More than 605 boats, yachts and motorboats set sail along the coast of Qingdao, China's Sailing City on Aug 19 to unveil the 16-day-long Third Qingdao International Sailing Week.

More than 605 boats, yachts, and motorboats set sail on Aug 19 along the coast of downtown Qingdao of East China's Shandong province, as past of China's largest sailing demonstration ever and unveiling the 3rd Qingdao International Sailing Week, which lasts for 16 days.

The one-hour sea cruising parade attracted 400 plus OP boats captained by young sailors from ten countries and regions participating in the 2011 Qingdao International Optimist Sailing Camp, according to Lin Zhiwei, a senior official with the event's organizing committee.

Qingdao successfully held the 2008 Olympic Sailing Regatta and carried on the Olympic spirit to become a sailing capital.

International sailing week has become an annual event since 2009. Dialogues, summit talks and competitions among international sailing celebrities will be held.

National Funboard Championship and National Laser and Laser Radial Sailing Elite Regatta will also take place in the coming two weeks, along with other major sailing events such as the 2011 Mayor's Cup International Regatta (Weihai-Qingdao) and the Third "Lushang Cup" Qingdao International Regatta.

A friendship and cooperation agreement on sailing festivals will be signed by authorities from Kiel of Germany, Brest of France and Qingdao, China's Sailing City. Another agreement is to be signed by sailing associations from Busan of the Republic of Korea, Fukuoka of Japan, Vladivostok of Russia, Keelung of Taiwan and Qingdao of Shandong province.