Dubai lines up for biggest ever World Air Games

Dubai - The competition torch was launched again in Barcelona after which a hot air balloon floated over Spain's Catalan region to promote the Dubai 2015 World Air Games.

Dubai will be the venue for another world sports showdown when the biggest ever World Air Games (WAG) will be held in the city from December 1-12, senior Nad Al Sheba (NAS) sports complex officials who returned from Europe after attending the WAG Congress in Rotterdam, said on Sunday.
The event to be held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, will take place mainly at Skydive Dubai at Dubai Marina.
The panel from Dubai was headed by Yousuf Al Hammadi, championship director, 2015 Dubai WAG along with Majid Al Bastaki from the media committee, Salem Akram from the PRO Committee and Ahmed Al Marzouqi, deputy head, Media Committee.
The WAG Congress commenced with a minute's silence for the late Shaikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who passed away of a heart attack earlier this month.
Al Hammadi took the opportunity to make a presentation before the WAG Congress wherein he displayed the readiness of Dubai in successfully staging such a high-powered competition. In his presentation, Al Hammadi displayed the actual venues that would play host to the 28 different categories.
Following the conclusion of the Congress, the panel from Dubai travelled to Barcelona to organise a road show in Spain. Earlier this summer, the World Air Games had kicked off their international promotional campaign with a similar road show and Press conference in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The competition torch was launched again in Barcelona after which a hot air balloon piloted by the legend Mike Howard floated over Spain's Catalan region to further promote the Dubai 2015 World Air Games.
"We are on target for a very successful organisation of the World Air Games," Al Hammadi said on his return to Dubai.
"Dubai is considered the capital of aero sports all over the world due to our ability to stage some of the best sporting events here. This is due to the excellent facilities we have at Skydive Dubai and the great vision shown by our leaders. We will do everything in our capacity to stage a memorable World Air Games," he added.
Presenting his observations on the run-up to the WAG, Al Bastaki assured the Congress that everything is being done to ensure the success of the Games in December.
"More than 170 countries have shown an interest in covering the event and we have been working in close league with Dubai Sports Channel and Abu Dhabi Sports," Al Bastaki said.
On the sidelines, the Dubai panel also held informal discussions with FAI president John Grubbstrom and gave him a personal appraisal on the organisation of the 2015 Dubai WAG.
Inspired by the Olympic Games, WAG is an international air sports event organised by Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) every four years. So far, athletes from nearly 30 countries from across the world have confirmed their participation at the 2015 Dubai WAG.
The FAI's primary goal in organising the WAG is to showcase air sports to the public while promoting public participation. The last WAG was held in Italy in 2009.
moni@khaleejtimes.com