The marathon swimming tournament, an Olympic qualifying event, will kick off at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park Saturday, 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 be the final tune-up 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 an open water swimming competition, Xin added.

Xin noted that since the marathon swimming and flatwater canoe competitions will be held at the same venue on the same day during the upcoming Olympic Games, an on-site simulation of the field transfer will be carried out this time to ensure the Games go without a hitch.

The park, covering a space of 32,000 sq m in northeast Beijing along the Chaobai River, will serve as the venue for rowing, canoeing and marathon swimming at the Beijing Olympic Games, as well as hosting the rowing competition during the Paralympic Games.

It is the world's only rowing-canoeing venue that contains both flatwater and slalom courses.

Zhang Xiangdong, vice director of the Beijing Shunyi Management Committee of Olympic Venues, said this time the event will take place in the flatwater area, with 3,000 seats available for fans. During the Olympic Games, the flatwater and the slalom area can each hold around 12,000 audience members.

Ticket sales fwill start three days in advance, both on the official Olympic ticketing website and at the park, Zhang said. Xinhua