Yachting and Windsurfing Booming in Haikou

The tropical island resort of Hainan is seeking to boost its tourism by developing yachting and windsurfing, as part of the island's effort to build itself into a top international tourist destination.

He Fei has the story.

 With crystal clear waters, fresh ocean breezes, white sand beaches and top level resorts, Hainan has something more to offer than just the exotic tropical scenery. The provincial² capital Haikou has already become a yachting epicenter in China, as sailing and windsurfing become increasingly more popular among affluent³ Chinese people.

"It is a very dynamic and vibrant⁴ sport."

"It can test your limits, and it's a good way for young people to exceed their personal expectations of themselves."
Chen Guixiong is a windsurfer who has made many new friends through his participation⁵ in the sport. He says he is becoming stronger physically⁶, and enjoys greater peace of mind after just a year of windsurfing. He has a few tips for those who are interested in the sport.

"Summer, from May to September, is a good time for first-time learners, because the wind is gentle and the waves are small. The rest of the year is more suitable for skilled windsurfers, as they can experience the extreme pleasure of speed."

Amateurs like Chen, who seek enjoyment⁷ from sailing, are frequent visitors on the west coast of Haikou, but more professional athletes are now beginning to gather here for training.

The Haikou Yachting and Windsurfing Training Base was established in 1984, and has since contributed a great deal to the achievement of the sport in China.

10 provinces nationwide have yachting race teams, of which 7 come to Haikou for annual winter training, with the total number of yachts reaching as high as 600. Compared to other training bases in southern China, namely in Guangdong and Fujian, Haikou boasts optimal⁸ natural conditions. The temperature is comfortable and mild; the winds at sea are strong enough; and the surrounding environment is refreshing⁹.

Xiaoyin, an athlete from the Sichuan team, has been training in Haikou for more than a decade. She says before the training base was built, they had to carry their own facilities to the beach every day, which was tiring and inconvenient¹⁰. But now, training conditions have improved.

"Haikou has embraced a great deal of changes. The roads, greenery and general environment are very nice. I often see people picking up garbage on the beach, which is a great habit. It shows that Haikou really is a civilized¹¹ city."
Laurence, the French coach of the Sichuan team, says the training base in Haikou is as good as those overseas.

"I am the head coach of a Chinese sailing team, but I love Hainan, so I just came here. I have spent five years in Haikou and I already feel like I am a local. The environment is good. The sunshine is burning in the summer and the beach is beautiful."

As Hainan gears up to transform itself into a top international tourism destination, it is believed that the development of the yachting industry will attract more overseas visitors. Zhang Yunchen has just returned from Russia.

"As far as I know, Russians love this kind of sport. Many people sail on the Black sea, but most Russian territory is landlocked, so the people in the far east would definitely like to come to Hainan. It's also much cheaper here."

New regulations have been passed in Hainan, allowing foreign yachts to stay for longer periods of time, and simplifying yacht registration¹², in an effort to promote and improve the yachting industry and place it on a par¹ with international standards.

Meanwhile, Hainan has been blessed with the climate and marinas required to develop the sailing sector¹³. There are currently more than 1,000 yachts officially registered on the mainland, and 37 percent of the most expensive ones are docked here.

It may come as a surprise to learn that yachting does not require a great deal of skill or experience to get started, and it's a safe sport to be involved in. If you are healthy and know how to swim, you can get aboard a yacht and learn how to sail. Basic facilities are also provided by Haikou's yachting clubs, with reasonable prices.

The whole country is booming with the development of the sport. Qingdao, which hosted the sailing competition during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games, has seen 40 shipyards set up in just one year.

Shanghai is aiming to become the largest yacht production base in China, while Tianjin, where a 9-billion yuan yacht port is currently under construction, plans to become the center of the yachting industry in North China.

China's yachting industry has gone from virtually zero, to attaining¹⁴ a market size worth about $3.4 billion US dollars over the past few years. Some industry insiders predict that the yachting market in China could balloon tenfold in years to come.

For CRI, this is He Fei.

1 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

2 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

3 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

4 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

5 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

6 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

7 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

8 optimal   

adj.最适宜的；最理想的；最令人满意的

参考例句：

• What is the optimal mix of private and public property rights in natural resources?私人和国家的自然资源产权的最适宜的组合是什么？
• Optimal path planning is a key link for the sailing contest.帆船最优行驶路径规划是帆船比赛取胜的关键环节。

9 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

10 inconvenient   

adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的

参考例句：

• You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
• Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？

11 civilized   

a.有教养的，文雅的

参考例句：

• Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
• rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为

12 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

13 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

14 attaining   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的现在分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• Jim is halfway to attaining his pilot's licence. 吉姆就快要拿到飞行员执照了。
• By that time she was attaining to fifty. 那时她已快到五十岁了。