The FINA Swimming World Cup is a series of competitions for short course events conducted in 25 meter pools among world class swimmers of FINA member countries. In 2014 a series of two day meets are scheduled to be held in three clusters in seven Middle Eastern, Asian and European countries over two weeks from late August to early November. This annual event has been on sports calendars since 1979. More than 900 swimmers from all continents are to compete in 36 events including two mixed relays, for 138 medals and prize money of US$ 2 million. Medals include those for the three best swimmers in each gender of each meet and the top three of each gender in the overall series. Dubai the Palm Resort & Spa, a noted Palm Jumeirah hotel is placed close to the Hamdan Sports Complex where the Dubai leg of the event is to be hosted.
The Dubai leg of the event will take place between 31st August and 1st September at the Hamdan Sports Complex (HSC) that has a seating capacity for 15,000 spectators and is the largest aquatic sports venue in the world. Spread over 24 ha, the facility can conduct four Olympic aquatic events in its three swimming pools comprising of a 50 meter main pool, a 5 meter deep 25 meter diving pool and a 50 meter training pool. HSC can also accommodate eleven dry sports, social and cultural events. The humungous facility has everything sports fans and competitors could desire from parking spaces for 16,000 vehicles, public restaurants to various levels of seating, hospitality areas, Wi Fi, 4G coverage and the latest facilities for athletes to satisfy any international requirement.
HSC will host preliminary rounds in the mornings and the finals in the evening. The FINA Swimming World Cup will offer swimming fans from Dubai and from around the region the opportunity to witness some world class action and perhaps to meet their heroes.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.