Team Singapore's America's Cup weatherman yet to raise typhoon alarm

WHILE the world worries about typhoons that threaten to disrupt the Olympic sailing competition in Qingdao, Singapore's sailors there have stayed calm.

The Beijing Meteorological Bureau warned on Sunday that two or three typhoons could hit the east coast of China and Hong Kong.

Equestrian in Hong Kong and soccer in Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjin and Qinhuangdao would also be hit - but only for 'short periods' of one to two days.

To accommodate any weather delays, the Aug 9-21 sailing competition has set aside two reserve days.

But Singapore's sailors are not about to get anxious until the team's America's Cup meteorologist, Dr Meeno Schrader, forecasts so.

'We haven't heard of any news about the typhoons,' Terence Koh, 20, one-half of the 470 men's pair, said over the phone from the Qingdao Olympic Village yesterday.

'Dr Schrader is a very good weather guy. He hasn't told us anything. Until we get any real information from him, we won't be worried.'

In any case, there will be 'absolutely' no racing when the typhoon comes, says Low Teo Ping, an International Sailing Federation vice-president.

Singapore's six-man team arrived in Qingdao last Thursday, and have practised three times since - in typical light winds of two to five knots.

Typhoon Fung Wong was, at the same time, lashing the east coast, destroying 110 houses and forcing 390,000 people to evacuate.

Qingdao caught the tailend of the storm, which brought 20-knot winds and big waves, said Singapore team manager Mark Robinson. And most competitors chose to stay onshore.

Koh said they were unfazed, as they had battled over 30-knot winds in European regattas.

Dr Schrader has worked for America's Cup boat United Internet Team Germany and renowned sailor Ellen MacArthur.

He was also hired by Singapore at last year's South-east Asia Games and the 2006 Asian Games.

During the Olympics, he will also be consultant for Israel, Poland and his native Germany, providing personalised weather analyses every morning.

Yesterday was a rest day, and the team chilled out at the Olympic Village, a five-star accommodation that will be converted into a hotel after the Games.

Koh and brother Seng Leong, 24, who will be sailing in the Laser Standard class, spent most of the day on the PlayStation and playing air hockey and table soccer at the Village's games room.

'I'm feeling pretty normal. I don't usually get nervous,' said Olympic debutant Koh.

'Until racing starts.'