ILCA Asian Cup Opens in Qinhuangdao and Unveils ILCA Asia Sail Training Centre

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ILCA Asian Cup Opens in Qinhuangdao and Unveils ILCA Asia Sail Training Centre

by ILCA Asian Cup 11 Jun 20:24 BST 10-15 June 2026

ILCA Asian Cup Opens in Qinhuangdao © ILCA Asian Cup

The ILCA Asian Cup 2026 opened today in Qinhuangdao, bringing together more than 200 sailors, coaches and officials from 16 countries and regions for four days of racing in Bohai Bay.

The opening ceremony at Seatopia in Beidaihe New Area also marked the inauguration of the ILCA Asia Qinhuangdao Sail Training Centre, a class-focused regional venue for athlete development, coaching education, race officials' training and sailing exchange across Asia.

The ceremony was attended by World Sailing President Quanhai Li, ILCA Asia Chairperson and ILCA Vice President Aileen H Loo, Chinese Yachting Association Vice President Fu Danqing, ILCA World Council Member and Principal Race Officer Hugh Leicester, and representatives from Hebei Province and the Qinhuangdao Municipal Government.

World Sailing President Quanhai Li - photo © ILCA Asian Cup

World Sailing President Quanhai Li - photo © ILCA Asian Cup

With favourable conditions on Bohai Bay and a growing portfolio of international sailing events, Qinhuangdao is increasingly positioned as a regional platform for sailors to train, compete and exchange knowledge.

The attendance of World Sailing President Quanhai Li underlined the event's significance within the wider development of ILCA sailing in Asia and support for initiatives that expand participation and strengthen athlete pathways.

Racing will take place across multiple divisions of the 3 ILCA classes over four days. Among the competitors are several candidates earmarked to represent their nations at the upcoming Asian Games in Nagoya Japan later this year. This event will be a good testing ground to gauge each other's standards.

The ILCA Asian Cup Qinhuangdao will constitute as a ranking event towards the "ILCA Asia Annual Ranking", together with the 6th ILCA Asian & Open Championships scheduled for December. The top ranked sailor from each division of the annual ranking will be awarded "Waiver of Entry Fee" for ILCA Asia's 2027 events.

Find out more here.

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