A group of expats attend a sailing activity at Dongqian Lake in Ningbo, Zhejiang province on March 11. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

As water sports have gained in popularity in Ningbo, a co-host city of the Hangzhou Asian Games in Zhejiang province, many expats have jumped on the bandwagon.

On March 11, a group of expats attended a sailing event at Dongqian Lake in the city's Yinzhou district, learning about sailing and its history and experiencing the sport under the guidance of professional instructors.

The event, launched by the Ningbo Sports Communication and Competition Center and the Ningbo Water Sports Association, was held to celebrate the upcoming 2023 China-CEEC International Sailing Competition, which will be held in May, and the Hangzhou Asian Games, which is scheduled to begin in September.

"The activity taught me more about the challenging water sport, as well as the China-CEEC International Sailing Competition and the Hangzhou Asian Games," said Leonida Matajis from Serbia, "Serbia and China are two volleyball powerhouses. The Chinese women's volleyball training base is located in Ningbo. My sister is a professional volleyball player. I look forward to more interactions between our two countries on the court.”

Ningbo's Xiangshan county is home to two venues of the Hangzhou Asian Games – the Xiangshan Asian Games Sailing Center and the Banbianshan Beach Volleyball Center. During the event, sailing and beach volleyball competitions will be held at the two venues.