Under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the UAE Marine Sports Federation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, the Yas Grand Kingfish Championship competitions for male and female anglers will take place from 14-16 February 2025. The championship is organised by Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), and the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club (ADMSC), as part of the Abu Dhabi Grand Kingfish Championship.
Professional and amateur fishermen will compete in the Yas Grand Kingfish Championship for cash prizes worth a total of AED1.168 million, awarded to the top 60 places, as well as daily prizes aimed at motivating participants and enhancing the competition. The event will start from three main locations: Al Marfa, Abu Dhabi Corniche, and Delma Island. Registration has opened and can be submitted via the championship’s official account on Instagram, @ADKingfish.
Zayed Sari Al Mazrouei, Head of the Events Department at Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority and member of the championship’s Organising Committee, said: “The upcoming championship reflects Abu Dhabi’s ambition in enhancing its position as a global sports and heritage destination, while preserving the UAE’s marine heritage and supporting traditional fishing, highlighting its values of authenticity, sustainability and environmental protection.
“Following the impressive successes of the Al Dhafra Grand Kingfish Championship, one of Abu Dhabi’s Grand Kingfish Championships that was held recently, we are preparing once again to organise the Yas Grand Kingfish Championship, which is held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of the UAE Marine Sports Federation and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, reflecting the leadership’s keenness to consolidate the country’s national identity and preserve its rich marine heritage, in addition to promoting sports and cultural tourism.”
Saeed Khalifa Al Muhairi, Director of the Special Sports Department at ADSC and member of the championship’s Organising Committee, confirmed that the council always seeks to provide full support to tournaments that combine sports and heritage, ensuring that all resources are being utilised to make the championship a unique experience for the participants.
Saeed Khalifa Al Muhairi said: "We are working to facilitate all logistical and technical procedures and overcome all obstacles in cooperation with the relevant authorities, and we look forward to the championship contributing to enhancing Abu Dhabi's position as a distinguished sports, tourism and heritage destination.”
Saif Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Racing and Sporting Events Committee at ADMSC, and member of the championship's Organising Committee, confirmed that the club's role in supporting the event and providing all logistical support to make it a success would be strongly present in the first round.
Saif Saif Al Suwaidi said: "The club plays an important role in employing its expertise in organising the Kingfish Championships to be influential and effective within the event, as the Championship is one of the sports and entertainment events that attract sports fans from different nationalities.
Al Suwaidi further emphasised the importance of the role played by the championship in enhancing Abu Dhabi's position locally and internationally as a sports destination with a rich cultural and heritage legacy that reflects the UAE’s national identity.
The Yas Grand Kingfish Championship is part of the four Abu Dhabi Grand Kingfish Championship series, wherein both the season champion with the highest total points across three championships and the season champion with the highest total points across four championships will receive cars. The fisherman who achieves the heaviest kingfish weight in the Men’s category will win a fishing boat, as will the winner in the Women’s category.
The Yas Grand Kingfish Championship contributes to preserving the rich marine heritage of the UAE, encouraging new generations to practice traditional fishing, while also promoting tourism, supporting the local economy, and enhancing Abu Dhabi’s status as a global sports and cultural destination.
