EVENT SCHEDULE （地点：青岛奥帆中心）

从2016国际极限帆船系列赛青岛站比赛新闻发布会获悉，已连续承办2011至2015五个赛季分站赛的青岛将在4月29日至5月2日再次迎来极限帆船赛。青岛将成为国际极限帆船系列赛核心赛站，逐步向世界知名的“帆船之都”迈进。

在国际极限帆船系列赛创办10周年之际，这项国际帆船赛事将第6次登陆“帆船之都”青岛。本赛季的看点颇多，不仅首次启用GC32水翼新赛船，还吸引了来自8个国家的8支精英队伍、50余名顶级帆船选手竞速浮山湾。届时，每天正式比赛的时间计划为14时至17时，市民和游客可在五四广场、音乐广场、奥帆中心情人坝等处免费观赏精彩赛事，一睹国际顶级选手追风逐浪的精彩场面。

新型超速赛船首次亮相

青岛市帆船运动管理中心主任刘谕表示，“新赛季启用了超速GC32水翼双体船，还在竞赛模式上有所创新，引进对抗赛模式，与短距离、上下风折返跑场地赛相结合，构成独一无二的极限近岸场地赛形式。”“这些参赛选手中，参加过奥运会的有13人，参加过美洲杯的有22人，获得过世界冠军的有27人。”刘谕告诉记者，“船长方面，一支代表中国出战的船队也将参加国际极限帆船系列赛，由世界对抗赛冠军泰勒·坎菲尔德掌舵。SAP极限帆船队则由来自丹麦的两位联席船长杰斯·格兰姆和拉斯穆斯·科斯特纳带队，多项世界冠军得主、三届美洲杯天才水手皮埃尔路易吉·德费利斯将强势加盟该队。红牛帆船队也将继续由两届奥运金牌得主、来自奥地利的罗马·汉伽拉和彼得·斯汀耐彻联袂率队参加新赛季的挑战。曾获2008年和2014年两届国际极限帆船系列赛总冠军、两届美洲杯冠军、来自瑞士的阿灵基队也在本赛季强势回归。来自葡萄牙的船队则是首次参赛，其船长由参加过三届奥运会的迪奥戈·卡尤拉担纲，为国际极限帆船系列赛注入了新鲜血液。”

将途经三大洲8个城市

据悉，本赛季极限赛将在全球3个大洲共设8站，青岛站为第2站。3月的阿曼马斯喀特首站比赛结束后，船队们将于4月29日转战至“帆船之都”青岛，接下来比赛在6月回到欧洲，第五次承办比赛的英国卡迪夫是本赛季第3站。第4站比赛由德国汉堡承办，比赛时间为7月。随后俄罗斯圣彼得堡在9月初举行第5站比赛，3周之后在土耳其伊斯坦布尔举行第6站比赛。葡萄牙里斯本将作为新晋城市加入国际极限帆船系列赛大家庭，在欧洲大航海时代圣地里斯本举行第7站比赛。整个赛季将于12月在澳大利亚圆满收官。

10个 第六人”将登船体验“

“今年极限赛青岛站比赛继续与五一黄金周联动，通过开展摄影大赛、"第六人"及登艇观赛人员选拔等吸引社会公众参与，推广和普及帆船运动。”据刘谕介绍，“在活动组织上，组委会将搭建多层次平台，组织遥控帆船比赛、OP帆船展演、明星船员与帆船特色学校学生交流等丰富多彩的活动，促进帆船运动与文化、旅游、会展、经贸等多产业的一体化深度融合。”

“今年青岛站比赛期间，我市将向全国公开选拔10名航海运动爱好者，作为船队"第六人"及登艇观赛人员参与比赛。”刘谕表示，"第六人"是指每艘船除5名专业选手外，还有1名幸运入选者同船出赛，感受国际顶级帆船赛事的惊险与刺激。"第六人"为拥有航海梦想的帆船爱好者提供了与世界冠军及国际职业帆船运动员近距离接触的机会。”

据了解，凡中国公民和旅居中国、在中国工作及学习的外籍人士，年龄在18周岁至50周岁，均可报名“第六人”；报名自2016年4月14日开始，至2016年4月22日截止，报名者可登录青岛帆船运动官方网站下载报名表，完整填写后将表格及一分钟游泳（不限泳姿）视频发邮箱qdfgzxcyb@163.com完成报名。经组委会资格审查确认后的报名者，于2016年4月24日在青岛参加选拔，选拔内容包括长跑、游泳、平衡能力测试，最终选出“第六人”及登艇观赛人员".

