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In its effort to continue building a foundation for future America’s Cup endeavors, China Team today announced the Hilton San Francisco Financial District as a sponsor of the team for the next AC World Series San Francisco (Oct. 2-7).

China Team principals including Vanessa Fang, the managing director, and Stanley Mo, the marketing manager, were on hand for the announcement, as were sailors Ying Kit Chang and Tie Wa Li. China Team plans to begin training for the next regatta on Sept. 16.

The announcement also aimed to strengthen the relationship with the Chinese community in San Francisco. Mayor Ed Lee is the first Chinese-American mayor a major U.S. city, and his wife, Anita, presented opening remarks.

“China Team, you are a wonderful ambassador for China to the America’s Cup,” said First Lady Lee. “We look forward to cheer you on in the races to come. More than one-quarter of San Francisco’s residents are of Chinese descent, and China Team’s participation helps us continue to foster cultural and economic ties with China.”

America’s Cup Regatta Director Iain Murray also addressed the audience. He noted China’s recent sailing gold medal (in the Laser Radial class) at the Olympics, its first-ever sailing gold medal, and noted the team’s goal of developing a new generation of Chinese sailors.

“We’re happy to have China Team competing in the second series of the AC World Series in October,” said Murray. “We admire the team’s ambition of building a young crew and support their vision for the long-term future of the America’s Cup.”