QINGDAO: The ongoing test event for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Sailing events is running more smoothly than expected, according to various sources so far, but Qingdao is able to do better in another test event next August and more importantly for the Games in two years time, Qingdao Mayor Xia Geng, told China Daily yesterday, in Qingdao, in East China`s Shandong Province.

"The best is still ahead," the mayor said with confidence.

The 2006 Qingdao International Sailing Regatta, from August 18-31 , is drawing attention from all over the world, as it is a test event not only for Qingdaobut for Beijing, in holding a successful Olympics in 2008.

To date all the competitions set for the regatta are progressing smoothly and the battle is heating up for sailors to further move down the scoreboard.

Those who witnessed preparations for the 2004 Athens Games, say that Qingdao is well ahead. "Never before has an Olympic Organizing Committee been so far advanced in preparing the venue, and we can already see that this will be a magnificent competition," David Kellett, ISAF Vice-President for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition, said at the opening ceremony.

"This venue in Qingdao is unsurpassed, compared to any sailing venues in past Olympic host cities. Essentially, Qingdao could hold the Olympics tomorrow," said David Tillett, Jury Chairman of the regatta, also Chairman of the Jury at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Mayor Xia expressed that he was satisfied with the preparation work.

"We are grateful for the credit we have received on our work, especially when we are representing China in making a good start to the Olympics in 2008," said the mayor.

"For any country in the world it is almost a miracle to have turned a polluted deserted dockyard into this beautiful sailing venue today within two years, when we were not only confronted with the mammoth dockyard relocation, but also a major environmental cleanup of the harbor`s filthy waters that had been badly polluted."

As to the formula for a successful regatta, the mayor has cited three major characteristics during the construction process of the venue.

"We have dedicated the 2008 Olympics to the spirit of sunshine, green and conservation."

The mayor further explained that the sunshine principle has been seen throughout all the fair and transparent bidding projects for the venue`s construction, with careful research and examinations involved in the centre`s design.

According to the mayor, Qingdao Olympic Sailing Centre is especially excels in its layout design. "I have been to many cities that have held Olympics or other world-renowned sailing events, and I think Qingdao`s venue is the best. For example, athletes have easy access to the launching ramp instead of having to travel a long way like in Athens."

The "green" concept has been embodied in the latest high-tech seawater filtering, as well as the use of wind and solar power for heating systems and street lights.

The 3.28 billion yuan (US$410 million) input into the venue, including half for dockyard relocation, is collected through marketing .

"It is costing taxpayers nothing. Moreover, most of the venue`s facilities have been defrayed to private investors who have formed a consortium to develop the marina and the adjacent sites. For example the athletes` sub-village is going to be used as a five-star hotel after the 2008 Games."

"We are confident post-Olympic plans will pay off," the mayor continued.

Responding to some problems emerging in the past few days, Xia said the organizing committee would do a better job in areas of security, venue logistics and selection of volunteers in the future.

"We have thousands of people offering to help even though we only need 600 volunteers. However we are still short of maritime helpers, who are required to have excellent English speaking skills, sailing knowledge and most importantly, don`t get seasick," the mayor smiled.

In holding the Games, the mayor is thrilled that the overall quality of citizens in Qingdao has improved in recent years.

"Qingdao people are not only representing Qingdao but the whole nation in greeting international sailing guests," the mayor said, "the locals are getting closer to modern civilization."

The mayor said the Olympic fame had brought Qingdao`s people many other benefits, including a higher employment rate, financial income, tourism, infrastructure development and transportation.

"In the past three years local tourism income has grown at an average annual rate of 20 per cent, and at least one fourth is the result of being a partner host city for the 2008 Beijing Olympics."

By 2008, China Airline are opening five new direct flights from Qingdao to London, Munich, Moscow, Vancouver and Rome respectively.

"Due to the Olympics, Qingdao is becoming more beautiful, civilized and international, and we welcome people from all over the world in 2008 to visit Qingdao and watch the sailing events. I believe Qingdao will leave an unforgettable impression on everyone."

