Doha: The first edition of the Qatar Open Kiteboarding Championship will kick off today at the Qatar National Kiteboarding Centre, Fuwairit Beach, organisers of the event said here yesterday.
Sarah Lord, Technical Advisor at the Qatar Sailing & Water-Sports Federation said: “So far 24 competitors have confirmed their entries and there is every likely hood that more entries will be added to the list on Wednesday.”
Of the 24 registered sailors three will be female competitors and will be taking part in the Freestyle, TT Race and Formula Race.
“This the first time Qatar Sailing & Water-Sports Federation will host this event, and it is planned to continue as an annual event in our calendar. The event is open to all levels and is established to encourage grass root development of the sport. As kitesurfing has just been confirmed in the Youth Olympics 2018, we are using such events to expose the sport to the youth of the nation and to encourage participation. It is also the perfect practice ground for amateur level competitors hoping to progress in the sport,” added Lord.
The local challenge at the championship will be led by five Qatari sailors and ten kiteboarders based in Qatar, while seven competitors from UAE, and one each from Saud Arabia and Bahrain will complete the list.
The three-day championship will end on June 13. The daily schedule of the championship will depend on the wind, the organizers said. Races will start at 10am, with races and freestyle continuing till 6pm. THE PENINSULA
