Hong Kong display

China Team take to the water this weekend in a couple of Frank Pong's yachts

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 designs: Jelik and Borokay. The boats belong to Frank Pong, a well known Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Member who is putting the two boats at the 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.

The team is also training 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 maxi crew for the Hong Kong regatta this week end.

For Pierre Mas, the team's 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".

Team sponsors will also be part of the show. Tag Heuer and Lladro will encourage the 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.