A year from today, the biennial FINA World Aquatics Convention (FWAC) plays host to the leading figures in the Aquatics performance industry. From 3-5 December 2016, over 1000 delegates will congregate at Caesars Windsor Resort and Convention Centre in Ontario, Canada, to network, share knowledge and do business.
The 4th FINA World Aquatics Convention will host a Conference, an International Exhibition, the FINA Swimming Coaches Golden Clinic, and an extensive networking and social programme, therefore bringing together National Federations, Organising Committees of FINA’s major championships, Host Cities, and commercial organisations. It will also include the immensely popular FINA Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony – the Soirée des Etoiles.
An important new feature for the Convention next year is the inclusion of the established FINA World Sports Medicine Congress. This introduction is expected to expand the Convention into innovative markets such as Aquatics sports medicine.
FINA President Dr. Julio Maglione stated: “The FINA World Aquatics Convention provides a unique opportunity for all those involved in Aquatics to gain invaluable insight into our industry and raise their profile within it. We are very excited to bring the Convention to Canada and North America, a destination that offers access to a marketplace brimming with potential as well as the chance to form new relationships”.
As in 2014, the Convention will precede the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), which takes place from 6-11 December, also in Windsor. The timing and location of both events provides Convention delegates with unique access to as many as 1,500 elite athletes, coaches, team managers and team doctors. Moreover, the combined approach aims to strengthen the connections between international Aquatics competitions, and organisations and businesses involved in the development of global Aquatics.
Peter Knowles, Executive Director of the 13th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), is confident Windsor will deliver: “2016 promises to give us the best FINA Convention yet. Nowhere else in the world of Aquatics will you find so many professionals from all corners of the industry ready to meet and work together. Windsor is a small city with a big heart. Its fantastic facilities will make for a Convention and World Championships like never before, especially with the purpose-built competition pool to be constructed within the city’s main ice arena at the WFCU Centre. A warm Windsor welcome and a quality visitor experience is guaranteed”.
At the previous hugely successful 2014 Convention in Doha, Qatar, FINA welcomed 900+ delegates and 40+ exhibitors, including Arena Italia, Counsilman-Hunsaker, Dentsu, Gloria Sports Arena, Malmsten, and Omega. Together with various networking opportunities, delegates enjoyed a dynamic Aquatics Conference comprising of leading coaches, athletes and industry professionals, such as Graham Hill (Head Coach Swimming, South Africa), Katinka Hosszu (three-time World Swimming Champion), Peter Diamond (Senior Vice-President, Programming, NBC Olympics), and Brenda Villa (four-time Olympic Water Polo medallist).
The main goals of the FINA World Aquatics Convention are:
• Support national, regional and local governments around the world to understand the benefits of aquatic sports and how they may be used as tools for positive change in society;
• Provide a platform to support the industry with the growth of aquatic sports around the world;
• Assist learning and understanding about best practices in delivering sustainable access to aquatic sports and aquatic sports educational programmes;
• Maintain excellent relationships between FINA, its National Federations and the wider international Aquatics family;
• Facilitate new ways to increase the visibility of aquatic sports in the media;
• Help the transfer of knowledge about new technologies and best practices to achieve high performance in grass roots and elite Aquatics events;
• Explore how aquatic sports may evolve to appeal to wider audiences.
Swimming news courtesy of FINA.