The Night of Nights

The Opening Ceremony for the 21st Hobie® 16 World Championships fired off tonight with drums banging and cymbals crashing as dignitaries from Hobie Cat®, the Dapeng New District government, the IHCA and Aoji walked on stage to deliver inspiring speeches. The 2014 Masters World Champion and current Australian Champion Rod Waterhouse made a speech on behalf of all of the athletes competing in the regatta.

A rhythmic and flowing Tai Chi demonstration, which Chinese people have been doing all over China since ancient times, was the opening entertainment of the evening. A spectacular high, flying karate demonstration followed with the Kung Fu master tumbling and leaping into the air while flashing and whirling a golden sword.

Each country competing in the World Championships was represented by a volunteer who marched on to the large stage holding a banner with the country’s name in both English and Chinese, while an image of each country’s national flag fluttered behind them on the huge LED screen that was the stage backdrop.

A traditional face swapping performance that seemed more magical, than just amazing, pure skill followed, with the performer so expert in swapping masks it was barely believable.

The beats of traditional drums and the crashes of cymbals came to a crescendo, as Chinese dragons danced across the stage. They leaped into the air and down among the enthralled crowd and with warnings of the potential danger a dragon danced and leaped from one narrow pole to the next, on upward to three metres high.

Dignitaries gathered on stage and set off a spectacular blast of smoky, colours that shot high into the evening sky and with that the Opening Ceremony for the 2016 Hobie 16 World Championships was over.

A special dinner followed for competitors and guests in the main function room of the Manwan Harmona Resort where a delicious buffet and cold drinks were served, while stunning female performers dressed in silk, played exotic music on traditional Chinese instruments.

What a night! But tomorrow is when the real action begins.