has already had Different cultural back- enough pressure due to people’s grounds usually result in fun high expectation of him. I just for the couple. QINGDAO: They are a couple, wish him the best.” “We laugh a lot because of the but they represent different Julien won the Mistral World differences in cultures.” countries at the Olympic sailing Championship in 2004 in Tur- Their happiness is apparent competition in Qingdao. key and took the bronze medal when Irina talks about her hus- Irina Konstantinova Bontemps, at the Qingdao International band. “If we have conflict, we try the only athlete representing Bul- Regatta last year. to find solution and often we fin- garia in women’s windsurfing, He is currently ranked fourth ish laughing, because Julien has a is clear — and relatively modest after four races in Qingdao. great sense of humor,” she said. — about her aims. Irina ranks 12th. But as Olympic competitors, “I am giving my best to move The couple will compete in they have to contribute much into the medal race. I would like their fifth and sixth races today. of their time to training and to finish in the top 10.” The two met at the European competition rather than being Her husband Julien Bontemps Championship in 2002 and four together. of France is more ambitious. years later windsurfing helped “Because the team is a group, “I am reasonably prepared them tie the knot. it is important to stay with my after more than a year’s train- “It is a big part of our life. We colleagues. We have to focus on ing in France. I am also mentally both love our sport and it is no competition,” Julien said. strong and I always keep the wonder that we have met during He is quite sure that he will stress low and motivation high. a competition. We are both crazy continue the fight in the next I can manage the board well, so I about windsurfing,” said Irina. Olympics, but Irina is wavering. have my chances,” Julien said. Though she is the only com- “We have to see how it goes. I “My aim is to win a medal,” petitor from Bulgaria in Qing- have to find a job. I quit my job he added. dao, Irina doesn’t feel lonely and a year ago, and now everything Even with her own competi- homesick but happy and lucky. is changing. It will be difficult tive stress, Irina is considerate “I’m lucky to be with Julien for me to be competitive again of her husband. “I don’t want to at these Games to share all the in my job. It is also like a com- put pressure on my husband experiences.” petition.” The men’s 470 fleet compete in tight races. Today they have a rest day. Ju Chuanjiang Fair days for meteorological system By Huang Yanhong Wang said the system is real time and forecast informa- three-dimensional using sat- tion on wind speed, visibility, ellites, weather radar and the tides and wave heights. QINGDAO: Athletes and coach- latest sea monitoring and land More than 70 experts work es say they are impressed with observational equipment. directly at the Olympic weather the weather services provided The Qingdao Meteorological service, including those from by the Qingdao Meteorological Bureau now has 143 automated the National Meteorological Bureau over the five days since meteorological stations provid- Center and bureaus from the Olympic sailing competition ing data every minute. Shanghai, Beijing, Shandong began. Its new-generation radar can and Anhui. Precise weather information scan a radius of 230 km every The Qingdao Meteorological can be obtained at any time. six minutes, greatly increasing Bureau is also linked through Data is updated every 10 min- its capability in short-range advanced telecommunication utes and released over radio, forecasting, especially in the systems with the Olympics television, mobile phones and event of disastrous weather meteorological offices in Beijing other media in both Chinese such as typhoons, heavy rains and Shanghai and other cities. and English. and hail. According to Lin Hang, head of According to Wang Xiaoyun, The system was tested as it the Qingdao Hydro-Meteorologi- director-general of Qingdao Me- provided hydro-meteorological cal Service Center for the Olym- teorological Bureau, the compre- data for the 2006 and 2007 pic sailing competition, high hensive forecasting system for Qingdao international sailing precision has been achieved in Breaking the waves the Olympic sailing event has regattas. calculating wind speed and Sailors of the women’s 470 round the mark. Today they have a rest day. Ju Chuanjiang reached the world’s top level. The system is now providing forecasting complex weather. Defending champion Ainslie extends Finn lead QINGDAO: Defending Finn of the two scheduled Finn races complete of the 10 in the series “A six-point lead is really advantage after a second place champion Ben Ainslie, chasing were completed. before Saturday’s medal race. nothing in these conditions... on Wednesday, two places better a third successive Olympic gold, The Yngling, Laser and Laser Two are scheduled for Thurs- so still a long way to go.” than Mandy Mulder, Annemieke extended his narrow advantage Radial classes also only man- day with organizers set to Railey was also relieved to Bes and Merel Witteveen. over nearest pursuer Zach Rai- aged just one race, although a rule if Wednesday’s postponed maintain his pursuit of Ainslie Australia’s Nathan Wilmot and ley to six points on a truncated full programme was completed eighth race will be staged. after a “disastrous first down- Malcolm Page extended their lead day at the Olympic regatta on in the 49er and 470 fleets. The Briton, gold medal winner wind” leg left him struggling in the men’s 470 to seven points Wednesday. Ainslie, like the rest of the fleet, in the Laser in 2000 before taking in mid-division. over France’s Nicolas Charbon- Light winds on a hazy after- was left frustrated as race officials the Finn title in Athens four years “I feel really fortunate to get nier and Olivier Bausset. noon in Qingdao meant just one waited in vain for the breeze to ago, finished second with Railey seventh,” he said. “It all went The Australian triple world pick up in late afternoon. seventh behind Croatia’s Ivan wrong.” champions, only 12th at Athens, “We left the dock at 11am so Kljakovic Gaspic on Wednesday. The British and Dutch Yngling have not won a race in Qingdao This special supplement is it’s been a good six hours on the “It could have been a lot worse. teams continued their battle for but been remarkably consistent co-published by the Infor- mation Office of Qingdao water,” a weary Ainslie said on In those conditions anything gold with five points separating with a worst finish of seventh in municipal government and returning to dry land.