The preparatory work for the 2008 Olympic sailing events has entered the improvement and operation phase and all undertakings are progressing smoothly, an official with the Sailing Sub-committee of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games said in Beijing on Wednesday.

    The sailing competition of the 29th Olympic Games will be held in Qingdao from August 9-23, 2008 when up to 1,000 people including athletes, coaches and referees from 60 countries will take part in the competitions comprising 9 classes and 11 events, said Wang Haitao, director of the Department of Media and Communications under the Qingdao Sailing Sub-committee, and spokesman for the Qingdao Municipal Government.

    He said the sailing competition of the 13th Paralympic Games will follow from September 8-13, 2008.

    According to Wang, the preparatory work was divided into four phases, namely early stage preparation from July 2001 to December 2003; all-round construction from January 2004 to June 2006; improvement and operation from July 2006 to August 2008; and operation and implementation from August to December 2008.

    "Undertakings for the first two phases have been completed and we are now fully entering the third phase," he told a press conference.

    On the venue construction, he said Qingdao International Marina where the competition will take place, occupies 45 hectares, including 30 hectares of the competition venue area and 15 hectares of non-competition venue area. The construction of the needed projects started in May 2004 and will be completed by the end of 2007 as planned. Construction of infrastructure facilities around the marina, sea water preservation, environmental revamp and Olympic-related urban projects is all under way, said Wang, who also updated the press on the preparation in the areas of media and communications, security, services and logistics as well as the recruitment of volunteers.