RIO DE JANEIRO — Putting aside concerns over health risks to athletes, about 339 sailors from 52 countries will begin racing here Saturday on the picturesque and polluted Guanabara Bay in the second official test race ahead of next year’s Summer Olympics.
The competition, named the Aquece Rio International Sailing Regatta, runs until Aug. 22, and is a rare opportunity for some of the world’s top sailors to put months of preparation to work in testing Rio de Janeiro’s challenging winds and currents in competition. But the event is also likely to be scrutinized over the effect, if any, water pollution has on the athletes’ health and performance, especially in light of recent reports that the bay’s waters have high levels of bacteria and viruses.