Preparations have begun in ernest
Monday 23rd of May. Dapeng, China
The weather was perfect in Dapeng, China today with blue skies and the temperature hovering around the 30C (86F) mark.
The team put together 40 new bicycles, for the crew and competitors to use throughout their stay in China. The bikes will be a perfect way to get around to local sites and the event beach and after the regatta they will be donated by Hobie Cat® to the local community.
17 of the new fire red sails with their striking new dragon design were also removed from their world’s sail bags, laid out and battened up with specially trimmed battens. One of the 60 Hobie Cat Australasia factory built worlds boats was fully assembled, rigged and placed on display in the foyer of the Manwan Harmona event resort hotel. People entering the hotel lobby were stopping, admiring the display and snapping selfies and group shots in front of the first worlds boat.
In addition to the preparations, Hobie Cat® Australasia’s Steve Fields in conjunction with Vicki Ding from Aoji Sporting Goods and number of Chinese Government officials delivered a press conference yesterday afternoon to over 50 local and international journalists keen to cover the event. As well as the excellent coverage generated from the press conference, billboards are on display along the 90minute drive from Shenzhen airport and on bus shelters and other locations in and around the local Dapeng community.
The jet lagged American contingent on the world’s factory team were given a recovery day, after their 35hr flight. They used the free day to explore the sights of Dapeng and experience the local transport system. The group became expert at hailing down unmarked cabs and enjoyed the unusual thrills of doubling up on motorbikes that drop you at your chosen destination for a reasonable, negotiated fee.
Matt Miller from the Hobie Cat Company in the USA had a cool day and loved the experience, “Today we went everywhere, it was like we saw the world today, it was awesome. I really loved the monastery, and the fortress is a place that I would definitely go back to, just to sit in some quiet spot and take in the scene a little more. The small city of Dapeng Central was fun and there seemed like there was lots to do and explore.”
Matt’s 18 year old son Tate from California was even more excited about his day, “I thought today was awesome, we went to the beach and saw how busy it is, just how crazy it is, there we tons of people there. We walked along the boardwalk and saw many different types of shops, the fortress was amazing and to see the monks and the Buddhist temple was a great experience. The whole day was excellent, it was my first time experiencing an Asian culture, so it was a very good experience for me.”
“The team from the USA were pretty jet lagged today but we got out and had a look around all day and did some amazing things. Everyone who comes to this worlds in China is going to enjoy it, there’s lots to do and lots to see,” commented Jacques Bernier from the Hobie Cat Company in the USA after his first tour around Dapeng.
Now, as the sun rises over the mountains of Dapeng, it’s time to get back to the business of building boats in preparation for what is going to be a truly magical Hobie 16 Worlds.
