3 days and nights solo journey of 560 nautical miles wang jialing pays tribute to the old captain

Around 8:30 AM on August 10, Wang Jialing arrived at Xiaoping Island in Dalian, successfully completing the solo sailing challenge in the northern Yellow Sea and Bohai Bay without any breaks or supplies.

"Challenge successful, very gratified!" This was his first feeling after coming ashore.

Wang Jialing

I have a small dream, and the key is to achieve it!

Wang Jialing, 38 years old, is a teacher at Dalian University of Foreign Languages, a national second-level athlete, and a sailor for the Liaoning team. From diving to skiing to sailing, he is an extreme sports enthusiast who loves challenges. His adventurous spirit drives him to constantly explore. On May 30, 2016, he attempted to cross the China Sea on the "Red Bull" but had to stop due to an accident during the voyage.

After a year of training and exploration, he set out again on August 7 this year! He sailed the "Benliu" from the Yunsan Ocean Culture Sailing Club in Xiaoping Island, Dalian, to challenge the solo sailing in the northern Yellow Sea and Bohai Bay. For Mr. Wang, this is a small dream, and the most important thing is to achieve it.

"The process is the guiding light for the result, and the result makes the process more beautiful. I hope everyone who knows me can give me some positive energy, so I can gradually make this small dream bigger. I believe it will change some things."

 "Benliu"

This non-stop, unassisted, solo challenge requires highly professional sailing equipment. Mr. Wang's "Benliu" is a trimaran racing sailboat with a length of only 6.72 meters, so it was not equipped with advanced alert systems during the voyage. He couldn't rest while the boat was sailing, had to conserve electricity, and was hesitant to use the autopilot.

"This time, I rested for less than 10 hours in total, which is a big challenge for solo sailing. If I get the chance, I will definitely install advanced alert systems, which I believe can be resolved this winter," said Wang Jialing.

Returning smoothly, full of confidence for next year

Of course, the purpose of this voyage was to test the equipment in preparation for crossing the China Sea next year. "The Laotieshan Channel between the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea has rapid currents and complex weather. If this segment of the voyage can be completed smoothly, it will give me more confidence for next year's trip." This successful challenge greatly encouraged Mr. Wang. The three-day and three-night voyage went smoothly overall, with mostly light to moderate winds. Wang Jialing remarked, "On the last day in the Bohai Sea, I encountered crosswinds, about a level 4 southeast wind. The segment from the Bohai Strait to Dalian was also quite tough, sailing against the wind for a whole night, which was a test for both physical and mental endurance."

Sailing trajectory

To enhance safety and allow more people to understand the situation in real-time, this challenge was also tracked by Qiyu Sports. The person in charge, Wang Xiangsheng, stated that the most important aspect of this system is to ensure the safety of the people on board, letting others know his real-time location and notifying relevant personnel promptly. It also adds a certain level of viewing pleasure. Some netizens questioned that the hourly tracking density is too low, with intervals too long, which may not be conducive to rescue and lacks real-time effectiveness.

Wang Xiangsheng responded, "There's no need to worry about this. We can remotely adjust the update time at any moment. When an issue arises, we can update in real-time by the minute, ensuring no delay in rescue."

 Wang Jialing during the voyage

Exploration never stops

In fact, solo non-stop sailing not only requires high technical skills but also poses a significant psychological and physical challenge to the sailor. The Guo Chuan incident may have led many to ponder the value of extreme sports and whether such endeavors are "worth it." However, most people believe that exploring human limits has irreplaceable value. Only by constantly surpassing the norm and highlighting human initiative and exploratory spirit can it serve as an inspiration to society and others. Exploration does not mean recklessness; we have made risk assessments and prepared thoroughly.

In Mr. Wang's eyes, this solo sailing challenge is his favorite way of sailing: "I really enjoy solo sailing. Guo Chuan has provided me with some reference. My goal is to keep exploring and eventually sail around the world."

Yes

On this path of exploration

We have never stopped

*Content reprinted from the China Cup Sailing Race V WeChat public account