9th CYA Youth Sailing League wraps up Wujiang leg

The 9th CYA Youth Sailing League Wujiang stop concluded on Aug 26 in East Taihu Lake in Suzhou Bay on Saturday, attracting over 200 teenage sailors in four-day competition to determine the honors in 14 divisions.

The youngsters overcame lake and weather adversities and achieved another milestone. Qiao Leyi, girls' OP Class Under-10 sailor from Wuhan Sea Sunshine Sailing Club, had her first interaction with sailing when she was seven years old, when she participated in a sailing summer camp.

"I was immediately drawn to sailing because I enjoy being in the water, and then I joined the club's weekend classes and learned the CYA Grade 1 and Grade 2 Little Sailor courses, and now I'm in the long training class," she said.

"I was terrified of even the smallest waves when I first started sailing, but today I am not afraid even if I capsize. The last half-year of training has helped me grow even more, and I'm excited to race with my friends this time," Qiao said, beaming with confidence. "Sailing has always been a pleasant sport for me; riding the waves gives me the sensation of speed when the wind is strong, and when the wind is light, I learn to control the boat and get out of difficulties by adjusting the sails and rudder. I enjoy moving forward and challenging myself in the wind and waves."

"The CYA WuJiang Stop has a special significance for me," said Xie Tianyi, who is from Suzhou and whose first sailing experience was the 2020 CYA Suzhou Stop. "At the time, I had only been in contact with OP sailing boats for three months, and I couldn't tell the difference between the starting line, the color flags, the rules, and so on, let alone the sailing technique and ranking. But two years later, I was the first to cross the finish line, securing first place in the Boys' OP Class U12 Division as well as first position in the Grand Ranking, allowing me to realize my dream of becoming a champion. These waters saw my beginning and my first milestone; I sailed from here and fulfilled my dream here."

Over the past eight years, the CYA Youth Sailing League, one of the top level youth sailing competitions in the country, has grown in influence and become an annual must-visit event for young sailors.