Family sailboat race finishes leg in grand style
The Dushu Lake leg of the 2023 China Family Sailing Race ended on Saturday under scorching sun, rains, and light wind, with winners in the Hobie T1 and Hobie T2 categories determined after two days of racing.
Na Magic Spicy is a mother-daughter team from Shanghai. Mother Zhang Shenqin said: "I and my daughter have participated in several races this year, and we are willing to travel to any location in Jiangsu, Zhejiang or Shanghai accessible in two or three hours by car. We really appreciate the atmosphere, where the entire family can sail together, and we've made a lot of friends while competing."
The Lao Lu and Sea Team is a father-daughter coupling, with the daughter Lu Tianmi a junior in high school. They started participating in the race in 2019. "We trained with a race, found our form in the last round and used the change of wind to overtake in the end."
Lu has a busy academic schedule, but taking part in the race is what she values most. "I love being on the boat with the sun, sailing, and family, it's nice to slow down time."
The race attracted families from the United States, Russia and other countries and regions.
"This is the third time we have come to Suzhou and the first time we have come to Dushu Lake," said Iurii and Anastasiia, Russian sailing enthusiasts. "We like Suzhou a lot because of the clean fresh air."
The Russian team, Lady and the Tramp, finished third in the race and expressed gratitude to the organizers and personnel: "We really enjoyed the regatta and had an unforgettable weekend!"
"We love it here!" said Mark Hansen, who relocated to Suzhou from the United States four years ago. "We can sail, paddle board, kayak, and swim only 15 minutes away, and the cycling here is also fantastic. I'm very happy to introduce my favorite sport to my daughter Lia."
During the Suzhou stop, a series of activities was held, including music performances, bazaars, camping, food and soft drinks, bringing a unique experience to families and spectators.
