World Sailing has signed a three-year global partnership with marine manufacturer Shanghai FarEast Co. Ltd, with boats and equipment to be supplied for international events and development programmes around the world. The agreement, announced on Wednesday (12 August), makes FarEast a World Sailing Development Partner through to 2029.
Under the partnership, the manufacturer will provide boats and other equipment to support World Sailing events, grassroots initiatives and projects aimed at developing the sport in emerging sailing nations.
World Sailing said the agreement is intended to broaden access to sailing while providing sailors and race officials with high-quality equipment.
Equipment to support emerging sailing nations
The governing body said the equipment supplied by FarEast will be deployed across a number of its development programmes and events, with details of individual projects and regional allocations to be announced in the coming months.
World Sailing President Quanhai Li said the partnership would have particular value for programmes designed to expand participation in countries where sailing is still developing.
“We are thrilled to welcome FarEast to the World Sailing family,” Li said. “Their generous value-in-kind commitment over the next three years is a testament to their dedication to the sport and to the global sailing community.
“This equipment will be instrumental in driving our development programmes forward, particularly in emerging sailing nations, and ensuring our events continue to meet the highest standards of the sport.”
FarEast backs access to sailing
Shanghai FarEast President Demolar Du said the company viewed access to equipment and technical support as important elements in the future development of sailing.
“Partnering with World Sailing is a proud moment for our company,” Du said. “We believe that the future of sailing relies on robust support systems and access to high-quality hardware, and through this partnership, we are honoured to support World Sailing by contributing our boats and sharing our expertise to development programmes that help broaden access to sailing and support the next generation of sailors.”
The partnership will also focus on accessibility, sustainability and technical standards within the sport.
FarEast's supplied fleet and equipment will be used across selected World Sailing properties and development initiatives during the three-year agreement, although the governing body has yet to confirm which events, countries or programmes will receive equipment first.
