The 2008 Olympic Sailing Regatta will be held August 9th throught the 21st at the Qingdao International Marina & Olympic Sailing Center which is located at the former Beihai dockyard in FuShan Bay adjoining Wusi (May 4th) Square and DongHai Xi Lu. The opening ceremony of the Sailing Regatta of the 29th Olympic Games will be held at HuiQuan Square on August 8, 2008.

The 13th Paralympic Games will also be held at the Qingdao International Marina & Olympic Sailing Center from September 6th through the 17th, 2008. An estimated 4,000 athletes from 150 countries and regions around the world are expected to participate in the 13th Paralympic Games, along with 2,500 support staff including coaches, trainers, and technical officials. Approximately 4,000 press, photo, television and radio journalists, and relevant technicians are expected to cover this event.

The Olympic flame was kindled in Olympia at 11:00 a.m. (GMT +2), 24 March 2008, and after a global journey through Almaty, Istanbul, St. Petersburg, London, Paris, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Dar es Salaam, Muscat, Islamabad, New Delhi, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Canberra, Nagano, Seoul, Pyongyang, and Ho Chi Minh City, it will arrive back in Hong Kong, China for its domestic route. Qingdao citizens and travelers can witness the Beijing Olympic torch “XiangYun” and the Olympic flame at various locations throughout Qingdao on July 24th, 2008. The exact date and time is still to be announced (TBA).

A grand welcoming ceremony will be held for the arrival of the Olympic flame & torch in Qingdao. After a starting ceremony, in the morning, 138 Qingdao torchbearers and 34 guide-runners will pass the torch across Qingdao city and then finally to RiZhao in the afternoon.

Official Government Sites:
www.sailing2008.org
torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/journey/index.shtml