The sailing finals of the 26th Shandong Provincial Games were held from June 21 to 28, 2026, at the Rizhao World Sailing Regatta Base. A total of 29 athletes from Qingdao competed in the event, vying for 30 gold medals. Braving wind and waves, the young Qingdao team fought tenaciously and ultimately secured 14 gold, 14 silver, and 8.5 bronze medals, claiming first place in total golds, total medals, and overall team points – with a gold medal share of 47% – thereby fulfilling their mission at the Provincial Games with flying colours.

This impressive triple‑first achievement stands as the strongest testament to Qingdao's years of dedication to youth water sports development. Looking ahead, the Qingdao sailing team will take this Provincial Games as a new starting point, continuing to refine the integrated system of youth training, selection, and promotion, unearthing promising young talents, and cultivating more sailors capable of competing at the provincial, national, and even international levels.

Qingdao, long renowned as the"City of Sails", boasts a deep foundation in sailing development and a competitive talent cultivation system that leads the province. Since its establishment, the Qingdao sailing team has consistently focused on developing young reserve talents, building a well‑structured tiered training system. Over the years, it has continuously supplied a large number of elite competitors to higher levels, producing multiple champions who have stood atop national and Asian podiums.

In recent years, Hu Xiaoyu and Zhao Huancheng, both trained and sent by the Qingdao Sports School, jointly claimed two gold medals in sailing at the Hangzhou Asian Games. International‑level athlete Lyu Yixiao, also a product of Qingdao's youth training programme, has long competed in national sailing championships and National Games events, repeatedly stepping onto the award podium.