Preparations are in full swing for the third FAI World Cup of Indoor Skydiving to held in Bahrain from October 25 to 28.
“More than 100 teams from 25 countries will take part in the event, bringing together the most advanced indoor skydiving athletes from around the world,” said Gravity general manager and head of the World Cup Management Committee Khawla AlHammadi during a press conference at Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain yesterday.
Among the competitors are world freestyle champions Kyrah Poh from Singapore and Maja KuczyĆska from Poland, in addition to world champions in 4-Way Formation Skydiving ‘Hayabusa’ and the 2-Way Dynamic champions ‘Windoor’ from Spain.
Bahraini participants include Shaikha Fatima bint Ahmed Al Khalifa in freestyle, in addition to the dynamic duo of world champion Ben Roane and Gravity’s senior instructor Garth Lewis, two Bahraini 4-Way Formation Skydiving teams and the Ministry of Interior skydiving team.
AlHammadi said that the efficiency and scale of work that has been achieved since Bahrain won the bid to host the World Cup proves how ready the kingdom is to hold this world meet.
Gravity’s wind tunnel has been prepared to host the teams during the pre-event training period by operating for 24 hours in the seven days leading up to the first day of the competition, making it the first ever tunnel in the world to operate for such a long period.
“Gravity’s tunnel is considered one of the tallest glass wind tunnels in the world with an overall height of 12 metres of tempered glass, width of 4.3m and a speed that can reach up to 290km per hour. It is considered a pioneering initiative to support tourism, sports and the economy of the kingdom,” she said.
Technical, media and administrative committees have been formed in cooperation with government and private organisations in Bahrain to fulfil all the planning requirements for the competition.
Bahrain Air Sports Federation executive manager Mohamed Albulooshi said the federation was honoured to host this international event for the first time. “Though the federation was formed only recently, it has succeeded in getting full memberships of the international, Asian and Arab federations, in addition to organising various events with the aim to diversify the types of participants,” he said.
The event is being sponsored and supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs, Al Salam Bank, Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain, National Bank of Bahrain, Tamkeen, Batelco, Alba, Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), Information and e-Government Authority, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) and Gulf Air.
AlHammadi said that their support would help in the development of indoor skydiving sports and attract more Bahraini and Gulf youth.
For more details about the World Cup, call 13100000 or visit the website www.wcis2018.com