The third Qingdao International Sailing Week kicked off Saturday evening, and over 1,000 sailors around the world will compete here in five events in two weeks.

A dialogue among world's celebrities on sailing events will be held alongside three international sailing events, namely the Mayor's Cup International Sailing Rally, the Qingdao International Sailing Regatta and the 2011 International Optimist Sailing Regatta, from Aug 20 to Sept 4, according to local sports administration.

Besides, Over 400 sailors will attend the 2011 National Funboard Championship and the National Laser, Laser Radial Elite Regatta in the sailing weeks, said Lin Zhiwei, head of local sports administration.

Attracting 15 teams from Singapore, South Korea and China's coastal cities, the Mayor's Cup International Sailing Rally will start from Weihai, east China's Shandong province, on Aug 29 and conclude in Qingdao on Sept 4, according to Lin.

Lin told Xinhua that 50 teams from Australia, Russia, South Korea and dozens of domestic cities will take part in the Qingdao International Sailing Regatta.

About 450 teenage athletes from 12 countries and regions will take part in the 2011 International Optimist Sailing Regatta during the coming two weeks.

Qingdao, a coastal city of east China's Shandong, was the venue of sailing events of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and holds international sailing week every year from 2009.

Edited by Chen Zhilin

Source: English.news.cn