Barbados to host International Sailing Championship
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| Published on Saturday, August 22, 2009 |
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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- Barbados will once again demonstrate why it is deserving of the title of sports tourism Mecca of the Caribbean when it hosts the 2010 Fireball Worlds sailing championships.
The tournament will be held at the Barbados Yacht Club (BYC) and will feature two segments: the International Championship from April 26 – April 30 and the World Championship during the period May 2 – May 7.
The regatta will be produced by the Barbados Sailing Association (BSA) on behalf of Fireball International (FI) with sponsorship support from Virgin Atlantic, Mount Gay Distilleries, Digicel, the BYC and the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA).
Speaking on behalf of the BSA, Peter Marshall (above) expressed sincere thanks to Senator Peter Gilkes, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA), for his instrumental role in securing the championship.
“He made contact with Andrew Davies, the Fireball secretary. Andrew visited Barbados in March 2009, met with Minister Sealy and other local officials and was satisfied that Barbados could host the 2010 event. We at the BSA are very proud and excited about being awarded the 2010 World Championship. Not only from the point of view of sailing but being able to make a contribution to Barbados’ Tourism.”
Presently there are 18 countries with fireball teams drawn from Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia, North America, the Netherlands and South Africa, all of which are expected to generate over 80 boat teams to compete in the 2010 championships. There is also an opportunity for four local teams to participate.
A contingent lead by Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Richard Sealy, will travel to the 2009 Fireball Worlds in La Rochelle, France to host a “Barbados Night” on August 25. The event will assist in the promotion of the 2010 event, as well as serve as an appetizer for potential visitors to the island.
The event will consist of a slide presentation highlighting Barbados’ beaches, hotels and night life, and of course sailing conditions, against a backdrop featuring steel pan music, rum cocktails and special giveaways.
The 2009 winners will also be presented with complimentary air and accommodation, which will guarantee their ability to defend their title in 2010, while Virgin Atlantic has committed to offering special rates for all persons travelling from London to Barbados for the tournament.
Back in June 2009, Barbados organized another world class sailing event, the highly successful International One Meter Championship featuring radio-controlled boats at the Boatyard. That event attracted 69 competitors representing 15 countries and 14 international judges who were joined by their partners, friends and family members.
The tourism value of that tournament was also augmented by online streaming which was conducted throughout the week-long tournament, which attracted over 34, 000 unique visitors from around the world. | | | | Reads : 837 | | | |
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