Saemangeum Cup International Yacht Race, 'Fanfare' in Buan on the 22nd

22-25 Days of Intense Competition at Gyeokpo Port with 30 Vessels from 9 Countries and Over 200 Participants

Jeonbuk Province announced on the 15th that the Saemangeum Cup International Yacht Race will be held from the 22nd to the 25th at Geokpo Port in Buan-gun and the Saemangeum area.

Marking its 8th edition this year, the international yacht race is expected to feature 30 yachts and over 200 athletes from 9 countries including Korea, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, China, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the United States, and India.

The 7th Saemangeum International Yacht Race. The scene of boats rounding the mark in front of Sajabawi Rock.
[Photo by Kim Geonwan]

The athletes will navigate the West Sea with thrilling races on two courses: the Inshore course, which circles from Geokpo Port to the area around Wido to the left, and the Offshore course, which goes from Geokpo Port around the Saemangeum seawall.

The province will do its utmost to ensure safety by cooperating with related agencies (Coast Guard, police, fire department) to prevent any lapses in safety management. Measures include operating personnel and athlete safety training, mandatory life jacket wearing, deployment of rescue boats and safety personnel at sea, provision of rescue equipment and emergency medical supplies, and prevention of crowd accidents for participants and spectators.

The event will begin on the 22nd with the opening of the yacht mooring area and the start of vessel mooring. On the 23rd, there will be practice races and an international exchange night for domestic and foreign yacht enthusiasts. The main races will take place on the 24th and 25th.

Additionally, the opening ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on the 24th at Sono Belle Byeonsan Resort, attended by participating teams, executives, and event officials. The awards ceremony and closing ceremony will conclude the event at 5 p.m. on the 25th.

Various side events such as photo contests and marine leisure sports experience programs will also be prepared during the event, allowing local residents and tourists to enjoy the festival together. Spectators can experience the yacht races up close on the sea by boarding the viewing seats installed on the southern breakwater of Geokpo Port and the viewing boats.

Choi Jae-yong, Director of the Saemangeum Marine Fisheries Bureau of Jeonbuk Province, said, “This Saemangeum Cup International Yacht Race is expected to showcase the beautiful scenery of the Byeonsan Peninsula in Jeollabuk-do to the world and greatly contribute to the development of the marine leisure sports industry.” He added, “We will do our best to expand the base so that Jeonbuk Province can become a center for marine leisure tourism, recreation, and a mecca for marine sports.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.