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China Team boat in action - Source: ONE Sport -
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China Team is a relatively new team at the elite international
sailing level and will relish the opportunities of the Louis
Vuitton Pacific Series.
Chinese entrepreneur Chaoyong Wang founded the team in 2004
initially in alliance with France's Le Defi, and it competed in
Valencia in 2007.
It is now an independent team and its club, the Qingdao
International Yacht Club, was recently on display to the world
hosting the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic sailing events.
The team has attracted British sailor Ian Williams as skipper and
he will helm the boat for the first time in Auckland.
Williams, who lists his sailing hero as New Zealander Russell
Coutts, is a two-time World Match Racing Tour champion - his team
Pindar won the title in Malaysia in late 2008.
Joining Williams on board are three Chinese sailors; grinders
Wenpei Zhang and Jue Wang and mast man Liang Wu.
China's domestic sailing scene is still developing and China Team
has an international feel with seven countries represented.
New Zealander Ed Smyth is the team's navigator with England's
Rochard Sydenham providing the tactics.
Other Kiwis in the team are Ed Smyth (traveller), Sean Clarkson in
the main and Matthew Stuart who is a utility person.
