Source: CCTV.com

05-08-2007 10:36

The sailboat race for next year's Beijing Olympics will take place off the coast in the eastern city Qingdao. Although the event is still more than a year away, the city is busy getting down to the nitty-gritties of Olympic security.

Organizing a sailboat race involves a huge amount of coordination and work. And that's not even considering the unpredictable weather.

These are rescue vessels from Qingdao's border defense. Although it's still more than a year to the Olympics, they're ready to do their job here and now.

Ding Jinbo, border defense, said, "If there's an emergency situation at some point in the race, our smaller life vessels will arrive on the scene within 2 minutes. The bigger vessels will make it there within four."

The parameter of the race will be cordoned off by border defense boats. Their sonar systems can detect unusual patterns and allow real-time responses.

There will also be divers on hand to make sure all is safe and sound beneath the surface.

And if some spectator should get too close to the race?

Wang Lei, border defense, said, "This high-pressure hose will be used for security during the Olympics. It's not lethal. But it's effective for driving off small boats. It needs only one man to operate. Here's the switch. Turning on the switch, the water shoots out immediately. The range is about 50 meters."

The Qingdao City Olympics Organizing Committee says the city is getting ready right now for the International Sailing Tournament this August. This will provide a golden opportunity to test Qingdao's Olympic readiness.

 

Editor:Du Xiaodan