China Cup Regatta. (Photo courtesy of the China Cup Regatta Organizing Committee)

Models of the Chinese traditional sailboat model exhibition. Photo by Xie Yuting

Baguang Haiyue Creative Camp.

At the (enlarged) meeting of the Party Working Committee of Dapeng New District, Shenzhen, held on October 26 this year, it was proposed to comprehensively enhance the comprehensive competitiveness of tourism, focus on the four levels of "planning, policy, project, and promotion", implement the "16810" project for high-quality development of the tourism industry, and create a "4+1" development theme cultural and tourism product system as a starting point, and make every effort to grasp the various tasks of the tourism industry early, accurately, and effectively, enhance the city's image and tourism appeal, and promote the high-quality development of the tourism industry to create a new situation. At the same time, we must take the opportunity of the year of improving maritime standardized management to strengthen the operation and management of marine leisure activities, strengthen the cultivation of marine culture, and comprehensively build a new pattern of development towards the sea.

From November 2 to 6, the 15th China Cup Regatta set sail in the Daya Bay waters of Dapeng New District, Shenzhen. This is the largest sailing rally in China in recent years. More than 1,200 players from more than 200 fleets from 30 countries and regions around the world participated in the competition.

As China's first international marine sports event brand, the China Cup Regatta was founded in 2007. It is an annual sailing event that brings together many masters from home and abroad. It has been successfully held in Shenzhen for 14 sessions. It has now developed into the largest and most influential top sailing event in the Asia-Pacific region and has been awarded the "Special Award for Promoting Sailing Sports" by the World Sailing Federation. The China Cup Regatta is not only a boutique event for Chinese water sports and one of the top ten international brand events in Guangdong Province, but also a "golden brand" for Shenzhen to make every effort to build a global marine center city and an internationally renowned event city.

The "green water and green mountains" that gave birth to this international brand boutique event - Dapeng New District, is being led by the dual engines of "tourism + ocean" and continuously transformed into "gold and silver mountains", and is sailing towards the world-class coastal ecological tourism resort and global marine center city concentrated bearing area endowed by the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government.

¡°Golden Track¡± + International Arbitration

Shenzhen-Hong Kong Rally builds Shenzhen-Hong Kong sailing cultural circle

In 2007, the first China Cup Regatta was founded in Shenzhen, filling the gap in China's large sailing events. This year, the China Cup Regatta continues to be included in the World Sailing Federation calendar, and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Rally, which has returned, has attracted much attention. It is an important stage of the China Cup Regatta, starting from Baisha Bay in Hong Kong to Dapeng in Shenzhen, passing through many islands along the way, with beautiful scenery, and is designated as the "Golden Track" by the World Sailing Federation.

"The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Rally will strengthen the linkage between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, build a Shenzhen-Hong Kong sailing cultural circle, and gather greater development energy." Zhong Yong, deputy secretary-general of the China Cup Regatta Organizing Committee, introduced that it is precisely because of this "golden track" that many participating teams have been gearing up for a long time, including leading figures in China's sailing and sailing industry, famous corporate chairmen and other sailing enthusiasts from all walks of life in the society, who have transformed into sailing athletes to show their skills at the competition site.

It is worth mentioning that in addition to the return of the "golden track", this event also invited a "luxury" team of international arbitration and competition officials to join. For example, Simon James, the chief competition officer of the event, is a technical official of the World Sailing Federation. He has served as the chief competition officer of major Asian sailing competitions such as the King's Cup for 22 years; David Brookes, the international competition officer, has rich experience in event arbitration; Richard Slater, the chairman of the arbitration, is the chief referee of the three America's Cup sailing competitions; Craig Mitchell, the chief referee of SailGP and the director of WMRT, serves as the international arbitration of the China Cup. Tom Sheppard, Lorenz Walch, Lu Qidong and other international event arbitrations and Sun Haiwei from Hong Kong, China are also on the list of the China Cup arbitration team.

"TP52 is one of the most influential unified design group racing boats in the world. This type of sailboat is known for its fast speed and strong performance. It is one of the most demanding competitions in sailing." Zhong Yong revealed that this China Cup Regatta also added the TR52 group competition. In addition, the Chinese sailboat reappeared the China Cup Regatta. The event village has set up a Chinese traditional sailing model exhibition, a Chinese traditional sailing maneuvering and driving skills inheritance experience activity and a public welfare project to let more people understand the charm of Chinese sailing ships.