Booming economy boosts city`s status

By Lao Ju(China Daily)

QINGDAO: Qingdao boasts great potential in its economy.

Wherever you go, the beautiful coastal city of Shandong province displays prosperous scenes in different industries, making it live up to the status of one of the nation`s most vigorous cities.

There are currently more than 460 sailors from 41 countries and regions taking part in the Qingdao International Regatta.

Signs of Qingdao International Beer Festival have been at every corner of the city, with 45 world famous beer brands catering to people from every corner of the world.

According to tourism and transportation statistics, a total of 150,000 tourists and business people flock to the city each day, 300 ships set off and put into port each day, more than 200 flights take off and land at the airport, while the value of cargo imported and exported exceeds US$500 million.

Thanks to its strategy of Sustainable Development, Qingdao has been listed as the Best Business City on the Chinese Mainland by Fortune magazine, among all of the guidelines, the quality of the environment and the potential of city were ranked in the top 3.

Qingdao mayor Xia Geng said Qingdao`s GDP increased 16.9 per cent in 2005 compared to the previous year, while GDP in the first three months of this year increased by 16.2 per cent.

He said more than 8,000 foreign companies have set up branches in Qingdao and there are 71 companies from the World`s Top 500 that have made investments in 89 projects.

"And 6 per cent of China`s famous brands are from Qingdao," he said.

"Qingdao has a history of over 100 years. Its rapid economic development reflects the rate of the nation`s development. Qingdao is aiming to become one of the main cities in China."

Xia believes the city will be more appealing to the whole world after it hosts the regatta events at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The city`s major industrial sectors include electronics, chemicals, rubber, food and beverages, automobiles, container and ship-making, clothing and art and crafts. Environmentally friendly appliances, marine products, new material and bio-pharmaceuticals have pushed the recent GDP increases. Port, tourism and marine economy are the three key industries of Qingdao.

Famous brands like Tsingtao, Haier, Hisense, Doublestar, and Aucma have contributed about 70 per cent of the city`s total industrial production value.

Besides electronics and appliances, other key industries include apparel and the food and beverage sectors - Nike and Coca-Cola - also have multiple plants in town.

Thanks to a clean and favorable investment environment, companies like Samsung, HP, Lucent, Hyundai, Panasonic, Nescafe and Wal-Mart have moved to Qingdao in recent years and are joined by top domestic brands like Gome, Sanlian and The Home World.

By increasing the efficiency of bidding procedures, service and government examinations and approvals, more companies are expected to choose Qingdao as their ideal destination for investment.

Qingdao contributing to a Green Olympics

By Ju Chuanjiang(China Daily)¡¡

QINGDAO: In a bid to play a significant role in hosting a successful Olympic Games, Qingdao, where the regatta events of the 2008 Games will take place, has promised to incorporate the idea of "Green Olympics" into every aspect of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Centre.

According to officials from the Olympic Sailing Committee, the centre is built on the basis of innovative design and nature. It is based on natural landforms and seaside views and also houses a special zoological area.

As host of the sailing competitions, Qingdao has produced an action plan on environmental protection in the area that will be used for the Olympic competitions. Since 2003, Qingdao has been conducting environmental studies on the sea in the area and clean-up work has been completed in a 90,000 metre square zone in the Gulf of Fushan.

Qingdao is also expanding its tree planting and natural resource protection policies.

To ensure few chemicals are used, easy replacement and recycling, environmentally friendly materials are being used during the centre`s construction.

High-quality HDPE tubes are being used, while all the inspection wells are made of concrete.

To maintain the natural scenes and terrain around Swallow Island Mountain, a unique ecological unit, original designs to set up sight-seeing towers on top of the mountain were abolished. A long tunnel was also built to replace the scheduled plan of a road on the mountain, even though the tunnel exceeded the budget by 3 million yuan.

The sailing centre has received a total investment of nearly 3,300 million yuan. It was built on the former site of Beihai Shipyard and covers an area of about 45 hectares, amid 30 hectares dedicated to various venues and 15 hectares classed as a development zone.

