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QINGDAO: Mr Liu Shaohua may have the Olympic sailing event right at his doorstep, but the Qingdao native is more interested in the sports that are being staged in Beijing. 'The people here don't know much about sailing. We prefer football and basketball. I can't wait for Liu Xiang to run. I will just buy beer and be glued to the TV,' said the 32-year-old driver, referring to China's hurdling champion. Unlike the Chinese capital, the eastern coastal city of Qingdao has not exactly been gripped by Olympic fever. While thousands still throng the competition venue, most seem curious rather than excited. Said computer engineer Lu Zhi, 28, who watched the races over the weekend: 'Since it is here, I thought I should take a look. But I couldn't really make head or tail and nothing much seemed to be happening. I left after a while.' Lacking the cut and thrust of games like tennis and basketball, the cumulative scores of sailing mean that it is often not the most exciting spectator sport. But to ramp up interest, these Games are offering, for the first time, a make-or-break sailing final. After the 11 preliminary races, the top 10 boats will qualify for the finals. Points are doubled in the finals and will be added to that accumulated in the series. The organisers have literally gone from the depths of the sea to the heights of the sky to ensure a smooth sail. While there remain clumps of algae in the waters, much of the green menace has been removed. Algae had covered the coast in June and July, leading to concerns for the event. But the organisers are taking no chances now, sending out 300 fishing trawlers and 1,500 fishermen to grab any algae before it reaches the racing venue. Four boats are also sent out twice every morning on algae hunts. And to combat a less natural threat, robots have been sent into the sea to search for bombs. Remote-control drones, which cost almost a million yuan each (S$200,000), are also patrolling the skies. Singapore's Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who met the country's sailors yesterday, told them to treasure this 'unforgettable opportunity' as they face up to a very tough fight. Singapore's 470 class men sailors remain in contention for a place in the final after the second day of racing yesterday. Terence Koh and Xu Yuanzhen are 18th out of 29 after four races. The women's pair of Toh Liying and Deborah Ong are bottom of their field in 19th. Laser Radial sailor Lo Man Yi, who started racing yesterday, is 20th after two races among 28 boats. Laser Standard specialist Koh Seng Leong is 40th overall, fourth from bottom. 'It's a mixed day for us. The 470 boys and Man Yi did well, but the 470 girls and Seng Leong did not have a good day. But it is still too early to call,' said Singapore team manager Mark Robinson. 'We will have to wait till the seventh race to have a clearer picture of the qualification.' |
