Sport | Other Sports

Common platform for powerboating discussed

Three of the main international bodies associated with Class One powerboat racing have decided to converge at a common platform in an attempt to give the sport a better direction and verve.

  • By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
  • Published: 23:26 July 3, 2009
  • Gulf News

Dubai: Three of the main international bodies associated with Class One powerboat racing have decided to converge at a common platform in an attempt to give the sport a better direction and verve.

Top officials from the International Offshore Team Association (IOTA) and World Professional Powerboating Association (WPPA) met at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) last week to work out "a plan of action for the future of the sport".Attending the meeting were Saeed Hareb, the WPPA President along with Shaikh Hassan Bin Jaber Al Thani, the IOTA President, Khalfan Hareb, CEO of Victory Team, Rory McRae, the WPPA board member and race director and Marco Sala and Sid Bensaleh, general secretaries of IOTA and WPPA respectively.

"Such a meeting was necessary for all of us and for the sport. Our sport is feeling the effects of the world economic crisis and we need to come to some sort of common understanding to consolidate the future of the sport worldwide," Saeed Hareb told Gulf News after last Thursday's meeting.

Next up is a meeting on July 9 in Milan, Italy with Rafael Chiulli, President of the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the world governing body for watersport.

"If the last meeting was important, the meeting in Milan next week is going to be of even more prominence to all concerned," Saeed Hareb stated.

Gulf News
The UAE’s Hamdan Al Kamali and India’s Je Je fight for the ball during the first-leg of the Asian qualifier for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, at the Al Ain
Club’s Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday. