By Bingbing Li, Ronstan Business Development Manager of China Region
Among other outdoor sports, I admit that I’ve pursued a love affair with sailing for a long time.
Back in the year of 2009, I joined the Shanghai Boat and Yachts Club as a member and became a social chair volunteer for the race committee at weekends. During that period, we had achieved great success in organizing the 24hr International Sailing regatta with a joint effort from the Hongkong Hebe Haven Yacht Club. It was such a phenomenon. We had put together about 300 people for that sailing regatta. And it turn out to be the best sailing event ever in Shanghai that year.
The sailing club and sailing sports had broadened my horizon for the outside world. As a result, I decided to give up my comfortable life and move to a new territory- sailing race competitions, and I never regret it for a second.
In the year 2014, my team and I went to the Dennis Conner International Sailing Regatta in New York. It was on J24 with the Chinese National flag as spinnaker, and we even had one exciting race chasing up the Number One Team -the South African Professional Sailing Team.
Also in the year 2014, I’ve also made my life smart decision to join Ronstan and became Sales Manager taking care of the Chinese market. I’ve got the courage to pursue my career in sailing. In that time, I’ve been assigned all kinds of different tasks and I successfully helped our team to reach great sales results. Within the last 8 years, another legacy I’ve gained is our Ronstan team spirit for sailing. It means a lot to me and it changed my life in the long run.
In the year 2015, I participated in Around Hainan International Regatta and took on a journey with another 9 male crews on a 33ft keelboat for the 6-day off-shore race. I’ve conquered the fear and picked up more sea survival skills during that trip.
In the year 2016, I’m lucky enough to have a professional sailing team on board from Ronstan Australia. Alistair, Andrew, Peter were flying here to support me. We had a good time together competing in the Fareast Cup in Pudong Dishui Lake. It was the FE23R International Regatta. The picture looks like we were battling hard on the battlefield. Bravo!
In the year 2018, I had a South African sailing team and Japanese crews onboard for the China Cup International Regatta in Shenzhen, China. My team was the overall winner for first place on J80 One Design Class. The sailing makes us feeling exhausted and excited.
After the pandemic situation gets worse in more than two years’ time, I just realize that fun sailing can be my other option. I’ve tried to build a lifestyle doing more casual sailing, not only just a career for sailing. And I hope my personal story can inspire more women to go sailing. And I hope them to become happier and find work-life balance in the end.
