Shanghai residents were stopped in their tracks as the Land Rover Extreme 40 became the first professional racing yacht to sail down the Huangpu River, one of the busiest waterways in the world.

Participating in the Shanghai International Boat Show, the Land Rover Extreme 40 sailed through the heart of Shanghai’s financial district, jostling for space alongside cargo ships, tankers and passenger ferries.

Crewed by four international sailors, also put on a dramatic show for the river cruise guests on Friday evening, lit up against the spectacular backdrop of Shanghai at night.

International Race Director of the Extreme Sailing Series, Phil Lawrence, kept a watchful eye over the on-water proceedings. “The DNA of the Extreme Sailing Series™ is to race in the centre of iconic cities around the world and Shanghai perfectly fits the bill for such an event. Most of the venues we use for the Extreme Sailing Series™ are very challenging.

Here in Shanghai we are in the centre of a busy city, we have a very commercial waterway with hundreds of boats passing every day, but OC Sport, Land Rover and the hundreds of thousands of Chinese public walking along the Bund today have all been really excited to see it here on the Huangpu River. It’s been an incredible event.”

Mark Hall, Land Rover Brand Executive Vice President added, “The Shanghai International Boat Show is the perfect platform to demonstrate Land Rover’s commitment to sailing.  We are extremely proud to see our Extreme 40 sailing on the iconic Bund or Huangpu River – the first time this boat, or any like it has ever done so.  Our shared values of adventure, composure and strength of mind are reflected in this endeavour and in Land Rover’s ‘Above and Beyond’ philosophy, which has been at the heart of everything we do for the past 67 years.”

The spectacle heralds the start of Act 3 of the Extreme Sailing Series, which takes place within the confines of the stadium style racecourse of China’s ‘Olympic Sailing City’, Qingdao, from the 30 April – 3 May.