Water sports gaining popularity in Shenzhen

Shenzhen residents’ interests in water sports are on the rise. The city will host over 50 competitions related to sailing, rowing, and dragon boat racing this year.

Many diving buffs from Shenzhen and Hong Kong are attracted by the clear and colorful underwater world in Dapeng Peninsula. Diving is gaining traction, driving people’s growing demands for coaches and equipment, Shenzhen Evening News reported.

Some divers are also motivated by their sense of mission to protect marine organisms and keep the water clean, undergoing rigorous training to overcome their fears before embarking on a career in marine conservation.

“After I got my scuba diving certification in 2017 and went diving with my friends, I found some of them would do underwater cleaning in Dapeng, triggering me to join in the ocean cleanup efforts,” said Li Jialing, a diving enthusiast.

Li Jialing, a diving enthusiast, poses for a photo underwater. Courtesy of the interviewee

Surfing is also becoming more popular in Shenzhen.

A Bao’an resident surnamed Liu called himself a “surfing man.” He said, “Paddles are my best friends. I use them like a steering wheel for driving a car on road.”

Liu embraces the ocean and surfs the waves in waters off Dongchong or Xichong beaches every month.

In 2021, the China Surfing and Paddle Club League was held in Dongchong in Dapeng New Area, with 108 participants competing and setting a record high for the competition.

The 14th China Cup International Regatta (CCIR) was held this March, attracting 100 boats from multiple countries and regions to compete off the waters of Daya Bay. Initiated in Shenzhen in 2007, CCIR is the first international regatta in Chinese history and the only event of its kind called the “China Cup.”

Zhong Yong, board chair of Shenzhen Across Four Oceans Ltd., said that riding a yacht “helps people be aware of the importance of the power of the sea and coastal defense, and learn to use, explore and protect the ocean.” Shenzhen offers quite a few advanced sailing training camps for teenagers, according to Zhong.

Shenzhen residents are searching for better attitudes toward life through water sports, the News report said.