Jeddah to host Kingdom’s first paramotor championship

Saudi Gazette Report JEDDAH — The Kingdom’s first Paramotor Cup championship is set to kick off Nov. 17 this year in Jeddah. The five-day championship is one of the activities of the Saudi Air Sports Federation (SASF) approved by the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) for this year, Prince Turki Bin Muqrin Bin Abdulaziz, chairman of SASF, announced. The championship will be held at the Sama Al-Gharbiyah Aviation Club on King Abdulaziz Road. The event will be held under the supervision of the GPYW, represented by SASF, and with participation of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI). Prince Turki said the SASF was established so that this sport receives its due attention. The aim is also to help develop competence among the Saudi youth and urge them to participate in international events and thereby raise the Kingdom’s flag in international sports arenas. Captain Abdullah Al-Salmani, member of the board of directors of SASF and director general of the championship for the Kingdom’s First Paramotor Cup, said the winners will determine the selection of the Kingdom’s national paramotor team, which will represent the Kingdom at the upcoming Gulf and international championships. Mazin Birjawi, executive director of the authority organizing the championship, said a number of international champions have been invited to enrich the championship. Alongside paramotor championship, other shows on the sidelines include parachute jumping, air formations using light aircraft, remote controlled planes besides social and cultural activities. Paramotor sports are among the most important sports using gliders with a small engine that is carried on the back. During recent years, paramotor sports were included in the Asian Coastal Games Championship. It is also included in the approved games for the Gulf Championship for Coastal Games. The competition in this championship comprises two basic sections – precision and fuel economy. Each section has several games that are played individually or collectively. A large number of spectators are expected for the competitions. The weather plays an important factor in the sport.