Qingdao Network TV Station—Kick-off Ceremony of ISAF Sailing World Cup 2014 is held at Seaview Garden Hotel Qingdao on the evening of October 13. Li Quanhai (Vice Chairman of International Sailing Federation, ISAF), John Craig (head of ISAF Sailing World Cup) and leaders of Water Sports Administration Center under the State Sports General Administration attend the kick-off ceremony. Wu Weilin (Deputy Director of Beijing Olympic City Development Association) also attends as invited guest.

ISAF Sailing World Cup 2014 is a weeklong race. The global top athletes from 22 countries and regions (including China) contest in a total of six Olympic-level events. Numbers of athletes and referees set new highs.

Initiated in 2008, ISAF Sailing World Cup is an Olympic-level sailing event with global influence, and its results are included into contestants’ individual points in International Sailing Federation. Qingdao is the only host city in Asia. Following the Olympic Sailing Game, Extreme Sailing Series and Volvo Ocean Race, Qingdao ushers in the Olympic-level international sailing tournament once again.