SailGP racing on water comes to Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI, September 13, 2023
Abu Dhabi is gearing up to host the inaugural Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix, an exciting racing on water where fans will get to witness 10 teams going head-to-head.
Tickets are now on sale to witness the sport’s best athletes representing national teams from around the globe unleash their prowess on the waters of Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s historic port – on January 13 and 14, 2024. The event is presented in partnership with SailGP’s Global Series Partner Mubadala Investment Group and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
The global event was announced at a press conference held at the Saadiyat Beach Club in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, President of the Emirates Modern Sailing and Rowing Federation; Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sport Council; Mansour Al Ketbi, Executive Director of Digital and Corporate Services at Mubadala Investment Company and representative for Mubadala Foundation; and Russell Coutts, CEO of SailGP, along with a number of leading sports professionals.
SailGP is ready to make history by bringing the global racing championship – and one of the world’s fastest growing sports leagues – to the UAE capital. Fans will get to witness 10 teams going head-to-head on the waterfront of Abu Dhabi’s bustling port.
The city of Abu Dhabi will be the latest addition to the growing, purpose-driven series, becoming the latest stop on the global league’s calendar for Season 4 – which also includes iconic venues such as New York, Los Angeles, Sydney, Saint-Tropez, and San Francisco.
Tickets are now on sale to witness this thrilling racing on water, with thousands expected to gather to watch the high-speed action. The event showcases world-class athletes as they compete in identical hydrofoiling F50 catamarans, capable of reaching speeds of nearly 100 km/h. National teams from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States will engage in a fierce two-day competition, racing close to the shore, all vying for the ultimate victory.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, President of the Emirates Modern Sailing and Rowing Federation, welcomed the UAE hosting of the most enthusiastic and exciting sailing boat race in the world. He emphasised the hosting of the major event enhanced Abu Dhabi’s role as a premier sporting destination in the region and the Middle East. Sheikh Ahmed praised Abu Dhabi's hosting of the upcoming event, which brings together the elite and stars of the sport of sailing in a challenge that brings together the best sailing techniques and modern scientific methods represented in flow and harmony with the work in a team of sailors.
“We appreciate the efforts of the organisers of the upcoming event, such as the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Mubadala, and we are happy that Abu Dhabi will be a new theatre for a major international event,” Sheikh Ahmed said.
Mubadala Investment Company, as SailGP’s event Title Partner and Global Series Partner of the Inspire Program, will be supporting SailGP’s efforts to champion STEM education and sport across all levels, furthering their commitment to inclusivity. Across its three pathways – Careers, Learning, and Racing – the Inspire initiative has engaged more than 15,483 young people worldwide, smashing its target of reaching 10,000 young people by 2025 two seasons early. With Mubadala’s support, SailGP Inspire has now set its sights even higher, with an ambitious goal of engaging 25,000 young people by the end of 2025. - TradeArabia News Service