The five-day 2025 MGM Macao International Regatta kicks off this morning, with the event featuring 270 top sailors from 22 countries and regions competing.
This year’s competitions comprise the “World Match Racing Tour – Macao Match Cup”, which starts today and is the opening event of the 2025 season; the Lotus Cup Regatta (IRC category) and the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area [GBA] Cup Regatta” (IRC category). Both the Lotus and GBA cups will kick off tomorrow.
According to yesterday’s press conference at Artyzen Grand Lapa Macau hotel in Nape, a total of 32 teams are competing, with 12 in the World Match Racing Tour, which was founded 25 years ago; nine in the Lotus Cup Regatta; and 11 in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cup Regatta.
With the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) introduced to Macau for the first time, MGM China Holdings Limited President and Executive Director Kenneth Feng Xiaofeng remarked: “This upgrade not only demonstrates the international sailing industry’s strong recognition of Macau’s capabilities in hosting world-class events, but also fosters exchanges between Macau, the mainland, and the global sailing community, while elevating the future development of Macau’s sailing”.
Among the top sailors from around the world competing in the World Match Racing Tour is Ian Williams, who, according to yesterday’s Sports Bureau (ID) statement about the competition, is the most successful skipper in the tour’s 25-year history and has recently claimed his eighth WMRT world championship title.
Williams, from the United Kingdom, told reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s press conference that this is the first time that he will be sailing in Macau, with the team looking forward to the regatta, aiming to do their best to try and win the competition. “We have a good record in these boats. We feel that we sail them quite fast, and so, for sure, we’re here to win,” he said.
Moreover, the Lotus Cup category will see the Big Boys Sailing Team and the Canados Sailing Team, the Macao International Regatta’s Beneteau First 40.7 One-Design category champions in 2023 and 2024 respectively, competing, along with the mainland’s Team Ningbo One, which will make its debut in the competition and is led by 2012 London Olympics Laser Radial gold medallist Xu Lijia.
Aside from the competitions, fleet parades tomorrow and on Sunday and a “Family Fun Day” this weekend are to be hosted by the organisers, along with a photography competition.
Ursa Major Sailing Event Management Chairman Ma Man Wai also told reporters yesterday that their primary goal is to become a good platform for events and then promote Macau to people all over the world through this event and the city in one more direction.
More details are available on the bureau’s social media pages or by visiting www.macaoregatta.com.
UK skipper Ian Williams poses after yesterday’s press conference at Artyzen Grand Lapa Macau.
Guests and competing sailors pose for a group photo during yesterday’s press conference at Artyzen Grand Lapa Macau hotel in Nape. – Photos: Rui Pastorin