Use the event as a show to carry out the Marine Culture Festival

Drive the high-quality and vigorous development of the marine sports industry chain

As China's highest-quality large sailing event IP, the China Cup Regatta is no longer just a competition. It is a way to inherit the maritime civilization and spread the marine culture, providing a stage for Dapeng New District and even Shenzhen to show the world the results of "development towards the sea".

During this event, the new district launched the Marine Culture Festival with "ocean + tourism + sports" as the engine. In conjunction with the wonderful events, two major activities were opened, namely the Sailing Carnival and the Cultural Tourism Consumption Week. Among them, the Sailing Carnival was held at the Dapeng Yacht Club. From the 2nd to the 6th, the "2023 Future Ocean Music Season", "China Cup Regatta Joint Sailing Digital Human Kedao KEDAOXHONG Art Exhibition", "Chinese Traditional Sailing Culture Protection, Inheritance and Innovative Development Public Welfare Activities", and "Future Ocean Lifestyle Exhibition" were arranged in different time periods around the clock. During the event, citizens and tourists can watch the most comprehensive display of traditional Chinese sailboat models, drive them in person, feel the charm of traditional sailboat maneuvering skills, and participate in the production of sailboat models on site. At the same time, there are immersive experience activities such as water drone performances, Bombardier jet ski displays, and sailing sports equipment displays.

While creating an "international outdoor sports paradise", Dapeng New District continues to polish the ecological background of the "two mountains". In the sailing carnival section, the "Ocean Whale and Dolphin Protection Public Welfare Project" was also launched. The "Blue Ribbon" and "China Cup" cooperated to carry out whale and dolphin protection, and targeted training on marine whale and dolphin protection knowledge for participating fleets and players. Marine plastic recycling was initiated on site, and Dapeng teenagers and artists were invited to create artworks on site.

Creating new scenes to drive new consumption

"Living intangible cultural heritage" promotes the deep integration of culture, sports and tourism

In accordance with the far-reaching planning of the municipal party committee and government for the development of Dapeng New District, the new district continues to activate cultural and tourism resources, build a rich "tourism +" and "sports +" new consumption scenes for all regions, all seasons and all ages, attach importance to the introduction of cultural and tourism IP projects with global influence, and continuously improve the comprehensive competitiveness of tourism while also driving regional consumption.

During the China Cup Regatta, the new district also integrated its own mountain and sea characteristics, small town beauty and ancient Hakka culture into the Ocean Culture Festival. From November 1st to 12th, the first China (Shenzhen) Box House and Outdoor Products Expo kicked off at the Baguang Haiyue Creative Camp, where citizens, tourists, and especially outdoor sports enthusiasts can find the popular "Internet celebrity box house" and buy creative and unique outdoor products.

Dapeng New District is the most popular outdoor sports resort in Shenzhen. Its hiking trails and country trails run through the mountains and seas, attracting a large number of citizens, tourists and hiking enthusiasts to check in every year. The purpose of holding such a large-scale outdoor products expo is to convey a positive, healthy and fashionable life concept and way to the public by combining sports products with outdoor culture.

Dongshan Fisherman's Song is a municipal intangible cultural heritage inheritance project and an important representative of the intangible cultural heritage of Dapeng Peninsula. From November 3rd, at Dongshan Starfish Park, the Dongshan Community Fisherman's Song Team and the Dongshan Community Red Song Team brought wonderful Dongshan Fisherman's Song performances to citizens, tourists and spectators. "Dongshan Fisherman's Song is easy to understand and easy to sing, which plays a role in promoting ethnic culture and emotional identity." The relevant person in charge of the new district said that during the China Cup Regatta, the arrangement of fisherman's song performances with the traditional Hakka characteristics of Dapeng is a ritual and music education, which has the role of protecting and inheriting local art and literature.

In addition, on November 4, at the north gate of Dapeng Fortress, a unique intangible cultural heritage performance show also brought the "Cultural Tourism Consumption Week" to a climax. Traditional skills competition, intangible cultural heritage performance, and intangible cultural heritage science exhibition took turns to be staged. Citizens and tourists experienced a different kind of tourism at the Ocean Culture Festival and experienced Dapeng's unique folk culture and local conditions.

(Cheng Siwei)

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