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 The first is Singaporean, the second Chinese. They are both two members of China Team and sailed in Valencia during the 32nd America’s Cup in Valencia. They have participated in the adventure and launching of the Longtze Premier class in China. They were the first Asiatic sailors to race in the China Cup on the prototype #2.Wearn Haw Tan, Wenpei Zhang, interview !
What impression did you have from sailing onboard? What strikes you most, for example, with respect to an America’s Cup Class and normal dinghies? Wearn Haw : I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of the boat on my first sail. It is very sensitive and lively at the helm and easy to control. Since I come from a dinghy background, I have found many similarities between Longtze Premier and a dinghy in terms of sailing feel.I think we have found in Longtze a boat that serves the dual purpose of being a fast, high performance boat for racing as well as an efficient training boat. Of course, compared to a 24 ton 80 feet IAAC, the sensation is not exactly the same. However, we have worked hard to design a cockpit layout that replicates the key positions on the Longtze such as the bowman, pitman, trimmers and the helmsman. This will help in teaching new converts to keelboat sailing, as well as prepare those coming from a small dinghy background for sailing on bigger boats. Wenpei : It is a very simple boat to navigate and at the same time very stable. It is very important for us, for the Chinese market today and for all of those who are starting to sail. It is a boat, which enables one to learn, without the risk of accident. Furthermore, what struck me was, its agility and above all its speed on the water. For me personally, it was a great pleasure to sail on Longtze Premier.  How was communication on board between two French, a Singaporean and a Chinese sailor?
Wearn Haw : We found ourselves in a situation exactly the same as during the Cup this summer. English remains the basic means of communication but we have discovered a new language which seems to work well – fren-chi-glish! In any case, we have worked together closely the past 2 years during the campaign and it is easy to sail together even if we don’t necessarily speak the same language! Wenpei : Our communication language is English, but for me, understanding is done primarily by the feeling on board. This feeling is built on my past experiences and those gained from the America’s Cup. How was Longtze Premier perceived during the regatta? Wearn Haw : The concept and design was well received. The small red boat certainly turned heads on the dock with its clean lines and more importantly, on the water as well, with its incredible speed! Wenpei : What impressed people the most, was the outside of the boat, its design, its sails, both very modern. On shore and on the water, it was a boat, which was noticed as very different than the others. For the China Cup, we sailed on Prototype #2. We were all very happy, but there remain things to better, like the deck hardware for example. What have you been doing since the America's Cup? Wearn Haw : I returned to Europe to sail on a classic 12m called Ikra after a month of vacation at home in Singapore. It was interesting to sail on a classic yacht with such a rich history and the Ikra crew was a really fun bunch of guys as well! As always, I learnt alot onboard in a new role as a mainsail trimmer. And when you are sailing in jetset destinations like Porto Cervo, Cannes and St Tropez, life does not get much better than that! After the races in Europe, I went straight to China to first test the Longtze Premier with Pierre, Luc, Thierry and WenPei and then race in the inaugural China Cup. It was another 3 months of adventure around the world after a summer of America’s Cup!  Wenpei : After the Cup, I returned to China and I spent some holidays with my family. I relaxed some but continued my physical training every day. I also continued to sail with a regional team from Fujian in Xiamen.Then starting mid-August, I rejoined China Team in Qingdao. I spent 2 months in the boat yard for the Longtze Premier prototype construction. Actually two very technical months, spent with bolts, a drill, resin, etc. Without any ocean or sunshine. But it was a new experience, very interesting, and in a new universe, that of boat construction. It is something that will be useful for the rest of my life, that’s obvious. Next, I raced in the China Cup. I was very proud to be part of the sailing team after having participated in construction of the new boat. What are your plans for the upcoming months? Wearn Haw : I will return to my previous job in the Singapore government in December. I believe that the return to the office will be a hard one after close to 2 years of adventure with China Team. But with the unique experience of a Cup campaign, I am sure that it will help me greatly with my future projects.But I still hope that the current situation surrounding the America’s Cup will be resolved soon and everyone can concentrate on preparing for the 33rd edition. And there, I hope to once again have the chance to return to Valencia and sail with China Team again! Wenpei : I am going to do the Sportboat Championships in Hong-Kong and better my English.
Wearn Haw TAN
27 years old, SINGAPORE
1995 1st, Asian Sailing Championship (420)
1998 3rd Asian Games, (470)
1999 1st, Asian Sailing Championships (470)
2000 Olympic Games (470)
2001 1st, South Asia Games (470)
2002 3rd, Asian Games (470) 2006-07 32nd America's Cup with China Team Wenpei ZHANG
22 years old, CHINA
Chinese Olympic Team
Boat Class: 470
2006 1st, China President Cup
2002 7th, China Championship, 470 Class
2000 8th, China Junior Championship, 470 Class
2006-07 32nd America's Cup with China Team |
