Letter from Qingdao: Practice Race and Launching

'Launching ceremony as only the Chinese can do.' Event Media

Sunday - afternoon/night

Just ashore from our practice races. Everything went well for the Sonar - Mac, Rhino and Ritchie, but the Skud - Amy and John, had another piece of bad luck. A coach boat following another race ran into their boat and holed them below the waterline.

Luckily no one was injured but the damage required the boat to be lifted from the water and it is being repaired at this moment. There must be some bit of good luck waiting for them somewhere to even the balance for all that has happened since they got here.

Conditions today were more or less perfect. The wind direction was 100 degs [East South East] so Zig & Zag land existed from the start line between 55 degs left and 145 degs right. Anybody who asks what Zig and Zag land means will have to stay back after class - see below. The wind was reasonably steady increasing from 6 to 8 kts during the course of the race and sea conditions were fairly flat. I was watching the Sonar race. The TOP MARK was set at 100 degs and the racing was close. The Brits were going well. Jens, [Germans] badly - but Jens has done that before - and come back and won the event, so I wouldn't place too much weight on the outcome. The Israelis were also going fast. But the Brits - they have put a major campaign together to win this event - full time sailing, full time coaching. They will be the boat to beat.

Launching ceremony this evening preceded by a banquet - one guest per country. In my role as 'middling boss' I got to make that decision so I choose myself - what's the point in having power if you don't abuse it? Having been a close observer of management style in CIT down the years I feel well equipped to face any tricky situation like that, that might arise here in Qingdao.

Ireland rounds the leeward mark in the Sonar - Event Media

The banquet was a very grand affair in a very grand hotel - the Shangri-La. This was one of the finest hotels I have been in. The interior design and especially the decor, the colours, the use of wood, the use of paintings, the quality of the paintings, all made a big impression on me - Mary you would have loved it. The visit would have been worth it just to see the hotel alone. If this is a workers republic then the workers have finally arrived.

The food?? Probably superb, and I shouldn't criticise, and I'm a fan of Chinese at home. But, we have Chinese here for breakfast, dinner and tea - really; what I wouldn't give for a burger and chips or a decent carvery, roast beef, lamb, bacon, sauces - gravy, mint, white sauce - and fresh vegetables - or fish and chips with lashings of tartare sauce - and salt! Christ I'm getting carried away here! The wine was good - local, but good.

Launching ceremony. The Chinese do spectacle fantastically well. There is an element of rent-a-crowd to it but that should not be over-emphasised. People genuinely enjoy themselves, regard it as a huge privilege to be able to attend - which it is, would be anywhere - and get into the spirit of the thing and the bottom line is the Chinese are immensely proud of what they have achieved in the organisation of these events. They are using these events to showcase their country, or at least Beijing and Qingdao and in this Irishman's opinion at least, they have a lot to show.

The serious business starts tomorrow so an early night. My Vacheron C says its 10.55. Rhino is tucked up in bed - probably dreaming of gold - fantastically positive attitude. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Good night!
Denis

by Denis Kiely