Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics - Sailing

Sailors all over the world are gearing up for the upcoming Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, which will start on August 8th of this year. The sailing venue for the games is at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center. This is going to be really handy for the sailors after a long day of sailing, as Qingdao is also the home of the Tsingtao Brewery.

-- About Qingdao in the People's Republic of China --

Qingdao translates roughly to "lush island", and is well-known in the west by its postal map spelling "Tsingtao". It is a city in the eastern Shandong province, in the People's Republic of China, bordering Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west and Rizhao to the southwest. Lying across the Shandong Peninsula, and looking upon the Sea, Qingdao today is a major seaport, industrial center and naval base.

A unique blend of sea, mountains, and a pleasant climate make Qingdao a travel highlight in China. Sailors also appreciate its average temperature of 12.2 degrees Celsius (54 F), and a total length of coastline (including that of its 69 offshore islands) of 862 kilometers.

-- About the Qingdao International Sailing Center for the Beijing 2008 Olympics --

The Qingdao International Sailing Center for the Games of the 29th Olympiad is located on the old site of the Beihai shipyard by Qingdao's Fushan Bay in China's Shangdong Province. The projects on land will provide the administration and competition management center, the athletes' center, the press center, the logistic and functional center, and other affiliated facilities.

The quay, the secondary breakwater, and the embankment will enclose an area of 15.5 hectares (155,000 sq.m.) while the major breakwater, together with the embankment, will occupy 7.5 hectares (75,000 sq.m.). Additional overlay and facilities will also be placed for temporary use of the Olymipc Games. A removable surveying shed and a pontoon, for instance, will be set up separately on the embankment and the western quay to facilitate observations and transportation.

Bottom Photo: Zoe Williamson/onEdition