To mark the 100 day countdown, FINA is excited to announce that an Aquatics Festival will now take place in parallel with the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) from December 16-21, 2021, in Abu Dhabi (UAE), which will feature three additional FINA disciplines (diving, high diving and open water).

Yas Island will host the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) as well as the FINA High Diving Qualifier, the ultimate leg of the FINA/CNSG Marathon Swim World Series 2021, a brand new Open Water Swimming Mixed Relay and a FINA Diving Team Exhibition.

The world's best short-course swimmers will descend on the UAE's capital to compete over a six-day competition and will be joined by divers, high divers and open water swimmers bringing Abu Dhabi further into the global spotlight and increasing the number of elite-level athletes showcasing their talents at the event.

The FINA High Diving event will serve as the final qualifying event for the 19th FINA World Championships, scheduled to take place in Fukuoka (JPN) in May 2022.

The FINA Diving Team Exhibition, meanwhile, will feature a Mixed Team event, with those alternating dives from 3m springboard and 10m platform.

The final leg of the annual circuit of the FINA/CNSG Marathon Swim World Series will see competitors complete a 10km race, while an innovative Mixed Relay event will be staged for the first time ever. In the Mixed Relay, each team’s four competitors (two male and two female) will be challenged with completing a 1500m swim for a total of 6km.

With the new competitions added to what was already an action-packed swimming schedule, the event will represent a true aquatics celebration right in the heart of Yas Island.

FINA President Captain Husain Al-Musallam said: “The FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) will close a wonderful year of swimming, and will now be enhanced with the addition of the FINA High Diving Qualifier, the FINA Diving Exhibition as well as the FINA/CNSG Marathon Swim World Series and an innovative Open Water Swim Mixed Relay.

“We are confident this aquatic festival will prove hugely popular with our athletes, the sports fans and the wider UAE community.

“With an increased number of top-class athletes from around the world now set to be involved in this multi-sport programme, the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) promises to be the perfect occasion to conclude the sporting year.”

This latest announcement follows confirmation from the FINA President that the overall prize pool of over US$ 2.8 million will be available for the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), the biggest awarded at a FINA swimming event. Prize money for individual events has increased by 50 percent, while any swimmer who sets a new individual world record will receive US$ 50,000.

The Prize money breakdown for these new events includes:

Open Water: 1. $15’000 2. $12’000 3. $10’500 4. $9’000 5. $7’500 6. $6’000 7. $4’500 8. $3’000

Open Water Mixed Relay Team: 1. $ 20’000 2. $16’000 3. $12’000

High Diving: 1. $15’000 2. $12’000 3. $10’500 4. $9’000 5. $7’500 6. $6’000 7. $4’500 8. $3’000 9. $2000 10. $1000 11. to end $500

Diving Team: 1. $15’000 2. $12’000 3. $10’500 4. $9’000 5. $7’500 6. $6’000 7. $4’500 8. $3’000

Event Schedule

December 15

  • Open Water Swim, Mixed Relay 4 x 1,500m

December 16

  • FINA/ CNSG Marathon Swim World Series (10km)
  • Opening Ceremony of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m)

December 16 – 21

  • FINA World Swimming Championships (25m)

December 19 – 20

  • FINA Diving Exhibition/ Team event

December 19 – 20

  • FINA High Diving Qualifier

December 21

  • Closing Ceremony of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m)