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CHINA TEAM trains in Hong Kong for the 32nd Americas Cup


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CHINA TEAM trains in Hong Kong for the 32nd America's Cup

CHINA TEAM, the Chinese syndicate for the 32nd America's Cup, will sail this week-end in Hong Kong. In association with the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, five races will take place between IFC Tower and the old and famous HK Airport, Kai Tak, Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 March, from 10 am to 4.30 pm.

They will take place on two Maxi 76: Jelik and Borokay. The boats belong to Franck Pong, a well know Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Member who is putting the two boats at CHINA TEAM’s disposal. 16 sailors will be on board during the Hong Kong regattas. The crews will comprise CHINA TEAM sailors, Chinese trainee sailors and Franck Pong's full-time crew.

CHINA TEAM trains this week in Shenzhen, with 15 Chinese sailors on four match-racing boats from the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. The Sailing Camp is organized in association with the Chinese Yachting Association. It aims to select and identify sailors to join CHINA TEAM for the forthcoming America's Cup regattas in Valencia, Spain (May and June 2006). Nine of them will be part of CHINA TEAM crew for the Hong Kong regatta this week end.

For Pierre MAS, CHINA TEAM Skipper, these regattas are a unique opportunity to see the skills of the Chinese sailors on big boats.

 "On board an America's Cup Class boat, each sailor has a very precise role and very specific tasks to carry out. Some are grinding, some are on the bow, some are trimming, some are doing tactics, etc. All these positions require specific skills and knowledge. It is important to see how the Chinese sailors with whom we are sailing with this week will evolve on big boats. The Maxi 76 are, in a way, similar to ACC boats. It will be a great help to understand the potential of the sailors and to determine those we can bring with us for the May and June Louis Vuitton Acts in Europe".

CHINA TEAM sponsors will also be part of the show. Tag Heuer and Lladro will encourage the CHINA TEAM sailors on the water from the support boats, but also on the sailing boats. SIEPA, a CHINA TEAM BUSINESS CLUB member, will also take part in the event.

CHINA TEAM is the first Chinese syndicate ever in the history of the America’s Cup. It was established in March 2005, in a partnership between a group of Chinese entrepreneurs led by WANG Chaoyong, President of China Equity Investment, and the French organisation LE DEFI which took part in the two previous America’s Cup (Semi-finalist in 2000, Quarter-finalist in 2003). China Team represents the Qingdao International Yacht Club, city host of the Olympic sailing in 2008. 

This project was established in close collaboration with the CHINESE YACHTING ASSOCIATION (CYA). CHINA TEAM and the CYA organise the recruitment and the selection of Chinese sailors and will develop sailing and racing in China for the next two America’s Cup.

The goal of China Team is to integrate talents and make the most of its accumulated experience to build a high profile and innovative team. CHINA TEAM is working towards the future to become a stronger player in the arena of the America’s Cup. 

Source: CHINA TEAM/Remi Villard