Junior Sailing Festival comes to Abu Dhabi

Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club (ADSYC) will host the Abu Dhabi Junior Sailing Festival when the race comes to the capital in the new year. Comprising a two-day junior sailing course for novice and advanced young sailors, aged between eight and 12 years, the festival aims to introduce children to the sport and to improve the skills of regular young sailors. Etihad, a partner of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and the Volvo Ocean Race Abu Dhabi Stopover, and ADSYC will host the festival, using Optimist dinghies. The Junior Sailing Festival will take place on January 3 and 4, at the Volvo Ocean Race ‘Destination Village'. Majid Atiq Al Mehairi, CEO, ADSYC, said: "We are excited to be hosting the Etihad Airways Junior Sailing Festival at the ADSYC in which youngsters will have a perfect introduction to sailing." Ian Walker, skipper of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, added it was "fantastic" Etihad Airways was putting so much time and resources into youth sailing. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' Chief Commercial Officer, said: "Etihad Airways is very proud to serve the youth community in Abu Dhabi with the junior sailing festival."