Shenzhen, which has 230 kilometers of coastline, will speed up the development of its water sports industry by setting up a water sports training school.

The city is working on detailed plans for the school, which will be located in Dapeng, Longgang District.

The school, the second water sports training base in China, following the sailing school in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, will train sailors and athletes, the city's vice mayor Liang Daoxing revealed yesterday, days before two international water sports events, which will be held in Shenzhen during the weekend.

The F1 Powerboat World Championship GP of Shenzhen is to be held at Shenzhen Bay on Saturday and Sunday while the China Cup International Regatta (CCIR) will take place at Daya Bay between Friday and Sunday.

Liang said the school will help popularize water sports such as sailing, wind surfing and water skiing.

Shenzhen has more than 200 yachts, the largest number in China, according to Liang.

If Shenzhen is chosen by the Union Internationale Motonautique as its Aisa headquarters Sunday, the city will kick off projects to develop the Shenzhen Bay area into a center for water sports, tourism and leisure.

(Shenzhen Daily October 17, 2007)