Dalian on course to ride cool wave of sailing boom

Competitive nature

With a sea area of 30,100 square kilometers, its long coastline, and 538 islands, Dalian is prospering from its aquatic environment.

Surrounded by the ocean in three directions, navigating the waves in a boat has become a trendy pastime that is also injecting vitality into the city.

This summer, 15-year-old Zhang Shaohui, had the opportunity to fully enjoy the happiness sailing brings him. Since he first sailed at Xinghai Bay Yacht Harbor at the age of 8, sailing has become his favorite sport.

"I love sailing because it is not confined to a single location," said Zhang. "Additionally, sailing is a very independent sport that requires athletes to have the ability to think and make judgments independently."

Over the years, Zhang has spent his summer and winter vacations, as well as weekends, practicing his sailing techniques on the water.

His dedication paid off when he was selected for the national youth sailing team. He placed 17th in the final series at the International Topper World Championships 2024 held in Murcia, Spain in July.

Gao Lin, the head coach at Zhang's Dalian Mingdao Sailing Club, said the teenager's selection for the national youth sailing team was based on his outstanding performance in several 2023 CYA Youth Sailing League races.

Sailing relies on the wind and is a pastime that combines competition, entertainment, viewing, and exploration, Gao said. "The winds and waves can change unpredictably, presenting various challenges that demand flexibility and quick responses," he added.

Gao, 54, was one of the first sailing enthusiasts in Dalian. When the Dalian Mingdao Sailing Club was established in 2008, there were only five sailing clubs in the country, he said.

The club, which has 47 sailboats of various sizes docked at Xinghai Bay Yacht Harbor, is the only one in Northeast China authorized by the Chinese Yachting Association and the American Sailing Association to issue dual certifications for domestic and international sailing.

It can award 10 levels of ASA sailing certifications and eight levels of CYA sailing certifications. Since 2021, the club, which has more than 20 Optimist class small boats, has conducted training for junior coaches.

The club's summer camps this year consisted of 10 sessions, each with six participants aged seven and above. Half of the participants come from outside Dalian, including the inland provinces of Gansu and Shaanxi, as well as cities with well-developed sailing activities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen.

"With 16 years of experience in promoting and popularizing sailing, the club has a certain influence nationwide. For out-of-town students, Dalian's summer temperatures are relatively comfortable compared with cities in the south, which is also an advantage," Gao said.

He said many parents hope that through summer sailing camps, their children can put down their smartphones, reconnect with nature, improve their outdoor sports skills, and understand maritime culture.

The five-day summer camp costs around 5,000 yuan ($700). However, the family of one student from Shanghai who underwent 10 days of one-on-one training, which also included accommodation in a nearby high-end hotel and a nanny, spent 120,000 yuan.

"Sailing is still not popular. Many people mistakenly believe that it is expensive, but in reality, it can be affordable; (whether) fancy or simple, it depends on your budget. Our annual membership fee is just over 10,000 yuan," Gao said.

He said many companies choose sailing as a team-building activity and most of the Fortune 500 companies with branches in Dalian have had some form of interaction with the club.