Oppies show Olympic competitors how its done!

As the typhoon continues to hammer Taiwan with heavy winds and flooding the tail provided the Oppy training squad, here in the Sailing City of Qingdao, CHN, with a taste of fresh conditions - unusual for the bay. We recorded a persistent 20 knots with guests of 25 knots whilst we were out training today - speed testing with the RS:X competitors (Windsurfer class at the Olympic Sailing Regatta).

The Oppy sailors seemed to enjoy their rare opportunity in the otherwise light wind bay of Qingdao. The city has invested heavily in developing a new generation of sailors; they have purchased a thousand Optimist dinghies and are training hundreds of coaches in a quest to create momentum in the growth of sailing as a sport, and eventually have sailing as major industry as in other countries.