On November 14, the press conference of the 2024 World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen·Bao'an Final and World Bay Area Regatta (2024 WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR SHENZHEN·BAO’AN FINAL AND WORLD BAY AREA REGATTA) was held in Qianhai, Shenzhen. Chris Lee, the executive chairman of the World Match Racing Tour Organizing Committee, James Pleasance, the executive director of the World Match Racing Tour Organizing Committee, Zhang Xiaodong, the president of the Chinese Yachting Association, Zhou Tianlong, the director of the Sports Industry Development Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports, and relevant leaders and guests from the Bao'an District Government attended the press conference. Mr. Li Quanhai, who has just been re-elected as the president of the World Sailing Federation, also sent a video greeting from afar.

The 2024 World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen·Bao'an Final and World Bay Area Regatta will be jointly held in Shenzhen's OCT Harbour and the waters of Qianhai Bay from December 6 to 15. The world's top sailors will gather to present a world-class competitive feast.

This event is fully supported by China Resources Beverage (Holdings) Co., Ltd., Voyah Auto Technology Co., Ltd., Heineken, Guizhou Jinsha Distillery Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Starart Ceramics Co., Ltd., and Shenzhen Qinlin Technology Co., Ltd. During the competition, the audience can watch the exciting sailing competition near the shore in OCT Harbour and Qianhai Bay area.

The 2024 World Bay Area Regatta will start first from December 6 to 8. Sailing teams from world-renowned bay areas will gather in Shenzhen. Through the competition, they will exchange experiences in the development of sailing sports and deepen cooperation in sports, culture, tourism and other fields, injecting new impetus into the coordinated development of the bay area economy.

The highly anticipated 2024 World Match Racing Tour (WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR, abbreviated as WMRT) Shenzhen·Bao'an Final will be in fierce competition from December 10 to 15. Previously, the 2024 WMRT has successfully held 14 stopovers in countries and regions such as the United States, Italy, Finland, and Bermuda. As the annual finale, the 2024 WMRT Shenzhen·Bao'an Final is bound to bring a more exciting viewing experience. 16 match racing fleets composed of the world's top captains and sailors will compete fiercely and strive for the championship of the 2024 WMRT Final.

James Pleasance, the executive director of the World Match Racing Tour Organizing Committee, said: "Last year's competition was an opportunity for Shenzhen citizens to understand the World Match Racing Tour. I think the influence of this year's competition will be greater because people already know about this event, and we have also worked hard with the local government and event organizers to help promote the development of sailing sports."

Zhang Xiaodong, the president of the Chinese Yachting Association, delivered a speech, saying that the Chinese Yachting Association has been committed to promoting the popularization and development of sailing and windsurfing sports in China. "The 2024 WMRT Shenzhen·Bao'an Final and World Bay Area Regatta is not only a sports competition feast, but also an exchange and dissemination of world cultures. The event will inject new vitality into the development of sailing sports in Shenzhen, the Greater Bay Area and even the world. I hope that through this competition, the world can understand the current development status and future potential of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and thus vigorously promote the friendly cooperation and exchanges between the world's top bay areas."

Xu Jiaping, the deputy general manager of China Resources Culture and Sports Development Co., Ltd., introduced the progress of event preparations, saying that the level of this event is benchmarked against international top events, aiming to show the urban image of the "Bay Area Core". During the competition, the organizing committee will hold supporting activities such as "Spectator Carnival" and "Sailing Sports into Campus" to further popularize sailing sports and nautical culture among the public. The event will also introduce panoramic live broadcasts that combine real-time 2D trajectories and 3D modeling technologies to comprehensively improve the online viewing experience.

Professional sailors such as Mr. Frank Pong, a tycoon in the Asian sailing community and the captain of "Self-Reliance", Mr. Liu Ming of the China One Ningbo Sailing Team, a top professional sailor in China, Mr. Yan Yuye, the captain of the Shenzhen Sea Wolves, Mr. Xu Zexi, the captain and owner of the Aegean Sailing Team, and Mr. Guo Weijie, the coach of the Shenzhen Sailing and Windsurfing Sports Team and the champion of the 2019 Round Hainan Island International Regatta, attended the press conference.

It is worth mentioning that, with the approval of the World Sailing Federation and the authorization of the World Match Racing Tour Organizing Committee, the Chinese Yachting Association has obtained a wild card entry qualification this year. A Chinese keelboat team has been selected and formed to participate in the 2024 World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen·Bao'an Final as a wild card player, which is also the first time that a Chinese keelboat team has stepped onto the stage of a world-class sailing match race.

"Be Pioneering and Sail First". This is a vivid presentation of the nautical spirit and the spirit of Shenzhen. At that time, the global spotlight will be focused here to experience the style and charm of Shenzhen, an international metropolis, and witness the splendid chapter intertwined by nautical sports and urban culture. This event will further help Shenzhen build a global marine center city and an international famous sports city, and will also greatly promote the development of sailing sports in Shenzhen and even in China, and strengthen the communication and cooperation between China and other countries in the fields of sports and economy.

The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) is one of the special events approved and recognized by the World Sailing Federation. It is one of the ten special events (Special Event) certified by the World Sailing Federation together with the America's Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race, and is a world championship level event.