Sailing’s World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) has reached an agreement for Shenzhen to host the final leg of its 2017 season, with the event to coincide with the city’s staging of the China Cup.
The event will take place from October 24-29. It will mark the Tour's first event in China.
Shenzhen has staged the China Cup since its inception in 2007, and the event is considered China’s biggest sailing regatta.
The event will take place near the New Sport Ocean Sports Centre, which is located at Daya Bay on Shenzhen’s east coast.
“Taking the World Match Racing Tour to China for the first time in its history is a huge step which we are very excited to be announcing,” WMRT chief executive Robert Magnusson said.
“The legacy of the China Cup has proven the popularity of sailing within China and particularly in this region. We are honoured to take the finals of the WMRT to the China Cup because we see a fantastic value for the Tour and for the China Cup. In our attempts to help grow the sport we see this move as a tool to strengthen the link between Chinese sailing and the international sailing scene.”
David Zhong, secretary general of the China Cup International Regatta Organising Committee, added: “We chose WMRT because it is not only a professional racing event but also behind it there are very systematic and professional resources like M32 Academy, which is able to provide opportunities for sailors who have interest in match racing and create a new career pathway for them.
"WMRT have top international sailors and international level race management, cultivation to the market and (a) promotional system, which matches to the China Cup’s vision to create a new platform.”
The US city of Chicago will host the final championship event of the 2017 WMRT regular season from September 27 to October 1 before Shenzhen stages the season finale.
