The 2019 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cup Regatta & Macao Cup International Regatta will take place from tomorrow (Jan 10) until Jan 13 at the waters off the south of Hac Sa Beach. The four-day event gathers about 300 sailboat racers from around the world, who have already arrived in Macao to prepare for the competition. Organized by the Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government and Across Four Oceans Sailing Event Management, in association with the Marine and Water Bureau of Macao SAR Government and Macau Sailing Association, the event is the first international regatta to be held in Macao, which helps facilitate the development of local sport sailing and of Macao as an international tourism leisure centre, and opens a new chapter for Macao to organize international regatta.

The organizers held a press conference today (Jan 9) to present the details of the event. The guests attending the press conference include: Ms. Christine Lam, Acting President of Sports Bureau; Mr. Allen Lau, Vice-President of Sports Bureau; Mr. Ma Man Wai and Mr. David Zhong, representatives of Across Four Oceans Sailing Event Management; Ms. Lao Weng U, Chief of Maritime Services Division of Marine and Water Bureau; Mr. Brian Sou, Chairman of Macau Sailing Association; Mr. Sergey Kuzovov, International Judge of the Event; Mr. Ross Chisholm, Race Officer of the Event; and other guests and media representatives.

The Greater Bay Area Cup Regatta features the competition from ten IRC (International Rating Certificate) teams from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao. Meanwhile, the Macao Cup International Regatta brings together ten Beneteau First 40.7 sailboats to vie for the title, with the participating teams coming from Australia, Canada, Estonia, the Philippines, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. The two regattas will be held concurrently, with the Course Race at the waters off the south of Hac Sa Beach taking place on Jan 10, 12-13, while the Round the Island Race will be held from the waters off the south of Hac Sa Beach to near Huangmao  Island on Jan 11. Residents and tourists may enjoy the races at Hac Sa Long Chao Kok, Hac Sa Beach and Cheoc Van Beach.

The participating teams in the Greater Bay Area Cup Regatta include: Team Madison Group XT from Hong Kong, which has won the championship for five times and first runner-up for once at the HKPN Division of China Cup International Regatta; multi-award winning Team Beiyi Funds Asia Pacific Sailing from Shenzhen; Team Nansha from Guangzhou; Team Wanboyu Sailing and Team Sugram from Macao; and others. All teams are well poised to vie for the title.

In the entry list of the Macao Cup International Regatta, Team Marenostrum Racing Club led by French sailing legend Lionel Péan is one of the most high-profile teams, as he has won several prominent international sailing contests, including the 1986 Whitbread Round the World Race (now known as Volvo Ocean Race), French La Solitaire du Figaro Yacht Race, and Fastnet Race. Other participating teams include TeamEstonia100, which is led by Alar Volmer and has won the 2014 ORC World Championship and the 2013 ORC European Championship, and Team Subic Sailing/Turquoise from thePhilippines, which has won the challenging Asian Yachting Grand Prix and the IRC 1 Division of Subic Bay to Boracay Race. High level of competition is expected with the participation of many exceptional teams in the field.

To allow audiences to watch sailing races at near-shore locations, the organizers will also arrange six high-speed NACRA 17 catamarans to take part in near-shore exhibition races from noon to 3pm every day during the Jan10 to 13 period, between the sea near Macao Tower and the waters off the south of the Inner Harbor Channel (the waters between Governador Nobre de Carvalho Bridge and Sai Van Bridge). The high-speed catamarans, which can navigate through shallow waters and are of the same type that are used in the NARCA 17 class competition of the sailing event in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, allow audiences to appreciate the spectacular skills of world-class sailboat racers in close proximity on shore, and to experience the thrills of sailing and breaking the waves. Besides, a vessel parade will take place between 9am and 11am on Jan 10 and Jan 13, before the commencement of the races of the day. The participating vessels will set sail from Macau Fisherman's Wharf, then pass through Macao Science Center, Kun Iam Ecumenical Center and Governador Nobre de Carvalho Bridge, and turn back at Macao Tower to the race venue through Macao  Science Center. Residents and tourists may watch this rare sight of large-scale sailboat parade in Macao at the aforementioned time period along the coastal areas of Avenida Dr. Sun Yat Sen in Macao Peninsula and Avenida do Oceano in Taipa.