The necessary facilities including an Olympic branch village, athlete`s centre, administration centre, venue media centre and logistics centre all lie in the venue district with a total construction area of about 138,000 square metres. In addition, there are some auxiliary facilities such as a measurement hall quay, boat parking, slipway, primary and secondary breakwater and an Olympic commemorative wall.

Original vegetation was protected during the construction of the tunnel. Some old facilities like the tower crane, dry dock and bollard have been preserved as historic objects.

After the competitions, all the facilities will be transformed to tourist sites, making the centre one of most appealing and entertaining scenes in Qingdao.

The 168 lamps in the centre run on solar and wind power.

To promote the Green Olympics, a total of 5 million volunteers have been involved in tree planting over the past few years.

More than 560,000 mu (93,333 acres) of forest has been built up, while the green belts along the sea have been extended by 116 kilometres.

Along the highways and streets, green belts have also been added.

To meet international competition standards, the city spent half a year cleaning up silt at the bottom of the competition areas.

French team makes a splash on Day 7

By Jiao Jiao(China Daily)¡¡

QINGDAO: French sailors consolidated their leading position yesterday at the Qingdao International Regatta, leading in four classes after seven days of racing. British competitors lead in two other events.

France`s Athens Olympic champion Faustine Merret led the RX:S W class into race 6, while her team-mates Ingrid Petitjean and Nadege Dourous overtook a Swedish pair to keep top in 470 W. Emmanuel Dyen and Yann Rocherieux still hold the lead in 49er, while in Tornado race 7 yesterday Olivier Backes and Paul Ambroise Sevestre overtook Austrians Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher.

"The French team does well here in Qingdao because we have similar light winds back in France. Also our two-week practice in July and last year`s session have paid off. The combination of light winds and strong currents is a very challenging situation for many sailors," said Alain Champy, French team official, "I am so far satisfied with the team`s achievements, and planning for the pre-Games practice here next June to October."

Chinese sailors continued to delight home fans with some solid performances.

In RS:X Men China`s Fang Zhenhua sailed into the first place followed by Hong Kong`s King Yin Chan after race 8, with another two Chinese He Feng and Wang Aichen taking fourth and fifth place.

"I did well today, but I am so tired. It was a difficult race today," said Fang.

Poland`s Lukasz Grodzichi, the gold medallist from this year`s ISAF Youth Worlds, kept firmly in the medal hunt by finishing third, but he was rather disappointed with his race yesterday.

"It was no good today, I felt in a strange situation. The Chinese are very good and seem strong every day. I will try to catch up," said Grodzichi.

China`s 2004 Athens Olympic silver medallist Yin Jian managed to move forward to second place as the RS:X Women progressed into race 6 yesterday. Team-mate Sun Limei placed third.

In Laser, Greek Evagelos Chemonas lost his overall lead to Briton Paul Goodison. Chemonas dropped to fifth place.

In Laser Radial, USA`s world No 1 Paige Railey took the lead with Britain`s Penny Clark running up.

"I`m excited about winning. I got the 1-2 today, and it went really well, exactly what we needed. I am hoping to win," said Paige, "I guess it was my conservative sailing that has given my good results, instead of ups and downs. And I`ve started to get used to the venue, started to get a hang of things."

In part thanks to the enthusiastic Korean support in Qingdao, three-time Olympians Kim Dae-young and Jung Sung-ahn overtook Britain`s pair Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield to go top.

Britain`s Ben Ainslie secured his fifth win in six races yesterday, with another dominant display in the star-studded Finn class.

Ainslie remained modest, "I would like to say it`s practice and preparation that helped me. But it`s not really in this case. I think it`s experience in racing. But the conditions so far have been good to me."

In other events, USA`s George Szabo and Eric Monroe, Andrew Horton and J. Brad Nichol take the first two places in Star.

China`s Yngling team came in third behind Holland and Britain.

Six events will be held today: RS:X W, 49er, 470 W, 470 M, Finn and Star.