Twelve members of China Team’s sporting and technical crew will be in Shenzen and Hong Kong from 3rd to 12th of March next with a view to checking out young Chinese talent.

Their objective is to select those sailors who will participate in the regattas in the America’s Cup 2006 and 2007 and eventually create a strong backbone for the China Team in future America’s Cup competitions.

The operation, which will be carried out in tandem with the Chinese Yachting Association, kicks off in Shenzen from 3rd to 9th March to end with two days in Hong Kong. The sailors will be selected among the fifteen candidates chosen by the Chinese Yachting Association, and they will then join the crew for the 2006 season.

"Most of these sailors come from local yachting teams and have been trained for the Olympic Games", explained Pierre Mas, sailing manager of China Team. "In Shenzen we are going to sail on four 25ft match-racing boats. For the regattas we intend to mix the young Chinese sailors with the permanent members of the crew so that we can evaluate them and give the younger ones guidance".

The result will be a "sailing camp" which will join the present and future members of the China Team as well as its partners and their guests who support the Team. Local companies will also take part.

"For the 9th March we have organised an evening with the China Team Business Club and Chinese businessmen from the region", said Xavier de Lesquen, executive director of the China Team. "Then we will go to Hong Kong (which is around 30 kilometres from Shenzen) for two days of sailing on two 76ft maxi-yachts".

" The operation was organised with the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. We will board the yachts with the crew, our partners, guests of Lladro and Tag Heuer and Siepa, all there for this important event".

It is a crucial stage in the training of the new crew and a chance for everyone to get to know one another and build up the China Team’s crew.