World Championship bolsters Sharjah’s sporting image

Sharjah is celebrating 20 glorious years of hosting the F1H2O World Championship, a watersports event that has gone a long way in cementing the emirate’s reputation as a leading global destination that embraces various major events and activities throughout the year.

Sharjah is renowned throughout the Arab world for its commitment to art, culture and preserving the local heritage.

The 20th edition of the Sharjah World Championship Week will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council.

“The Emirate has been the first in the region to invest in various sports, both individual and team sports, to tap the potential of individuals as well as the entire society, starting with children and young people as well as adults -- both men and women.

The emirate today boasts a number of such clubs that cater to various segments of society spread across its length and breadth, amply demonstrating the importance Sharjah accords to sports, as well as the growing interest of its residents in sports activities,” said Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.

Midfa also welcomed the participation of the UAE teams, especially the Sharjah F1 team, which will participate for the first time representing the Emirate of Sharjah, on home waters, in addition to the Abu Dhabi Team and Dubai’s Victory Team.

“The Emirate of Sharjah has a history spanning more than twenty years in the field of hosting and organising watersport events, which has made it a preferred and ideal place to embrace and organise such global events throughout the year,” said Midfa.

“It is a major destination for tourism events today, thanks to its distinctive infrastructure and tourism features that meet the requirements of all these forums and activities and consider the highest standards of quality and safety in them.

Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority and Chairman of Sharjah International Marine Sports Club, said, “We are proud to be once again hosting this year’s edition of Sharjah World Championship Week, which follows the mandate of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to consolidate Sharjah’s leading position as an ideal destination for sports and leisure-based activities. Over the last few years, this event has attracted the participation of the world’s top watersports athletes and professionals -- helping us promote and encourage sporting events like this to a wider global audience while also making Sharjah a well-known name in the international sporting community. We look forward to hosting more athletic events in the future, which seek to inspire a culture of healthy competition.”   

Nicolo de San Germano said: “This championship is one of the most prominent and unique watersport events in the world, where the World Champion for this year will emerge. We are pleased that the Sharjah Power Boat team will participate for the first time, which reflects the emirate’s growing prominence in watersports. We are confident that the competition will be intense due to the participation of the most prominent international teams in the field of boats, speedboats and water bikes, and therefore, we expect the championship to be exceptional by all standards.”

Another major highlight of the press conference was the launch of the website “Be a fan of the team” by SCTDA. In addition, the Authority reviewed the ‘Sharjah Boat,’ presenting an opportunity to register to join the list of the first official fans of the Sharjah Powerboat Team, and to get a team jersey to express solidarity with their favorite teams during the Sharjah World Championship Week.