Hundreds of students, as well as members of the city’s sailing clubs, set to benefit from SailGP’s Inspire STEM education program
SailGP’s dedicated community, education and outreach initiative, Inspire, is once again being rolled out across Dubai as the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas makes its return from December 9-10, with hundreds of youngsters and members of the local sailing community set to benefit.
SailGP, the world’s most exciting racing on water, founded the Inspire initiative with the aim of helping to diversify the sport of sailing for young people, without any race, gender, or socioeconomic barriers. Through its Learning, Careers and Racing programs, it aims to both make an impact within the local communities that host each event and, most importantly, leave a legacy. To date 16,727 young people have taken part in the program since its inception – far exceeding the initial 10,000 target set – and the league has increased its ambition to 25,000 young people by the end of Season 5.
Through SailGP’s Learning program, 200 Dubai students aged between 9-15, from over half a dozen schools including JESS Dubai and Dubai Heights Academy, will enjoy a unique experience at P&O Marina's Sailing Academy. The program will feature an engaging tour of the SailGP technical base on site at Mina Rashid, lessons by the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, as well as STEM activities teaching the science behind the sport, culminating in instructive learn-to-sail sessions aboard RS21 boats.
Taking place at the P&O Marinas Sailing Academy this week building up to the event, the Inspire Racing program is offering up to 10 young sailors per day the chance to take part in exclusive foiling taster clinics. Through the Inspire program’s partnership with WASZP, participants will have the unique opportunity to experience foiling – where boats effectively fly out of the water – for the first time, with expert coaching.
The Inspire Careers program will provide 14 individuals aged 18 and above, and with a mix of male and female participants, with the opportunity to join SailGP's key departments, spanning boat building, hydraulics, sustainability, media services and shore team roles. Designed to showcase the variety of different career pathways that are available within the sailing industry, the program’s selection process prioritizes a mix of skills, backgrounds and diversity, making it the ideal platform for the next generation of sailing enthusiasts.
Reaching out to Dubai’s wider sailing community, Inspire’s Adopt-a-Club program will see 300 individuals immerse themselves in the world of high performance sailing in a truly unique way. This component of the Inspire initiative pairs 10 local sailing clubs with each of the 10 SailGP teams, granting members the opportunity to explore SailGP facilities, witness the preparation of the catamarans, and gain insights into the logistical and technological aspects of high-performance sailing. Participants will also enjoy direct interactions with the SailGP athletes and other team members.
Every single youngster who engages with the Inspire program in Dubai will be invited to watch the heart-stopping, adrenaline-fueled action of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas from December 9-10.
Pippa Kenton-Page MBE OLY, Olympic gold medallist from Beijing 2008 and Inspire Coordinator (UAE), said: “The Inspire program is such an amazing part of SailGP and something really unique to the championship. Engaging young people in the sport is something I’m particularly passionate about, especially those who may not otherwise have the chance to try sailing and get involved. SailGP offers this opportunity for young people all around the world to try sailing and be inspired by the amazing boats and athletes involved. For me, this part of the global league is really incredible and I can’t wait to see the young people of Dubai and Abu Dhabi getting on the water and hopefully introducing them to a lifetime of sailing.”
Hamza Mustafa, COO of P&O Marinas, said: "P&O Marinas is incredibly proud to host the SailGP Inspire program at our Sailing Academy again. Inspire gives us the opportunity to both reach a great number of UAE youth who may not have had the opportunity to try sailing before, but also to inspire young sailors who are already engaged with the sport to accelerate their own skills, experience foiling and realise their dreams of competing in an F50 one day. It is a great program that combines theory and practice and we look forward to welcoming all the participants.”
The second Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas will take place at Mina Rashid in Dubai from December 9-10, 2023 with tickets on sale HERE.
SailGP Inspire is the community, education and outreach initiative of the global racing league. The program delivery is supported by key partners, including global sponsor Mubadala, and WASZP, Vakaros, Rooster, MarkSetBot, Armstrong and Epropulsion.