China here we come: The Extreme Sailing Series™ gets ready for Act 2, Qingdao -

- One week to go until Act 2, Qingdao, where the teams are likely to face relentlessly tough conditions in the 2008 Olympic Sailing city

- Watch the Stadium Racing live on the official event website from Sunday 1 May, with commentary by Kiwi sailing legend Peter Lester

- Local sailor, Liu Xue (aka Black), will be joining the first ever full Series entry representing China, which will be formally launched next week

Following a flying start to the 2016 Extreme Sailing Series™ in Muscat, tensions are high with just one week to go before the boats are launched for Act 2 in Qingdao, China.

The fleet of eight, super-fast hydrofoiling GC32 catamarans will take their place on the water in Fushan Bay to commence battle from 29 April – 2 May.

With only one Act under their belts on the new GC32s, many of the crews are still learning the ropes on the foiling flying machines. The crews, from 16 nations, are likely to face tricky wind conditions in Qingdao, making the already steep learning curve even steeper.

In previous years Qingdao has offered edge-of-the-seat entertainment for the fans. In 2011 there was one big collision, one broken mast and four dramatic capsizes, while 2014 saw one of the biggest crashes in Series history between Alinghi and Red Bull Sailing Team.

With the weather changing from flat calms to rolling seas in a matter of minutes, and the towering skyscrapers channeling big gusts of wind that bombard the boats out on the water, the sailors will have to be on their toes, upping the risk factor and reducing the margin for error.

“Qingdao is a challenging venue that can, and does, throw anything and everything at the sailors. It’s our first time there with the GC32s and on Stadium Racing days we will be operating in the confined space of the harbour, which will be a test for the sailors,” said the Extreme Sailing Series Race Director, Phil Lawrence.

The first Chinese flagged team to compete in a full season, which will be officially launched next week, will be joined by Liu Xue, or Black, as he is known, who competes for the team for the first time in his hometown, Qingdao. Black raced on board Dongfeng Race Team, the Chinese entry that finished third in the last edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Having just returned from an offshore race in the South China Sea, in which he came second, Black is looking forward to making his 2016 debut: “I am very happy to have the chance to do this race, especially as the first Chinese sailor on the crew. I am excited and proud to compete in my hometown and I hope to gain some experience in this event and help my team achieve a good result,” he said.

Black joins an international crew, including skipper and helm, Taylor Canfield, who has been keeping himself busy since his Extreme Sailing Series debut in Muscat, with a record-breaking performance in the World Match Racing Tour’s Congressional Cup. “We placed third on the final day of Muscat, also the windiest day of the regatta, so bring on the breeze!” said Canfield. “The opening Act was incredible. The racing was tight and small mistakes on the water were often paid for with several places in a race. Being up on the foils in these high performance GC32s definitely adds another element to the game as we are pushing the boats to the limit,” he added.

SAP Extreme Sailing Team, winners of the Qingdao Act in 2015, are hoping history repeats itself. “We know that the racecourse in Qingdao can be difficult and test the teams to their limits but, in the past, we have celebrated some of our finest results there so we are looking forward to being back,” said co-skipper and helm, Jes Gram-Hansen. “The wind conditions and confined space will test starting and tactical skills and, if the breeze is up, teamwork will be key to getting around the racecourse in good shape.”

“Qingdao is a special venue for us as it was where our SAP sponsorship started in 2012 and the venue where we won our first Act on the Extreme Sailing Series. We are sure it will be just as close and exciting as always but also a good opportunity for us to comeback from a disappointing last race in Muscat,” added co-skipper and tactician, Rasmus Køstner.

Red Bull Sailing Team’s Austrian duo, Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher, have a history with this venue, having competed here in the 2008 Olympics. Skipper and helm, Roman Hagara, anticipates drama: “Collisions and capsizes are part of the game when you sail against the best sailors on earth, with every team sailing their boat to its limits.”

