MANAMA: Fifty of the world’s best divers will compete in Bahrain when it hosts the High Diving World Cup 2024 on Sept. 21 and 22 for the first time in the kingdom, World Aquatics announced on Thursday.
The two-day event marks the first time a high diving competition and a WA event is held in Manama.
Supported by Gulf Finance House Financial Group, the world’s top male and female high divers will meet in what is expected to be a great showcase for the aquatic sport.
WA’s President Hussein Al-Musallam expressed his excitement over the plans for the event and also the long-term aquatics agenda in Bahrain.
“World Aquatics is thrilled to be bringing high divers to Bahrain for the first time, building on the recent establishment of the WA center of excellence at the University of Technology, Bahrain,” said Al-Musallam, stressing that the future for aquatic sports in Bahrain looks very bright and “is clearly set to have a global impact.”
He added: “I extend a heartfelt thank you to the Bahrain Olympic Committee, the GFH Financial Group and the Bahrain Swimming Federation for their continued commitment to the development of aquatic sports.”
The competition’s diving platforms will be 27 meters high against the city’s stunning skyline, whereby fans and stakeholders are promised an unforgettable experience at every dive.
It has also been confirmed that the Bahrain stop will serve as a qualification tournament for the World Aquatics Championships — Singapore 2025.
Commenting on the announcement, Canadian high diver Molly Carlson said: “I am so excited to be competing in Bahrain for the High Diving World Cup and to have this date and place to look forward to.”
Each competition brings its own unique energy and atmosphere, she said.
“With this being the first stop in the competition this year, the anticipation will be high too!” added Carlson.
British fellow high diver Aidan Heslop, who was recently crowned men’s high dive champion, said: “After the success of the World Aquatics Championships — Doha 2024, I can’t wait to get back to that part of the world. It’s a great place to compete in and it will be all the more special for sharing the experience among this community of athletes that I’ve really come to appreciate.”
Bahrain to host World Aquatics High Diving World Cup for first time
https://arab.news/bejv7
Bahrain to host World Aquatics High Diving World Cup for first time
- The 2-day event marks the first time a high diving competition and a WA event is held in Manama
- WA’s President Hussein Al-Musallam expressed enthusiasm over event, long-term aquatics agenda in Bahrain
A minute’s silence for 2 dead sailors as the Sydney to Hobart race is set to begin Friday
- Nick Smith and Roy Quaden were the two sailors who died in 2024 — the race’s first fatalities since six died in 1998. CYCA Commodore Sam Haynes said the sailor deaths will not be forgotten
- Organizers also announced Wednesday that a group of 15 yachts will scatter rose petals off the coast of Bondi Beach in memory of the 15 lives lost during the Bondi terror attack on Dec. 14
SYDNEY: A briefing for this year’s Sydney to Hobart race began Wednesday with a minute’s silence for the two sailors who died in last year’s event.
It ended with hopes that the catastrophic weather conditions will not be repeated in this year’s race starting Friday.
The mandatory briefing from the Bureau of Meteorology predicted the scheduled 129 starters in the annual race from Sydney harbor to Hobart on the island state of Tasmania will face strong southerly winds of up to 25 knots (about 46 kilometers per hour, or 28 mph) after leaving Sydney Heads.
Those winds are likely to slacken across the New South Wales state and Tasmanian coasts across the weekend. The fleet has still been warned there is some chance of strong winds.
But the forecast is much different from last year, when boat-breaking conditions caused two sailors to die on the first night in storms. Nick Smith and Roy Quaden were the two sailors who died in 2024 — the race’s first fatalities since six died in 1998.
CYCA Commodore Sam Haynes said the sailor deaths will not be forgotten.
“This will be something that is very much on our minds, and the families of these two sailors,” said Haynes, who is also the skipper of reigning overall winner on handicap Celestial V70.
Organizers also announced Wednesday that a group of 15 yachts will scatter rose petals off the coast of Bondi Beach in memory of the 15 lives lost during the Bondi terror attack on Dec. 14.
“Going past Bondi, 15 boats will spread some petals into the ocean at the point,” said Haynes.
LawConnect, a 100-foot super maxi skippered by Australian tech millionaire Christian Beck, won line honors in last year’s race. It had an elapsed time of 1 day, 13 hours, 35 minutes and 13 seconds for the 628-nautical mile (722 miles, 1,160 kilometers) race.
The race record set by LDV Comanche — 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds — has stood since 2017 and only appears under threat in very strong downwind conditions, which are not expected this year.
