A press conference was held today at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) for the 2018 Rolex China Sea Race, which starts tomorrow Wednesday 28 March in Hong Kong’s iconic Victoria Harbour. This year will mark the 29th edition of this biennial Offshore Category 1 race, run under the auspices of RORC since 1962. The organising authority, RHKYC, has been hosting 29 local and overseas boats, before the start, including entries from Australia, China, Philippines and Singapore.

主辦機構香港遊艇會今日為2018「勞力士中國海帆船賽」舉行記者招待會。第29屆賽事將於明日3月28日（星期三）在香港維多利亞港展開。自1962年以來，這個一級離岸賽事在皇家海洋競賽會支持下，每兩年舉行一次。賽事共有29艘本地及其他地區帆船參加，包括來自澳洲、中國內地、菲律賓及新加坡的帆船。

主办机构香港游艇会今日为2018劳力士中国海帆船赛举行新闻发布会。第29届赛事将于明日3月28日（星期三）在香港维多利亚港展开。自1962年以来，这个一级离岸赛事在皇家海洋竞赛会支持下，每两年举行一次。赛事共有29艘本地及其他地区帆船参加，包括来自澳大利亚、中国内地、菲律宾及新加坡的帆船。

In the lead up to the event, competitors go through a stringent preparation period, during which all participants are scrutineered to ensure that they satisfy the World Sailing Category 1 Offshore Sailing Regulations (with RORC prescriptions).

賽事開始之前，所有參賽隊伍均需要經過嚴格的檢查階段，確保符合世界帆聯一級離岸賽規章（皇家海洋競賽會規定）。

赛事开始之前，所有参赛队伍均需要经过严格的检查阶段，确保符合世界帆联一级离岸赛规章（皇家海洋竞赛会规定）。

The fleet will gather before the start at RHKYC’s Kellett Island club-house for a lion dance to wish the competitors a safe journey across the ever-challenging South China Sea. The Race traditionally starts in the cooler climate of Hong Kong then, after a bumpy first night, competitors are greeted by clear skies and a full moon as they reach towards the Philippines. As the fleet approaches the northern coast of the Philippines, tactics become supremely important as boats do their utmost to keep moving in the light air that is often found off the coast.

開賽前，船隊將於銅鑼灣吉列島香港遊艇會聚集，觀賞醒獅表演，預祝參賽者能夠安全橫越充滿挑戰的南中國海。賽事通常始於香港較清涼的氣候，經過一天的顛簸旅程後，參賽者將會在晴朗的天空和盈月下到達菲律賓。隨著船隊接近菲律賓北部海岸，船隻需竭盡全力在輕風下保持航行，戰術在此時亦變得極其重要。

开赛前，船队将于铜锣湾吉列岛香港游艇会聚集，观赏舞狮表演，预祝参赛者能够安全横越充满挑战的南海。赛事通常始于香港较凉爽的气候，经过一天的颠簸旅程后，参赛者将会在晴朗的天空和盈月下到达菲律宾。随着船队接近菲律宾北部海岸，船只需竭尽全力在轻风下保持航行，战术在此时亦变得极其重要。

The boats to watch out for record-breaking times and Line Honours win are Karl Kwok’s multihull MOD 70 Beau Geste and Philip Turner’s monohull RP66 Alive. The current race record stands at an impressive 47h 31m 08s for monohulls set in 2016 by Alive and 48h 01m 47s in the multihulls set in 2000 by Benoit Lesaffre’s Crowther 50 Catamaran Atmosphere.

備受注目的船隻包括有郭志樑的多體船MOD 70 Beau Geste號和Philip Turner的單體船RP66 Alive號，他們均為打破紀錄與最先衝線的熱門人選。目前最快的比賽紀錄是47小時31分08秒，由單體船Alive號於2016年所創；多體船紀錄則是2000年由Benoit Lesaffre的Crowther 50 Atmosphere號所創下的48小時1分47秒。

备受注目的船只包括有郭志梁的多体船MOD 70 Beau Geste号和Philip Turner的单体船RP66 Alive号，他们均为打破纪录与最先冲线的热门人选。目前最快的比赛纪录是47小时31分08秒，由单体船Alive号于2016年所创；多体船纪录则是2000年由Benoit Lesaffre的Crowther 50 Atmosphere号所创下的48小时1分47秒。

Current favourites for IRC Overall win (on corrected time under IRC handicap) are Lighthorse Alpha Plus, Alive and the two TP52s; FreeFire and Standard Insurance Centennial in IRC Racer 0. However, with conditions being a bit of a lottery as the boats make their way along the race course means that timing is everything and, given a perfect set of circumstances, any of the IRC entries could lift the coveted China Sea Race trophy.

