A swimming competition across the Haitan Strait in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone (PCPZ) will kick off on July 19, according to its organizers, ptnet.cn reported.

Officials announce that a swimming competition across the Haitan Strait in Pingtan county, Fujian province will be held on July 19. [Photo/ sport.gov.cn]

It will be the second consecutive year for Pingtan to stage the event, following a successful inauguration on July 18 last year, which cemented Pingtan’s reputation as an open-water swimming base.

Zhang Jian, a famous Chinese long-distance swimmer and organizer of the race, announced that there will be more than 500 professionals and swimming fans from across the Taiwan Straits to participate in the event. In comparison, only 126 showed up last year.

They will set out from the Xiaoshandong Wharf and swim eastward to the Nianggong Wharf, about 3 kilometers away. But swimmers could swim as far as 5 kilometers given the tides and currents conditions.

Those who manage to complete the race will be given a certificate by the China Swimming Association, and even have a shot at the title of “Honorary Islander in Pingtan”, he added.

Zhang and his Beijing Hengdu Sports Development Co reached an agreement with Pingtan’s authority earlier this year to develop the sport of open-water swimming in Pingtan.

“The Haitan Strait is wide enough, and has moderate winds and waves favorable for mass cross-strait swimming,” said Zhang.

The cross-Haitan swimming race will strive to become one of the biggest swimming brands in the world in the future, he added.

Ouyang Xiaobo, director of the local bureau of social affairs, echoed Zhang’s sentiment, saying the geographically-advantaged Pingtan has become a top choice for all sorts of water sports and authorities will continue to cultivate more sport brands.