|
For the first time in its history, the sport of Kiteboarding is coming to the GCC region. Under the directive of the Qatar National Olympic Committee, Qatar will play host to the inaugural 2014 Formula Kite Course Racing Asian Championship. The Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation (QSRF) has been appointed to organise this first time event in the region, and is excited at the opportunity. |
‘Kiteboarding is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and this trend is reflected here on the shorelines of the State of Qatar,” said QSRF adviser for the sport, Miss Sarah Lord. “Qatari nationals are extremely lucky to be given the support from the Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation to be able to receive high level training in Kiteboarding.”
“It is with great pride that we will enter five Qatari nationals in the competition, who have been training hard to learn the tricky discipline of Kiteboard Racing over the last year. We wish them every success in the championship, and are so happy that they have this fantastic opportunity to compete against the best Kiteboard racers in the world,” she added.
Since the initiative was undertaken two years ago, QSRF now have 18 Qatari nationals registered in their Kiteboarding programme. Most recently, a training site has been established on the beach of Fuwairit, where all nationals are welcomed to participate in the sport.
Although this is an Asian Championship, the event is open to the entire world, allowing all to compete under different age categories. An Asian champion will be crowned, in addition to an open men’s and an open women’s fleet.
The Championship will start on November 10, with registration for all competitors and practice races starting from 1 pm onwards. For the next five days, the Championship will run from 9 am to 4.30 pm daily, leading to the grand final to be held on November 15.
The Pearl-Qatar with its picturesque views, advanced facilities and waterfront aspect has provided the ideal venue for this event, allowing the championship to be held in the Qanat Quartier beach area. “We welcome this exciting new sport to our region and to The Pearl-Qatar. Qanat Quartier, where the competition will be held, offers a spectacular setting to all sorts of beach activities and water sports, ensuring competitors and spectators both enjoy the championship,” explains The Pearl-Qatar’s Director of Operations, Saeed al-Sulaiti.
The premises at the Qanat Quartier beach will be transformed to accommodate all event participants, with the provision of seating areas and an onsite catering outlet. Live commentary of races will be broadcast on the beach.
President of Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation, Khalifa al-Sewaidi, has expressed his pride in heading the host country on this new venture. “As a National sailing organization, it was difficult to ignore the explosion of Kiteboarding on the international scene. It was a delight to hear of the recognition of the sport by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), which prompted a decision to be made to develop this as a national sport.
“The sport has only just begun to develop in Qatar, with a high level of interest shown from our local population. Being the host nation to an international Kiteboarding event, with the inclusion of five Qatari competitors after only two years of starting the programme, is a great indicator of how the sport is developing in our country. Furthermore, we thank the support given by local companies who have generously offered sponsorship to support this event.
“In addition to the support from the Qatar National Olympic Committee, I express my deep thanks to the National Academy of Professional Training (NAPT), Apollo Enterprises, and The Pearl-Qatar for offering services to ensure the success of our upcoming championship,” al-Sewaidi added.
The Qatari participants will be Khalifa al-Misnad, Omar al-Hammadi, Bader al-Madani, Khalid Festook, and Alaa Festook. They each have been training under the Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation, and are excited about participating in their first championship.
“Since I started with the QSRF programme two years ago, I never imagined then that I would be competing in an international championship so soon! It has been a great experience, Kiteboarding is life changing. I love everything about it, getting out in the fresh air, being on the ocean, and keeping healthy are all a bonus of the sport,” stated Omar al-Hammadi.
The Qatari participants will be competing alongside the world’s top Kiteboard racers, including course racing world champion Florian Gruber of Germany. In total, up to 60 men and 30 women will be competing in the championship. The event is sanctioned by the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA), who have been working closely with the QSRF to ensure the success of the event.