Dubai to host opening of Fina Swimming World Cup

Dubai is playing host to the first part of an international swimming contest.

Competitive swimmers and their supporters alike could be looking for cheap flights to Dubai soon after it was announced the emirate will host the opening of the Fina Swimming World Cup.

The first part of the international contest will take place at the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Sports Complex on October 7th and 8th 2011.

The event is broken down into 34 individual races, with the winner of each scooping a prize of $1,500 (£916), with winnings also going to the second and third place swimmers.

Dr Ahmed Saad Al Sharif, secretary general of Dubai Sports Council, said: “With so many nationalities living in Dubai, we are encouraging spectators to come out and show their support for their teams as they take each other on.”

After the Dubai leg, the contest will then move on to cities including Berlin, Moscow and Tokyo.

Those who travel on cheap flights to Dubai to the event will have the chance to be among the first to try the new green metro line, which is opening in September.

Written by Alex Cochrane