The main reason for your arrival in Beijing is to bring the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 in China and to cooperate with the Chinese Yachting Association (CYA) to promote water sports, especially sailing. Traditionally, water sports are regarded as a "Western sports." What's the prospect of water sports in China?

Glenn Bourke: I'd like to take my home country Australia as a good example to explain the popularity of water sports. The main reason for that is because the main part of Australia is desert so everybody lives near the coast. It is a hot place as well so we naturally love to take water sports. We are good at swimming, rowing, surfing, sailing and so forth. I used to be a career sailor until the mid-1990s. When I was a child, I did every water sports, such as skin diving, water skiing, swimming, surfing, fishing and sailing. My passion was sailing, but lots of my friends did swimming.

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 the sailing at the moment. You have won four gold medals in the Doha Asian Games; you have world champions now in the Laser SB3 class.

China has a plenty of coastlines here, about 8,000km. As the population becomes wealthy, they want to do recreational sports. One of those fun sports is sailing. And for sailing, you can do it for a really long time. If you are trying to do gymnastic to reach a high level, you are probably no good at 18 or 19. But for sailing you can do it at 46 or 66. Strength is an issue, of course, and you can change from classes to classes to a less strength. But your brain is still working. It is fine. So it offers to middle class people who are middle aged with huge experience grow in this country massively.

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 Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 has been introduced to China. The mystery of the Race is sports and sailing around the world. The sailing marathon was held every three years since 2005-06 race, lasting for 9 months across 39,000 nautical miles and visiting up to 12 countries and ports. The whole race goes through several severe oceanic and climactic extremes, which poses a huge challenge to all competitors in terms of technology, physical and mental endurance. It's a human story, not just a sport story.

George Blake: I agree with what Glenn has said. The business acumen in China is good as well. The CYA wants to promote sailing in China. They want to promote sportsmanship, bring the 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 of the Olympic level, we are covering all the bases, which is also benefit to the long-term development of water sports in China.

The legacy of the Beijing Olympics would be a lot of good people that we can use at the pit port and stopover port to know the aspirations of the global media team.

The key is to figure out the legacy of the Olympics in order to keep that enthusiasm and to keep drawing large sporting event to China. It will be depends upon the willingness of the Beijing Municipal Government, the provincial governments, and the city governments as well. I'm sure that they can learn from the Olympics and see good works have been put into the Olympic Games is passed on feature events

Sailing has yet to become popular in China. We've got to build on the Chinese Team for the America's Cup. The Chinese Team has already started to build its profile. I think the key will be the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Based on what the Chinese team did at the Asian Games. They were pretty successful. The interest in sailing has increased. The Volvo Ocean Race will arrive in China in the spring of 2009, which is good timing for China and for sailing. It is important to the CYA. Once they have a success, they want to keep it going, and attracting the public to big sport events.

The water sport in China is growing. The interest of both Volvo Ocean Race and the CYA is overlapping to promote sailing in China and get the youngsters involved. Through the spirit of sport, they will have success. It's a win-win strategy.

Profile of Glenn Bourke-Chief Executive of Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09

Born in Sydney, Australia and has won seven world sailing titles including three consecutive Laser world championships. He has twice been named Australian Sailor of the year in 1989 and 1990. Glenn was sailing's Venue and Competition Manager at his hometown Olympics, Sydney 2000, and took up his post as the head of the Volvo Ocean Race in November 2002.

Profile of George Blake-Commercial Manager of Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09

Born in England, George Blake worked for many years on the Sydney Summer Olympics, the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the Manchester Commonwealth Games. He joined the Volvo Ocean Race in early 2004 as Project Manager and was in charge of logistical operations for the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006. In his new role he is currently concentrating on port negotiations in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and China.