Oman Air achieved an unprecedented victory in Act 1, winning over 50% of the races in Muscat, and the pressure is on to maintain this form in the more challenging conditions of Qingdao.

With the event falling on May Day Bank holiday in China, the racing promises to draw in the crowds to the free-to-enter public Race Village, guaranteeing a spectacular buzz, while Kiwi sailing legend Peter Lester returns to do the live commentary for those watching online.

The action begins on Friday 29 April with a day of open water racing before the teams take to the Stadium on Saturday 30 April.

Fans around the globe can watch the racing live online on the official event website at the following times:

Sunday 1 May: 1530-1700 GMT+8 Monday 2 May: 1515-1645 GMT+8

五月一日格林威治时间 15:30 - 17：00  五月二日格林威治时间 15:165 - 16:45

The Line-Up – Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 2, Qingdao

极限帆船国际第二站，青岛站

Alinghi (SUI) 瑞士队船员
Skipper/Helm: Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI) （瑞士队员）
Tactician: Nicolas Charbonnier (FRA) （法国队员）
Headsail Trimmer: Nils Frei (SUI) （瑞士队员）
Bowman: Yves Detrey (SUI) （瑞士队员）
Floater: Timothé Lapauw (FRA) （法国队员）

Chinese flagged team – name to be announced (CHN) （中国队队员）
Skipper/Helm: Taylor Canfield (ISV) （美属维京群岛队员）
Tactician/Bowman: Chris Steele (NZL) （荷兰队员）
Mainsail Trimmer: Hayden Goodrick (NZL) （荷兰队员）
Headsail Trimmer: Shane Diviney (IRL) （爱尔兰队员）
Floater: Luke Payne (AUS)/Liu Xue (Black) (CHN) （中国队员）

Land Rover BAR Academy (GBR) （英国队船员)
Skipper/Tactician: Bleddyn Môn (GBR)  （英国队员）
Helm: Leigh McMillan (GBR) （英国队员）
Headsail Trimmer: Ed Powys (GBR) （英国队员）
Bowman: Neil Hunter (GBR) （英国队员）
Floater: Adam Kay (GBR) （英国队员）

Oman Air (OMA) （阿曼队船员）
Skipper/Helm: Morgan Larson (USA) （美国队员）
Mainsail Trimmer: Pete Greenhalgh (GBR) （英国队员）
Headsail Trimmer: Ed Smyth (NZL/AUS) （荷兰队员）
Bowmen: Nasser Al Mashari (OMA) & James Wierzbowski (AUS) （澳大利亚队员）

Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) （奥地利队船员）
Skipper/Helm: Roman Hagara (AUT) （奥地利队员）
Tactician: Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT) （奥地利队员）
Mainsail Trimmer: Stewart Dodson (NZL) （荷兰队员）
Headsail Trimmer: Adam Piggott (GBR) （英国队员）
Bowman: Brad Farrand (NZL) （荷兰队员）

Sail Portugal (POR) （葡萄牙队船员）
Skipper/Helm: Diogo Cayolla (POR) ）（葡萄牙队员）
Mainsail Trimmer: Bernardo Freitas (POR) （葡萄牙队员）
Headsail Trimmer: Javier de la Plaza (ESP) （西班牙队员）
Bowman: João Matos Rosa (POR) （葡萄牙队员）
Floater: Luís Brito (POR) （葡萄牙队员）

SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) （丹麦队船员）
Co-Skipper/Helm: Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) （丹麦队员）
Co-Skipper/Tactician: Rasmus Køstner (DEN) （丹麦队员）
Mainsail Trimmer: Mads Emil Stephensen (DEN) （丹麦队员）
Headsail Trimmer: Pierluigi De Felice (ITA) （意大利队员）
Bowman: Renato Conde (POR) （葡萄牙队员）

Team Turx (TUR) （土耳其队船员）
Co-skipper/Helm: Stevie Morrison (GBR) （英国队员）
Co-skipper/Floater: Edhem Dirvana (TUR) （土耳其队员）
Mainsail Trimmer: Cem Gözen (TUR) （土耳其队员）
Headsail Trimmer: Tom Dawson (GBR) （英国队员）
Bowman: Tom Buggy (GBR) （英国队员）