Qingdao, home for sailing

During the Asia stage of the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Cup, which concluded last month, Qingdao, the Olympic sailing city in east China's Shandong province, once again displayed its charms as one of the world's top water sports destinations. Leveraging its Olympic legacy, Qingdao has had the wind in its sails as a sailing center in recent years.

In return the sport has spurred on growth in other fields and helped chart a course for the city to become an international metropolis. "Qingdao is a perfect sailing city with high-level venue and amazing sailing conditions," said Wei Mengxi, champion of the Women's 470 at the Qingdao World Cup event.

The Sailing World Cup, launched in 2008 and featuring the Olympic sailing events, attracted nearly 200 sailors from 21 countries and regions to participate in Qingdao.