The backdrop is breathtaking. Singapore’s towering skyscrapers, booming construction sites and the spectacular downtown Worlds largest floating platform here at Marina Bay are ready for World Cup action. Today was arrival day for our Riders from 14 countries.

This morning kicked off with the Riders Briefing by Steven Tan of the Singapore Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (SWWF)  and Des Burke-Kennedy of the International Water Ski Federation (IWSF). All then moved to the Marina Bay site right in front of the 30,000 capacity Formula 1 waterfront Grandstand. Three enormous water tanks have been constructed on the Floating Platform for the Rail Jam which will be an additional feature of the World Cup programme at Marina Bay. In that event, the Riders will be towed from tank to tank over the Obstacles by an electric winch. The spectators will be able to pack in around these tanks and in front of the Sound Stage for the first Hip Hop Party ever held on this floating structure. It can hold 9,000 people !

Dallas Friday (USA) was the first on the water in this afternoon’s unofficial practice session. Elke Venken (BEL), Denise DeHaan (NED), Raim Merritt (USA), Shelby Kantar (USA), Rusty Malinoski (CAN), Chad Sharpe (CAN), Dan Nott (GBR), and others rode till sunset. The competition MasterCraft X2 boat was launched as the Singapore skyline lights turned tomorrow’s World Cup site into a wonderland of color. At this point, the Riders and World Cup officials were escorted to the World’s largest Ferris Wheel known here as the Singapore Flyer. Their cameras clicked non stop as they finished the 30 minute Flyer rotation. It has carried over 1,000,000 visitors in just six months.

Here you can see a great overview of the entire Marina Bay World Cup from the Flyer and the surrounding structures of downtown Singapore.