The first-ever international sailing regatta “Shanghai Cup” was held at Shanghai Yacht Club (SYC) way back in 1873.
After 144 years, the sport made its glorious comeback with the 2017 SYC Shanghai Cup and Nacra 17 Asian Championship, held on October 28 and 29 along the most symbolic area of the city: the Bund.
The event was aimed at bringing back the cultural heritage of water sports and building a new global brand of international sailing competition in Shanghai.
In addition to recreating the unprecedented scene of the races from over a century ago, the committee also paid massive attention to detail with each racing boat. The Nacra 17 boats used in the competition adopted high-end hydrofoil technology, enabling each boat to “fly” above the water’s surface. This captivated the audience and was even spotlighted in both domestic and international media.
The 2017 SYC Shanghai Cup and Nacra 17 Asian Championship was hosted by the World Sailing International Nacra 17 Class Association, the Chinese Yachting Association and the Shanghai Sports Federation. It was also organized by Hongkou District Sports Federation of Shanghai and the Shanghai Yacht Club and Resort, and co-organized by bot theQingpu District Sports Federation of Shanghai and Shanghai SYC Sports Management. The event was spearheaded by the government and organized by both public and private organizations, receiving generous support from renowned brands such as Laomiao Jewelry Group, Bright Dairy, BesTV, YMCI, Guanghua Education Group, Tencent News and more.
Sailing is part of Shanghai’s cultural heritage, and was even incorporated into the design of the city’s official emblem in 1990. The triangle emblem features white magnolia flowers, a large junk and a propeller, which symbolizes Shanghai’s continuing development. The junks, which were some of the oldest vessels that dotted the city’s harbor back in the day, are intended to represent Shanghai’s long history and the future of the port.
The success of October’s sailing event reinforced Shanghai’s image as a glamorous host city for major international sporting events. The event also showcased the city’s major achievements in culture, modernization and environmental protection to China, Asia and the rest of the world.
In 2018, the Shanghai Cup will return to the Huangpu River in efforts to continue promoting China’s passion for sailing.
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