Following the current disruption of international travel to Saudi Arabia, the World Match Racing Tour Final events in AMAALA will be postponed to January 2027.
The 2026 Women’s World Match Racing Tour Final and World Match Racing Tour Final were scheduled over the 2 to 14 November at the spectacular AMAALA Yacht Club located on Saudia Arabia’s northwestern Red Sea coast.
Both events offer a US$200,000 prize purse, with the women’s event representing the largest prize ever offered for an all-female sailing event.
The events are now postponed to January 2027, with further information to be issued when details are confirmed . . . presumably depending on the state of the on-going conflict in the Middle East.
The Saudi Arabia/UAE area is still under regular rocket and drone attack, and recently an attempted passenger aircraft hi-jack.
The move by WMRT follows that of Formula 1 who recently relocated the Grand Prix scheduled for Bahrain, 2 – 4 October, to the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia and renamed the ‘Bahrain GP in Malaysia’, due to the conflict in the Middle East, commenting “Safety and well-being will guide our decisions”.
AMAALA YC is a private members’ yacht club and yachting centre of excellence located on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, within the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nature Reserve.
Opening early 2026, the Club is being established as a venue dedicated to sailing, superyachts, education, and marine stewardship.
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