The marathon swimming tournament, an Olympic qualifying event, will kick off at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on May 31, bringing an end to the "Good Luck Beijing" Olympic test events ahead of the Beijing Olympics, organizers announced Monday.

Up to now, some 42 "Good Luck Beijing" sports events, customized for the Beijing Olympic Games, have been completed since August last year.

The two-day event, featuring some 72 athletes and 78 coaches and officials from 33 countries and regions, will conclude the "Good Luck Beijing" events and all preparations will be reserved for the Games in August, said Xin Qunying, vice director of the park.

It is also the first time for the park to hold the open water swimming competition, Xin added.

Xin noted that since the marathon swimming and flat water canoe will be at the same water area on the same day during the upcoming Olympic Games, therefore, the on-spot simulation for the field transfer will be carried out this time to ensure successful organization in the Games.

The park, covering 32,000 square meters floor area, located in the north-eastern Beijing along the Chaobai River, is the venue for rowing, canoeing and marathon swimming of the Beijing Olympic Games as well as for rowing of the Paralympic Games. It is the world's only rowing-canoeing venue that contains both flat water and slalom courses.

Zhang Xiangdong, vice director of Beijing Shunyi Management Committee of Olympic Venues, said the test event will take place in the flat water area, where 3,000 seats in the spectator stand will be open to audiences. During the Olympic Games, the flat water and the slalom area can each hold around 12,000 audiences.

Tickets sale for the test event will start three days in advance both on the Olympic official tickets website and at the park, Zhang said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2008)