Olympic sailors face a unique test

QINGDAO, China -- The world's top sailors are rethinking their preparations for next year's Olympics after drifting in the Yellow Sea currents with barely a gust of wind during a pre-Games test event here.

The $430 million marina in Qingdao, 500 kilometers southeast of Beijing, and organizers of the nine-day regatta that finished Thursday won unanimous praise from sailors and international sailing officials.

International Sailing Federation vice president David Kellet, technical delegate to the regatta, said the venue was "superb" and that the Olympics could be staged here this week.

But many of the 377 sailors from 49 countries who took part in the event also spoke of frustration due to the lack of wind.

"It is difficult. We have never sailed in currents like this with so little wind," said Elsie Rechichi, who won the women's 470 class for Australia with Fremantle partner Tessa Parkinson.

Other competitors also predicted that wind would be a rare commodity during the Olympics next year, when more than 400 sailors from 60 countries are expected to compete.

Britain's double-Olympic champion Ben Ainslie, who began his preparations for the 2008 Games with a win here in the Finn class, said Qingdao was a special case for top racers.

"It has certainly been a testing time for everybody here in the light wind conditions, and the Olympics will be very tough," he said.

"There are certain things you can do to optimize your preparations for these kind of conditions. So I will be taking some time to think about that."

Ainslie, who won gold at the 2000 and the 2004 Olympics, said he planned to put in six-weeks training on the Olympic course next year before the Games.

Then he will return to Qingdao two weeks ahead of competition to get acclimatized.

"I did similar preparation for Athens (in 2004) but it is probably even more important to do it now because the conditions are so unique here," he said.

Wednesday produced the strongest gusts of the tournament, up to 18 knots, to the delight of two-time world champions Malcolm Page and Nathan Wilmot, who won the men's 470 class for Australia.

"It was good to finally get some decent racing conditions," said Page. "Until now it's been like playing soccer on sand out there."

The Aussies said they were planning to put themselves on an Olympic diet because lighter boats do better in light winds.

"You're looking for any edge, any way you can," he said.

New Zealand's dominant windsurfer Tom Ashley, who won the RS X class, said racing would be tough next year but emphasized that conditions were the same for all.

"I love big winds but with light winds, sailing becomes more of a physical test. You know what conditions you are going to face so it is the same for everyone," he said.

Qingdao's mayor and the president of the sailing event organizing committee, Gang Xia, emphasized that all competitors had to come to terms with the same obstacles.

"When you sail, you take on nature, and winds and weather are part of the challenge. If the winds are light, they are light for everyone -- and everyone has to handle it," he said.

The Olympic marina, purpose built for the Games, was erected in just two years on the site of an old shipyard.

Its 45 hectares (111 acres) of gleaming towers in sail-shape motifs fringe a marina capable of docking 800 yachts.

The high-tech facilities have not come cheap, costing a total of 3.28 billion yuan (430 million dollars).

The last piece in the jigsaw will be fitted in December when the Olympic Village, home to the sailors, will be completed. E-mail to a friend