*Exhilarating agenda of events on offer in the world’s top sporting capital
**More than 500 top athletes expected for World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park and Street 2024
***More than 3,800 expected to participate in Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge this weekend
Dubai is hosting at least eight major international competitions out of the total of 28 that are being held all over the emirate, this weekend.
Organized in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), all these events are bound to witness wide participation from inside and outside the country bringing together different nationalities of various ages for all these events.
High on the list of top events this week is the World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park and Street 2024 which is being hosted at the Dubai Harbour, from February 25 to March 10.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, the World Skateboarding Tour Dubai Park and Street 2024 is part of the epic World Skateboarding Tour. The Dubai round will be the last event as an Olympic Qualifier Series that will determine who will advance to the 2024 Paris Games later this summer.
The Middle East’s professional skating event will stage the Street Pro Tour Stop (February 25-March 3) followed by the Park Pro Tour Stop (March 3-10) at the purpose-built WSFD-certified Street and Park arenas within Dubai Harbour, just next to the world-famous Palm Jumeirah.
Organized by Lausanne-based World Skate along with Arada Real Estate – the UAE-based master developer alongside venue partner Shamal Holding – the event is being held in collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
The Organizing Committee of the World Professional Park and Street Skateboarding Tour has completed preparations to host the unique event that has already attracted more than the top 500 male and female athletes from various countries competing in Dubai with an eye on qualification to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
As per the schedule for both competitions, the Park competition will get underway with practice sessions for both men and women on February 25 followed by qualifiers for both men and women on February 28 and 29. The quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals for both categories will be held from March 1 to 3.
On the final day of the Park competition, practices will commence for the Street contest, and this will be followed by the qualifiers on March 6 and 7 and the knockout stages from March 8 to 10.
The ongoing FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup UAE 2024 Dubai has reached an engrossing stage with eight teams making it to the quarter-finals that are scheduled to be held at the especially set up championship stadium in Dubai Design District, on February 22 (Thursday).
Multiple world champions Brazil will take on Japan, while hosts UAE will be up against Asian powerhouse Iran in the upper half of the draw. At the lower end, Belarus will face former world champions Portugal and Italy will take on Tahiti to decide the other two semi-finalists.
As many as 16 teams had started off in this global competition that will decide the world champion with the final on February 25 (Sunday).
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the two-week Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships got underway earlier this week with the women’s WTA 1000 level tournament.
While Dubai-based Elena Rybakina made it through to the quarter-finals with a hard-fought 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4 win against Polish girl Magdalena Frech, former world number one Maria Sakkari went down in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 against Italian, Jasmine Paolini. American star Coco Gauff fought till the end for a lop-sided 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win against Karolina Pliskova.
World number one Iga Swiatek and No.6 Qinwen Zheng were scheduled to face Elina Svitolina and Anastasia Potapova, respectively to decide the remaining two quarter-finalists.
The women’s competition will conclude with the final on February 24, after which the men’s tournament will commence and run from February 26 to March 2. Led by three of the top-10 in the world, namely No.3 Daniil Medvedev, No.5 Andrey Rublev and No.9 Hubert Hurkacz, fans will also get the opportunity to watch former world number one and Scottish star, Andy Murray, possibly for one last time.
Next on the agenda will be the 94.1 km Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge Weekend (the UCI Dubai Gran Fondo UCI World Series Qualifier) on February 25 (Sunday). With a start and finish at Expo City Dubai, the 14th edition of the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, offers an exciting and brand-new race village layout as well as pre- and post-ride activities.
Cyclists of all skill levels will be able to test their endurance and push their limits as they tackle the picturesque routes that offer stunning views of Dubai and the surrounding desert landscape. The 14th edition will also see the return of the popular TotalEnergies Outride and InstaShop Junior Rides, taking place a day before the main event.
Cyclists can look forward to passing by Dubai’s popular landmarks such as the bustling Global Village, Jumeirah Lake Towers and the breezy Jumeirah Golf Estates once taking off from the start line at Expo City Dubai.
The elite category cyclists will be competing for a total prize purse of AED 36,000, with the winning male and female riders receiving AED 10,000, while second-place and third-place riders will earn AED 5,000 and AED 3,000, respectively.
The top 25 per cent of participants from each category will qualify to compete in the finals in Aalborg, Denmark, from August 29 to September 1, 2024.
Also happening this week is The Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research on February 25. A Dubai tradition since 1994, this non-competitive fun run will fund cancer research projects in the UAE supported by The Terry Fox Foundation.
This day is extra special for Dubai residents as it affords them an opportunity to make a difference and celebrate the legacy of Canadian amputee athlete Terry Fox who ran 5,373 km across Canada to raise funds for cancer research.
This is a family event – 2.5 or 5 km, and is open to all ages and abilities – strollers are welcome along with walkers along the course. This is meant to be a fun event to support cancer research together. Everyone is being encouraged to contribute time and support the event by registering as a volunteering marshal.
The Terry Fox Run proceeds will be donated to the Al Jalila Foundation to support cancer research in the UAE.
Also on the agenda is the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC)-organised 2024 Aramex D2M (Dubai to Muscat) Sailing Race under the auspices of the United Arab Emirates Sailing and Rowing Federation (UAE SARF) in association with the Oman Maritime Sports Committee. The 31st edition of this annual race – to coincide with the golden jubilee of DOSC – is scheduled to start on February 24.
More than 20 teams are expected to participate with a mix of keelboats and multihulls from 27 to 100 ft in length. Starting from DOSC along the Jumeirah Beach on February 24, the teams will sail and cover over 360 miles across the Arabian Gulf to the deep waters of the Indian Ocean passing along the coast of the Musandam Peninsula and through the famous Straits of Hormuz.
The final leg will take the participants on a Southeastern route leading to Muscat before finishing at Marina Bandar Al Rowdha.
The Dubai Polo Gold Cup, a 20-goal handicap competition that is considered the most important trophy of the Dubai Polo Series, will also conclude with the Subsidiary and Main Final at the Al Habtoor Polo Club and Resort, on February 24.
The third prize to be won, following the Silver Cup and Polo Masters Cup, held earlier this year, there are six teams participating this time, including the UAE Polo team, led by Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Mahra by AIX Investment Group team, Bangash Dodson & Horrell Polo, Habtoor Polo, Dubai Wolves by CAFU and Ghantoot Polo.
At the end of three matches of the preliminary rounds, Bangash Dodson & Horrell Polo is the only unbeaten team followed by UAE Polo and Dubai Wolves by CAFU with two wins each. The fourth team making it to the semi-final will be decided on goal average as all three have one win apiece.
The 2024 UAE Tour with all 18 UCI World Teams participating will also conclude on February 25. This is the sixth edition of the UAE Tour and the third race on the 2024 UCI World Tour.
Other sports activities this week will include several sports events held as part of the 5th Workers’ Sports Tour at the Labour Camp in Jebel Ali, the Eurasia E-Sports Conference at the Festival Arena in Dubai Festival City, the Mira Eco Running Festival on Kite Beach, the Sukoon and Bupa World Run in Dubai Design District and the kick-off for the Dubai Sports Corporate Games at the Inspiratus area of Dubai Sports City.
Other notable events happening include the Dubai Boxing Championship EMD Fight Night 6 at the Dubai Media City, the Al Noor Centre’s Super Hero Walk for People of Determination in Al Barsha 1, the Grand Dance Challenge Championship in Al Quoz 3 and the UAE Federation Cup in football.
