As part of Egypt’s sports tourism agenda: The Minister of Youth and Sports inaugurates the 2025 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for the third consecutive year

 Reinforcing Egypt’s position as a global hub for aquatic sports, Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, inaugurated the opening leg of the 2025 Open Water Swimming World Cup, hosted in Somabay from February 18 to 22, 2025. Building on the remarkable success of the 2023 and 2024 editions, this event further solidifies Egypt’s status as a premier destination for international sporting events.

The competition features a record-breaking participation of 129 world-class swimmers (73 men and 56 women) from 28 national federations, along with 16 relay teams from 10 national federations, making it the most nationally represented Open Water Swimming World Cup event in history. For the first time, the tournament includes swimmers from all continents, underscoring its status as a truly global sporting event.

Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, emphasized the significance of Egypt hosting this prestigious international event, highlighting the vital role such tournaments play in enhancing the country’s reputation as a leading sports and tourism destination. He stated: “Hosting the opening leg of the 2025 Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay reflects the continuous development of Egypt’s sports infrastructure and reaffirms our readiness to host major international events.”

He further noted that the tournament’s success for the third consecutive year is the result of a strong partnership between World Aquatics and the Egyptian Swimming Federation, along with the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with private sector partners.

Similarly, Captain Husain Al-Musallam, President of World Aquatics, praised Somabay’s key role in advancing open water swimming, stating: “Somabay’s ability to deliver a top-tier competition environment year after year makes it a cornerstone of our global circuit. This reflects Egypt’s commitment to developing aquatic sports and maintaining a world-class sporting environment.”

In the same context, Eng. Yasser Idris, President of the Egyptian Olympic Committee and the Egyptian Swimming Federation, emphasized the importance of collaboration between the state and the private sector in hosting major sporting events. He added: “The continued success of the Open Water Swimming World Cup reflects Egypt’s growing influence within the global aquatic sports community and serves as an inspiration for future generations of athletes.”

The President of the Egyptian Swimming Federation further stated that Egypt’s participation with a junior national team provides an opportunity for Egyptian swimmers to improve their global rankings based on the World Cup results. He also emphasized that this participation is part of the federation’s preparations for the 2028 and 2032 Olympic Games, aiming to develop and qualify promising swimmers for future international competitions.

Eng. Ibrahim El-Missiri, Group CEO of Somabay, praised the strategic collaboration between the public and private sectors, emphasizing the pivotal role of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as well as the close cooperation with World Aquatics, the Egyptian Swimming Federation, and Mindset Sports Management. He stated: “Hosting the Open Water Swimming World Cup for the third consecutive year is a testament to our commitment to providing an ideal environment for athletes to train and compete, reinforcing Egypt’s position as a global sports destination.”

The competition officially began on February 21 with the men’s and women’s 10km individual races, followed by the 4×1.5km mixed relay on February 22, featuring elite swimmers from around the world.

The Men’s 10km Individual Race saw intense competition, with Florian Wellbrock from Germany securing first place, Logan Fontaine from France finishing second, and Marc-Antoine Olivier from France taking third. In the Women’s 10km Individual Race, Moesha Johnson from Australia claimed first place, followed by Ginevra Taddeucci from Italy in second, while Chelsea Gubecka from Australia secured third.

After concluding in Egypt, the World Cup will continue with subsequent legs in Ibiza, Spain; Setúbal, Portugal; and Golfo Aranci, Italy, with the final venue and date to be announced later.

On the sidelines of the opening round, Dr. Ashraf Sobhy visited the Soma Bay Sports Arena, a comprehensive sports facility that provides an ideal environment for athletes to train and compete. The facility includes the Aquatics Center, featuring Olympic and semi-Olympic swimming pools, as well as the Team Sports Zone, which houses courts for padel, squash, and grass tennis, a multipurpose court, and a football pitch. Additionally, it features the Power Zone, which includes a gym and a dedicated fitness studio, and the Endurance Zone, which contains a running track.

The minister praised the outstanding facilities at Soma Bay Sports Arena, emphasizing that such state-of-the-art venues enhance Egypt’s ability to host international training camps and attract major global sports championships.