Volvo Ocean Race - Global photography competition launched

by Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing on 28 Oct 2014 A global photography competition has been launched by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) to celebrate the emirate’s rich maritime heritage and its year-end stopover hosting of the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR).

Entitled 'Abu Dhabi - At One with the Sea', the competition is being held in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi International Photographic Society, Emirates Photography Competition and Gulf Photo Plus – a company which trains photographers and markets photographic products. The competition’s first prize is a spectacular trip to the VOR Auckland Stopover in New Zealand next February the winner receiving media accreditation to document the event on Abu Dhabi’s behalf.

Second prize in the competition comes courtesy of the five-star Desert Islands Resort and Spa by Anantara and features a weekend break at the nature-based Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi’s Al Gharbia Western region, with exclusive photo shoot access to the animals in the island’s Arabian Wildlife Park. Vouchers for Gulf Photo Plus workshops will go to the third place winner. The top selected photos will be exhibited at a 'Breakwater Gallery' for public viewing. The gallery will be a feature of Abu Dhabi’s Destination Village on its stunning Corniche being activated specifically for the VOR stopover from December 12-January 3.

Photographers can enter as many as three digital photographs, in colour or black and white, by sending an email to competitions@volvooceanraceabudhabi.ae. Photos must be in JPG format. Deadline for submissions is 30th November with full competition rules to be found here.

Competition judges include Bader Al Nomani, International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) representative in UAE, Saeed Jumoh, TCA Abu Dhabi’s award-winning inhouse photographer and Mohamed Somji from Gulf Photo Plus.

Hosted by TCA Abu Dhabi, the Volvo Ocean Race Abu Dhabi Stopover will feature three weeks of sailing action, water-sports, entertainment and family fun.

The Stopover opens on 12th December with the Arabian debut of BBC Worldwide’s highly acclaimed ‘Blue Planet in Concert Live’, which will be performed on a 10-metre wide screen placed on a purpose-built, floating stage in the waters off Abu Dhabi’s Corniche accompanied by the 75-piece, National Symphony Orchestra, Abu Dhabi led by celebrity guest conductor George Fenton.

The village closes on the evening of 3rd January when the awe-inspiring race fleet of Volvo Ocean 65s, including the Azzam yacht sailed by Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing – the emirate’s very own race contender, departs for its next endurance sailing leg to Sanya, China.
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing website