The five-day ISAF Sailing World Cup Final, taking place from 28 October to 1 November in Abu Dhabi, marks the climax of a World Cup journey that began in Melbourne, Australia last December before continuing with other qualifying events in Miami, USA, Hyères, France, Weymouth and Portland, Great Britain and finally Qingdao, China last month.
The prestigious annual series of Olympic sailing for elite and professional sailors returns to Abu Dhabi following a highly successful first visit last November organised by ISAF and Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club (ADSYC), with the support of the UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation (UAE SARF), Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
“This is an event which underlines Abu Dhabi’s growing status as an international sailing hub and, at the same time, provides the entire UAE sailing community with a wonderful opportunity to learn from the best sailors in the world,” said H.E. Ahmed Thani Al Romaithi, Chairman, ADSYC and Vice-President, UAE SARF. “We’re very proud of our long and rich maritime history and are equally committed to preserving our heritage and traditions as we are to continue developing Abu Dhabi’s appeal as a destination that attracts sailors from around the world, while nurturing young UAE talent.”
The ISAF Sailing World Cup is open to the sailing classes chosen for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Competitions in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and has attracted more than 2,000 of the world’s leading sailors from over 75 nations over its seven year history.
Those who go into action in Abu Dhabi will be competing for World Cup titles in eight of the ten Olympic classes, as well as kitesurfing, and the top three finishers in each will earn a share of a USD$220k prize fund. ISAF’s top sailing regatta takes place in the waters around Lulu Island off the UAE capital’s stunning Corniche, providing a great spectacle both for crowds of local spectators as well as an ISAF television audience of millions spread across more than 100 countries.
Taking part will be leading competitors from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgari, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Britain, Honk Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Mexico, Holland, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and USA