The first keelboat regatta held off Taiwan proper yesterday drew crowds of yachting enthusiasts to Tainan’s Anping District (安平).
The competition, hosted by the Argo Yacht Club, was held in a round-robin format, with two pairs of competitors heading out in each round.
The conditions near the club were ideal for yachting, club president Chang Ching-hsiang (張慶祥) said, adding that he hopes the competition will spur interest in water sports.
Photo: Wang Shu-hsiu, Taipei Times
“Hopefully, marine culture and activities can be a part of people’s daily lives, and they can get to know more about the nation’s coastal waters,” he said.
As it is sheltered by Yuguang Island (漁光島) with water breaks on both sides, the waters next to the club remain calm even when seasonal winds are strong, making it the only suitable place in Taiwan for holding such a competition in the winter, he said.
“People usually think of Palau and Penghu when it comes to regattas, and in the past, Taiwan proper had nothing comparable,” he said, adding that Anping should be better promoted as an ideal location for water sports.
Eight teams competed in the race, including professional surfers, who brought new qualities to the sport, Chang said.
Yachting professionals were also in attendance, including two teams from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, one from National Sun Yat-sen University and two local teams, including the Argirls women’s team, he said.
The competition was controlled by Pan Wei-hua (潘偉華), who has 40 years of experience with yachting, and has competed in nearly 200 regattas, Chang said.
Teams were comprised of four to six members each, and while age and sex were not considerations in the formation of yachting teams, team captains must be concerned about each member’s physical capabilities, as well as the rapport among the team as a whole, he said.
“This regatta was really just the first step in promoting water sports at Anping. We also plan to promote rowing and jet ski competitions,” he said.
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