From November 5 to 8, 2015, the annual Inter-City Lakes Cup sailing regatta will once again set sail with energy on Jinji Lake. Co-hosted by Suzhou Center and with strong support from the Jinji Lake Scenic Area, the event is expected to attract nearly 300 domestic and international participants.
As one of China's largest, most influential, and uniquely distinctive CBD lakeside sailing regattas, the Inter-City Lakes Cup has been successfully held five times since its inception in 2011—at Taihu Lake, Jinji Lake, and Xuanwu Lake. It has broken the notion that “sailing can only thrive in coastal cities” and has greatly promoted the popularization of sailing culture inland. So, what are the highlights of this year’s event? Let’s take a closer look.
More Categories Sparking Enthusiasm Among Participants
This year’s event will introduce new boat types and add the inaugural Suzhou Youth OP Class Sailing Competition. The moment this news broke, it instantly ignited enthusiasm among participants. In just a few days, over 50 pre-registered teams signed up, and after rigorous screening by the organizing committee, some teams officially made it to the competition roster. Nearly half of them are seasoned veterans who have competed in the Inter-City Lakes Cup multiple times and are very familiar with the waters and wind conditions. There are also teams composed of retired athletes, whose strengths lie in their physical fitness and technical prowess, making them strong contenders for the championship. Most excitingly, the number of locally registered Suzhou teams has reached a record high of five this year. Among them, the captain of the Jinji Lake Sailing Friends Team, Mr. Hong Xiqi, has led his crew in national and international competitions such as the China Cup and the King’s Cup, bringing a wealth of racing experience. The members of the Hanyuan · Jinghua Yacht Club Team are all ASA-certified students, and their team captain, Wang Feng, has sailed over 5,000 nautical miles and won first place in this year’s Qingdao Mayor’s Cup Sailing Regatta—definitely a force to be reckoned with. With both veteran and rookie teams competing side by side, we can expect sparks to fly and an exciting series of races for the audience.
Hundred Boats Racing Multiple Classes Competing on the Same Lake
Speaking of the scale of this year’s event, Mr. Chen Wangjun, representative of the sailing regatta organizing committee, introduced: “This year, 10 Little Flying Tiger keelboats, 5 J80 keelboats, 10 WETA catamarans, and 20 OP-class sailboats will set sail on Jinji Lake. The different boat types will bring varied racing experiences and viewing effects.” We believe that the autumn scenery of Jinji Lake will be further enriched by the grand spectacle of ‘a hundred boats racing.’
As one of the top keelboat racing sailboats, the J80 was launched in 1992 by American designer Rod Johnstone. It is a near-shore racing sailboat that is both easy to handle and safe. Its robust design allows this 8-meter-long boat to withstand waves as high as 4 meters and winds of up to 41 knots, making it one of the few sailboats of its size capable of performing exceptionally well even in extreme weather conditions.
The newly introduced main racing boat, the “Little Flying Tiger,” is another professional racing vessel launched by Hansheng Yacht following the 10-meter Flying Tiger. It is also used as a training boat by the Chinese Navy. With a sleek and compact 7.5-meter design, it combines the speed, agility, wave resistance, and stylish appearance characteristic of the Flying Tiger series, while also improving ease of operation and achieving near-perfect detail refinement.
Highlights Abound Night Races and Youth Competitions Galore
How can we add a dynamic touch to Jinji Lake’s dazzling nightscape? This year’s night sailing regatta might just provide the answer. As the first inland lake night sailing regatta in China, the organizing committee has conducted extensive research on safety, race routes, and water conditions to ensure everything goes smoothly. They have also made dedicated efforts to enhance the visibility of the boats at night through lighting, creating a more engaging spectacle. The results? Stay tuned to find out.
Many media outlets have shown particular interest in the Youth OP Class Sailing Competition. Indeed, the image of children as young as 7 or 8 years old independently sailing on the water is hard for many to imagine. The OP-class sailboat, whose full name is Optimist, was created in 1947 by renowned designer Clark Mills. It is a small, single-handed boat designed specifically for children, relatively simple to learn. Data shows that currently, over 1.5 million youths in more than 100 countries worldwide are learning to sail the OP, deriving irreplaceable joy from it. Sailing training helps foster determination, ambition, and independence in children. When they sail solo, managing wind and currents while facing competition, the potential they unleash is beyond imagination.
