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The first SailGP race of 2024 will take place this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Teams will go head-to-head in the Mina Zayed Saturday and Sunday as they try to get the new year started on the right foot.

After about a month off following the SailGP Dubai event, the teams will be back in the water to kick off the home stretch of the 2023-24 season. New Zealand will be hoping to build upon its first-place finish in Dubai as it tries to close the gap between itself and Australia at the top of the standings.

Australia begins 2024 with an 11-point lead over second-place ROCKWOOL Denmark, and it has to hang onto that lead for seven more races. That is more than enough time for another team to surge and give the Australians a run for their money down the stretch.

Notching a win in Abu Dhabi would be a good way to come out of the break for teams still within range of some of the top spots in the standings, like the United States. With 35 points, the U.S. sits in fifth place, but it's just five points out of the second-place spot.

Get the second half of the season started with what SailGP describes as "thrilling, boundary-breaking racing" in the Mina Zayed this weekend.

How to watch the 2024 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix

Dates: Jan. 13-14 | Times: 5 a.m. (Day 1), 5 a.m. (Day 2)
Location: Mina Zayed -- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
TV: CBS Sports Network