Coldplay To Support Volvo Ocean Race Abu Dhabi Stop

Tourists planning to visit Abu Dhabi for the Volvo Ocean Race stopover will get to see more than the world’s best offshore racing teams. Seven-time Grammy award winning band Coldplay will perform on New Year’s Eve.

The Coldplay concert will celebrate the new year and the start of a two-week celebration of the Volvo Ocean Race in Abu Dhabi, the first Middle Eastern city to host a stopover of the race.

HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority said:

“We promised a destination hosting like no other when we began our Volvo Ocean Race campaign and the confirmation of Coldplay’s New Year’s Eve concert signals our intention to live up to that commitment. With customised travel packages for both the concert and race, we are confident that Abu Dhabi will again raise the bar as a destination of distinction for international sporting events.”

Coldplay last played in Abu Dhabi in 2009, putting on a show for 20,000 fans. Promoters said:

“In 2009, Coldplay stunned Abu Dhabi with a phenomenal performance that left us in awe. They are a simply stunning live act with a global fan base of millions, rightfully hailed as one of the biggest bands on the planet. We all know and love their catalogue of hits, but with a hot new album to perform this year, Coldplay live in Abu Dhabi is going to be one of the most memorable New Year’s Eve you’ve ever seen anywhere! We can’t wait.”

For travelers looking for last minute New Years Eve getaways, packages for the race and the concert will be available.

Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Volvo 70, Azzam is being shipped to Cape Town.

The decision will give the team suitable time to ensure the boat and the team are 100 percent ready for the Cape Town in-port race on December 10.

Skipper Ian Walker explained:

“Since dismasting shortly after the start on Saturday our team and Future Masts have worked tirelessly to fit our spare mast and examine the cause of the original mast failure.

We need time to make modifications to our rigging system in Cape Town and the only way we can gain that time is to travel to Cape Town by ship. This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life to make but I have to consider not only the safety of the crew but the long term interests of the project.”

“This is only the first leg of a long race and with this decision and a lot of hard work we can be race ready for leg 2.

“I am particularly sad as this is my favourite leg of the race and the whole crew had been looking forward so much to it. I wish all the teams left in the leg fair winds and we will be there to greet them in Cape Town.”