A photo competition and several other events will be held alongside the 2023 MGM Macao International Regatta, which will be held between January 5 and 8, 2023.
The organizing committee, which comprises the Sports Bureau (ID), the Ursa Major Sailing Event Management Company, the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA), and the Macau Sailing Association, said that the competition is intended to encourage local residents to feel like participants in the regatta, an emerging sport in Macau.
Photographs will be accepted between January 9 and February 15 next year and only digital submissions will be accepted. Submissions should be no larger than 5MB with a maximum length of 4,000 pixels.
Each participant is entitled to submit an unlimited number of photographs.
The winner will receive MOP5,000, while the two runners-up will receive MOP3,000 and MOP1,500. They will also each be presented with a trophy. Meanwhile, five prizes to show appreciation will also be presented, at MOP500 each.
Meanwhile, at 8am on the Sunday of the match, there will be a ferry service from the Inner Harbour to the sea off from the Macau Science Center for a brief stop, during which spectators will be able to have a closer look at the match. They will alight at the Inner Harbour after the spectator ferry trip.
Another ancillary activity will be a display of a Hobie 16 catamaran at the Grande Plaza at the MGM Macau throughout the competition period. As the title sponsor, the resort operator will also host a Family Fun Day event on the match weekend, which will include a series of sailing-themed games and foods.
This year’s regatta will see about 300 athletes representing 37 teams competing in three matches or events, each with their own championship. The actual teams may vary due to Covid-19 restrictions that are regularly adjusted.
A press conference was held yesterday afternoon to announce the competition.
The title sponsor, MGM, is providing MOP8 million for the competition. A presentation ceremony was held at the press conference, during which Kenneth Feng, president and chief strategic and financial officer of MGM, presented a ceremonial check to Pun Weng Kun, president of the ID and Ma Man Wai, president of the event management company.
The upcoming regatta will comprise three competitions, consisting of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cup Regatta (IRC), the Macao Cup International Regatta (Beneteau First 40.7 unified design group) and the International Catamaran Invitational (Hobie 16 unified design group).
Eleven teams in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cup Regatta and 11 teams in the Macao Cup International Regatta will compete in the waters off south of Hac Sa Beach.
Fifteen teams participating in the International Catamaran Invitational will compete for the championship in the waters south of the Inner Harbour Channel off the Macau Science Center.
Feng described the race as “fully utilizing the territorial water resources demarcated for Macau by the Central Government for the development of tourism and sports.” In doing so, the race has “great significance for Macau and [will] become a new highlight for maritime tourism that further facilitates the development of Macau’s economic diversification.”
