The first foundation in Taiwan dedicated to promoting large sailing ships, the "Warhawk Sailing Foundation," held its inaugural meeting yesterday at the Anping Shipyard in Tainan, marking a new milestone in the development of sailing in Taiwan and signaling a bright future for the sport.
To celebrate the foundation's establishment, a special sailing ceremony featuring three large sailing ships was held. The executive directors of the foundation personally sailed the ships, collaborating seamlessly with guests as they set sail in the waters off Anping, demonstrating that sailing skills can be learned at any age.
The foundation was established with a donation from Warhawk Sailing, with Dr. Tailin Peng and Mr. Shuiwen Wang, former deputy directors of the Sports Administration, and Dr. Yi'an Chen, a member of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, serving as executive directors. Mr. Sean Peng, founder of Warhawk Sailing, is the chairman of the foundation.
Sean Peng is also the founder of Terasic Inc. After venturing into the sports industry, he became the first leader in Taiwan's technology industry to invest in sailing leisure enterprises, setting a glorious example of combining technology with sports and recreation.
The guests at the inaugural meeting were heavyweight figures in Taiwan's water sports and sailing community, representing government, academia, and industry. They included Director Maocheng Wang of the Ocean Resources Division of the Ocean Affairs Council, Dean Ji Likang of National Taiwan Normal University, Professor Meiyan Chen , Executive Committee Member of the Olympic Committee, Director Yijin Ye of National Taiwan Sport University, and Professor Longhong Chen. Taiwan's sailing legend and international referee, Instructor Tim Guo, and Instructor Wayan Pan also attended the meeting and provided valuable development suggestions.
After the meeting, the three large sailing ships carried a total of 20 guests out of Anping Harbor. Members of the foundation's board of directors and guests personally experienced operating and steering large sailing ships, actively participating and understanding the practical techniques of sailing, and experiencing the joy of sailing. Director Maocheng Wang and Dean Ji Likang took turns steering the ship throughout the journey, highly praising the enjoyable experience of sailing and requesting to sign up for the complete ASA training.
The "Saluting the Sea" policy in the "National Ocean Policy White Paper" encourages people to get closer to the ocean, making Taiwan great because of the sea. Therefore, there is an urgent need to enhance the marine leisure industry and increase the population of water sports enthusiasts. Observing how maritime powers in Europe and America cultivate national sailing skills from a young age, sailing is deeply rooted in the exploration and adventurous education of the entire population. Taiwan is surrounded by the sea, with precious marine resources and environments. The foundation is willing to invest more efforts in sailing education and assist the government in cultivating the public's ability to approach and love the sea.