Getting Close to the Water Experiencing Sailing Up Close
In previous sailing competitions, many citizens watching the events were eager to try it themselves and asked about hands-on experiences. To fulfill these wishes, the organizing committee has specially planned a “Water Experience Carnival” open to residents and tourists. By appointment, participants can try three eco-friendly and fashionable water sports: kayaking, OP sailboats, and keelboats. The kayaks feature the wide and stable “Chubby Kid” model, and professional club coaches are on-site to guide beginners, who can learn to paddle independently within 5–10 minutes. The small and single-handed OP sailboats are easy to learn, somewhat like go-karts of the sailing world. Their most important feature is bringing joy to children and fostering independence. The keelboats are the aforementioned J80 models used in the competition. Coaches are onboard to ensure safety, and in favorable wind conditions, the boats can reach impressive speeds, allowing participants to truly feel the thrill of riding the waves, dancing with the wind, and skimming the water. See Jinji Lake from a new perspective.
Citywide Interaction Fun and Accessible Ground Events
While the water activities sizzle with excitement, a series of ground events also promise thrilling and engaging experiences. The “Love Locks on Jinji Lake · 2015 Sailing Photography Festival” has already kicked off. We plan to invite hundreds of photographers to join this rare gathering of water sports photography, capturing the autumn beauty of Jinji Lake. Following this year’s launch, the “Children Painting Suzhou” painting competition under the Suzhou Center Cup will also begin registration, inviting young artists across Suzhou to create works themed around “Oriental Water City, Water Lifestyle,” using their innocent perspectives and brushstrokes to depict the beauty of water-bound Suzhou and the joy of water sports.
During the event, a “Magic Sails Market” will be set up at the main venue, featuring booths for food, cultural creativity, lifestyle, and interactive activities, offering a fun shopping destination for residents. Notably, the organizing committee has partnered with Tongcheng.com to launch the “One Yuan Watch the Race, Book Early for Gifts” campaign. Participants can spend one yuan on Tongcheng.com to become an “early bird spectator,” enjoying exclusive privileges, entering lucky draws, and embarking on a “Sailing Micro-Points” journey where points can be redeemed for gifts—fully immersing yourself in our sailing carnival.
Future Landmark Suzhou Center Joins the Sailing Celebration
Developed by Suzhou Industrial Park Jinji Lake Urban Development Co., Ltd., the Suzhou Center project is located in the CBD core of Suzhou Industrial Park, closely connected to the 5A-level Jinji Lake Scenic Area. The project encompasses both above-ground structures and underground spaces, positioned as a super-large urban symbiosis complex in China, with a total investment exceeding 15 billion yuan. Covering approximately 167,000 square meters with a total construction area of about 1.13 million square meters, it includes seven towers and a large shopping mall, integrating a mall, office buildings, apartments, and hotels into one large urban complex. As the co-host of this event, it not only showcases the extraordinary strength and impressive style of a future urban commercial landmark but also vividly reflects Suzhou Center’s philosophy of “symbiosis with the city.” Just as the inland lake sailing regatta conveys themes of closeness to nature and green living, in the near future, Suzhou Center—this emerging urban symbiosis complex—will organically integrate people, nature, architecture, and smart city elements through its unparalleled inclusiveness, stimulating the vitality of the city.
A Natural Wonder Jinji Lake, Year After Year
Since 2013, the Suzhou stop of the Inter-City Lakes Cup Sailing Regatta has been officially held at Jinji Lake. The picturesque Jinji Lake is China’s largest urban inland lake, covering a water area of 7.4 square kilometers with an average depth of 2.5 to 3 meters. Its vast surface and stable seasonal winds provide an ideal setting for sailing. As the country’s only national AAAAA-level tourist attraction with a distinct business and travel character—and a concentrated showcase of the “National Business Tourism Demonstration Zone”—Jinji Lake Scenic Area boasts a comprehensive platform for conventions and exhibitions, cultural venues, gourmet dining, fashion shopping, and leisure entertainment. With well-developed transportation, premium public services, and eight iconic attractions of the era, it forms a multi-format and multi-element integration of “business, travel, sports, culture, and exhibitions.” This not only aligns with the international, passionate, and fashionable characteristics of sailing but also offers water enthusiasts and their families a comfortable and enriching travel experience.
As long as you have a dream, you can set sail. Let’s look forward together to the upcoming Suzhou Center · Inter-City Lakes Cup 2015 Jinji Lake Sailing Regatta and welcome a joyful, happy, and healthy sailing carnival.