IRC級別總冠軍（根據IRC 讓分制計算修正時間）的熱門心水包括有Lighthorse Alpha Plus號、Alive號及兩艘TP52 - IRC Racer 0組的FreeFire號和Standard Insurance Centennial號。然而，隨著南中國海的氣候及海面情況不斷變化，意味著時間就是一切。在變化多端的情況下，任何一艘IRC級參賽帆船都有機會奪得夢寐以求的中國海帆船賽獎盃。

IRC级别总冠军（根据IRC让分制计算修正时间）的热门心水包括有Lighthorse Alpha Plus号、Alive号及两艘TP52 - IRC Racer 0组的FreeFire号和Standard Insurance Centennial号。然而，随着南海的气候及海面情况不断变化，意味着时间就是一切。在变化多端的情况下，任何一艘IRC级参赛帆船都有机会夺得梦寐以求的劳力士中国海帆船赛奖杯。

Rolex China Sea Race Chairman Simon Powell summed up his racing experience in his speech today, “I have competed in every edition of this race since 2008 and will be racing down again this year. As amateur racing yachtsmen and yachtswomen we love and relish the chance to compete in this very special event. It’s a race where competitors start off in warm clothes and wet weather gear for the first 100 to 150 miles and end up in shorts and T-shirts. We see amazing sunrises and sunsets, and usually have some fast reaching under moonlight skies – it’s all great stuff and who could argue with finishing in the welcoming, relaxed, warm waters of the Philippines. More than anything that seems to draw us all back race after race for this event is that we are trying to repeat those unique, sublime moments again and again – they are priceless.”

勞力士中國海帆船賽主席鮑俊文 (Simon Powell) 在今天的記者招待會中總結他的航海經驗：「自2008年開始，每一屆比賽我都參加，今年也不例外。身為業餘的帆船運動員，我們非常喜歡這個特別的比賽，並珍惜參賽機會。參賽者於首100至150海哩穿著保暖衣服和雨天裝備，但到最後在菲律賓衝刺時，大家都會穿著短褲和T恤。我們更能看到令人讚嘆的日出日落，在月夜下快速側向行駛，在熱情、輕鬆、溫暖的菲律賓水域中完成賽事。比賽結束之後，選手們都會一再回味那些獨特微妙的時刻，一切經歷絶對無價。」

劳力士中国海帆船赛主席鲍俊文（Simon Powell）在今天的发布会中总结他的航海经验：“自2008年开始，每一届的比赛我都参加，今年也不例外。作为业余的帆船运动员，我们非常喜欢这个特别的比赛，并珍惜参赛机会。参赛者于首100至150海里穿着保暖衣服和雨天装备，但到最后在菲律宾冲刺时，大家都会穿着短裤和T恤。我们更能看到令人赞叹的日出日落，在月夜下快速侧向行驶，在热情、轻松、温暖的菲律宾水域中完成赛事。比赛结束之后，选手们都会一再回味那些独特微妙的时刻，一切经历绝对无价。”

Armchair enthusiasts can follow the action by checking the Yellowbrick trackers which update twice an hour. For the more competitive armchair enthusiast, they can join 1000s of competitors racing against the actual fleet on Virtual Regatta.

帆船運動愛好者可以通過每半小時更新一次的Yellowbrick追踪器，追踪每艘賽船的即時位置、速度及路徑。 對於酷愛比賽的帆船運動愛好者，更可加入其他成千上萬名競爭對手的行列，透過Virtual Regatta跟參賽船隊實時競賽。

帆船运动爱好者可以通过每半小时更新一次的Yellowbrick追踪器，追踪每艘赛船的实时位置、速度及路径。 对于酷爱比赛的帆船运动爱好者，更可加入其他成千上万名竞争对手的行列，透过Virtual Regatta跟参赛船队实时竞赛。

The Rolex China Sea Race 2018 will start in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong, at 1120hrs (HKT) on Wednesday 28 March.

「勞力士中國海帆船賽」將於2018年3月28日上午11時20分在香港維多利亞港正式展開。

劳力士中国海帆船赛将于2018年3月28日上午11时20分在香港维多利亚港正式展开。

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