On with the show – this is it!
It’s been a long time coming but today Hobie® sailors in the Masters class will register for the first event of the 2016 Worlds regatta in Dapeng, Shenzhen, China from 10am this morning. At 6:30pm this evening the lights will focus on the stage in an outdoor ceremony at Manwan Harmona Resort for the Opening Ceremony of the 21st Hobie® 16 World Championships which will take place in front of a large and enthusiastic audience.
To celebrate the occasion the local area is awash in decorations with thousands of street flags lining thoroughfares spanning in all directions. Massive billboards and bus shelter signs metres log can be seen all over the district and decorative archways highlight various streets and entrances. The crowning glory of them all, however, is the Long Kei Sea building at the Worlds Event Site, with all 14 stories of the towering modern structure draped in massive Hobie Cat® photos from the previous worlds in Jervis Bay, Australia.
A typical monsoonal downpour opened up yesterday afternoon around 5:00pm and lasted approximately 20 minutes, but everyone, sailors, locals and organisers alike are hoping for clear warm weather today with no tropical rain. As the sun rises this morning the skies are overcast and cloudy with sunshine breaking through. The forecast is for a clear sunny day with the temperature reaching up to 320C (890F) with a steaming 82% humidity, but by the time of the Opening Ceremony and Masters Welcome Party the temperature will drop slightly to 300C (860F) but the humidity will fall to a more comfortable 64%.
There is always something special about Chinese ceremonies, they are always colourful, culturally stimulating and exoctic in flavour. Today is China’s opportunity to be the shining light in the world of Hobie and everything surrounding the event location indicates that tonight we are in for something spectacular.
The drums will beat and the dragons will come out and dance for us tonight!