THE second event of 2012 Extreme Sailing Series was held in Qingdao from April 17 to Friday. A total of nine top sailing teams from countries like Britain, France, Switzerland and China attended the competition. It is the second time for Qingdao to host the international sailing event, which is known as “F1 on the sea.” The Extreme Sailing Series is one of four special events of the International Sailing Federation. The boats can reach a maximum speed of 74 kilometers per hour. Last year saw four boats capsize in a single day. The event has helped raise Qingdao’s profile around the world. This year’s Extreme Sailing Series consists of eight events. The Qingdao event drew almost 40 top sailors, who have won a combined total of 47 world championships. It is the first time a Chinese sailing team has competed in the event since Qingdao became a host of it. This year, the Chinese team was led by a 25-year-old New Zealander who finished eighth in an international sailing event last year. The city has also arranged for 80 young Qingdao residents to meet with the sailors. Qingdao will host the event for the next two years.(Li Hao, Sun Fei) | 