The preparatory work for the 2008 Olympic sailing events has
entered the improvement and operation phase and all undertakings
are progressing smoothly, an official with the Sailing
Sub-committee of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games said in Beijing on
Wednesday.
The sailing competition of the 29th Olympic Games will be held
in Qingdao from August 9-23, 2008 when up to 1,000 people including
athletes, coaches and referees from 60 countries will take part in
the competitions comprising 9 classes and 11 events, said Wang
Haitao, director of the Department of Media and Communications
under the Qingdao Sailing Sub-committee, and spokesman for the
Qingdao Municipal Government.
He said the sailing competition of the 13th Paralympic Games
will follow from September 8-13, 2008.
According to Wang, the preparatory work was divided into four
phases, namely early stage preparation from July 2001 to December
2003; all-round construction from January 2004 to June 2006;
improvement and operation from July 2006 to August 2008; and
operation and implementation from August to December 2008.
"Undertakings for the first two phases have been completed and
we are now fully entering the third phase," he told a press
conference.
On the venue construction, he said Qingdao International Marina
where the competition will take place, occupies 45 hectares,
including 30 hectares of the competition venue area and 15 hectares
of non-competition venue area. The construction of the needed
projects started in May 2004 and will be completed by the end of
2007 as planned. Construction of infrastructure facilities around
the center, sea water preservation, environmental revamp and
Olympic-related urban projects is all under way, said Wang, who
also updated the press on the preparation in the areas of media and
communications, security, services and logistics as well as the
recruitment of volunteers.
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(BOCOG December 14, 2006)