Experience offers valuable lessons. In less than 500 days, what can Chinese organizers learn from Sydney, who beat out Beijing in hosting the 2000 Olympic Games? What can be done to realize the Beijing Olympic slogan “One World, One Dream?”

In a recent interview with Beijing Review reporter Chen Yan, Glenn Bourke and George Blake, two Olympic experts who participated in the preparation and operation of the Sydney Olympics, shared their views on the above-mentioned questions and the future of water sports in China.

Beijing Review: The Olympic atmosphere in China is overwhelming. In your opinion, what advantage does Beijing have in preparing for the Olympics?

Glenn Bourke: Some of the things Beijing has already done beautifully. For instance, the venues they finished early so they can be tested early and the fantastically wide layout. That is a really good starting point for the Olympic Games.

And the transport; you have to make sure that’s done properly. The other thing that we can’t do anything about is the security. We just do the best we can, we use the best intelligence, and just hope it is secure. But I’m sure that in this country security is as thorough as anywhere else.

George Blake: The advantage is the enthusiasm of the Chinese people. It seems that they are open to the outside world; they want to acquire all the necessary information. Any information I have, they take it in quickly and they want more.

The preparation work, from what I’ve seen, is primarily based on Qingdao, a host city for the sailing event of the 2008 Olympic Games. They put on a test event last August which was a big success. They follow the same model of Sydney’s two test events prior to the Olympic Games. Doing test events is really important in order to bring the venue up to speed to meet the requirements of the Olympic Games, so I’m sure that they are following the right plan. The last time I was in Qingdao was late last year. It was a wonderful venue. I’ve seen some of the venues here in Beijing and they look fantastic as well. So I think the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) will present a very successful Olympics.

Both of you have participated in the preparation and operation work of the Sydney Olympics. Is there something that Beijing can learn from Sydney? What else does Beijing need to do to better implement the slogan “One World, One Dream?”

Glenn Bourke: There are many things that the Beijing Olympics will probably do better than Sydney.

Australia did a very good job of running the Olympics. There were many communicative people and there was a reasonable budget as well.

Attitude is one thing that you can learn from Sydney and it is really important. The Sydney volunteers were incredibly helpful. They were genuine in their desire to help you get things done. That was the highlight. That made it easy for the athletes; it makes them feel good and that contributes to the whole atmosphere of the Olympics.

George Blake: Each subsequent Olympics can learn from the last one, the good points and the bad points, so they get better each time. The transfer knowledge program of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will continue.

The one thing you can’t predict is the weather. We were lucky in Sydney to have pretty good weather. That is the hardest thing. There are some things that you can’t plan for. But that is the event. The unpredictability makes it so much fun.

You come to Beijing to bring the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 to China and to cooperate with the Chinese Yachting Association (CYA) to promote water sports. Traditionally, water sports have been regarded as a “Western sport.” What are the prospects for water sports in China?

Glenn Bourke: Australia has its own water sports culture. And I think the water sports culture is growing here in China from a small domestic level to the international level. We can see sailing at the moment. You have won four gold medals in the Doha Asian Games and you have world champions now in the Laser SB3 class.

The prospect for water sports in China is huge, because it is a combination of recreation and sports. That is part of the reason why the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 has been introduced to China. The sailing marathon has been held every three years since 2005-06. The whole race goes through several severe oceanic and climactic extremes, which pose a huge challenge to all competitors in terms of technology as well as physical and mental endurance. It’s a human story, not just a sport story.

George Blake: The business acumen in China is good as well. The CYA wants to promote sailing in China. They want to promote sportsmanship, bring adventure, get involvement from the youngsters, the grassroots, and up to the athletes. If we can get the youngsters involved, first starting with the sailing, and get the athletes at the Olympic level, we are covering all the bases, which is also a benefit to the long-term development of water sports in China.