Emirates select Abacus to light Dubai Rugby Sevens

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Emirates select Abacus to light Dubai Rugby Sevens

Base-hinged masts and HDTV floodlighting from Abacus set for installation at new Dubai rugby stadium: ’The Sevens’

Dubai: May 2008

Abacus Lighting are delighted to have been selected for the turnkey project to design, supply, install and commission all the floodlighting at the brand new state of the art venue in Dubai, The Sevens.

Mast being lowered

The new home of the Dubai Exiles Rugby Club and annual Dubai Rugby Sevens festival is being funded by Emirates Airline and has been selected to host the 2009 IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament, expected to be the biggest Sevens event in history to date.

The Sevens venue will include 4 training pitches, a secondary main stadium and a 40,000-seater main stadium floodlit to HDTV standards. The secondary stadium has been designed in an amphitheatre arrangement with grassed banks for up to 15,000 spectators to enjoy the sporting action or possibly even concerts.

Both the secondary main stadium and training pitches are to feature the famous Abacus base-hinged masts (as shown in the image), as specified by the client due to their ease of floodlight maintenance as the head frame is lowered to ground level for safe access. The main stadium will be fitted with 50m fixed masts each carrying up to 100 floodlights, with access to the head frame via a man-riding lift.

The Abacus Challenger^® range of floodlights was selected for its high performance, with Challenger^® 3 being used to light the main stadium and secondary stadium. 540 will be fitted in total, majority of which will go into the main stadium to achieve lighting levels needed to meet HDTV standards. The Challenger^® 1 floodlight will be used elsewhere for the 4 training pitches.

Lighting Design

The award of The Sevens contract marks continued success in the region as floodlighting for the original Dubai Exiles Rugby Club was also carried out by Abacus 8 years ago. Export Sales Director, John Anthony, commented: "We are thrilled to be awarded this prestigious floodlighting project as it is gratifying to maintain our achievements with Emirates. The new stadium is set to be one of the best floodlit stadiums in Dubai and will be a fantastic sport and leisure venue".

The Sevens development is due for completion by November in time for the 2008 annual Dubai Rugby Sevens with the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament taking place next year from 5-7 March.

Abacus has this last season installed floodlighting systems at European clubs Gloucester RFC, Exeter RFC and Leinster RFC. The systems all include the same low maintenance base-hinged masts and Challenger^® floodlights as Dubai.

Emirates select Abacus to light Dubai Rugby Sevens

Base-hinged masts and HDTV floodlighting from Abacus set for installation at new Dubai rugby stadium: ’The Sevens’

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