Estonian visitor awestruck by sailing city

QINGDAO: Estonian sailor Deniss Karpak missed Sunday's opening ceremony after arriving late in Qingdao, but he didn't let it faze him and was quick to try out Qingdao's delights.

Karpak, a Laser sailor who finished second at Germany's Kiel Week regatta two months ago and third in Laser last month in Portugal's Cascais worlds, was overwhelmed by the crowds and bustling streets of Qingdao when he stepped out on Monday.

And little wonder, too - for the city's population is eight times larger than his homeland.

"My aim is to come here, to look around, to get familiar with the situations here," said the multilingual first-time visitor.

" I don't think about result."

"Next year, when I come, my aim is to take a medal."

But Karpak's not yet sure if he will be sailing in Qingdao next summer, because he still needs to sail in a series of qualification competitions.

"Firstly, I'm the first this year in Laser in Estonia; secondly, it's next year's Free Estonia Regatta I need to win; the third step is the French Olympic Sailing Week.

"So I need to be in these three competitions," Karpak said, explaining how his country will select sailors for 2008 Olympiad.

The Estonian team consists of three sailors in the Laser and 49er classes this year.

Karpak was born in the Estonian capital of Tallinn on the edge of the Baltic Sea, a city well known as the "Crossroad of Europe".

(China Daily 08/16/2007 page24)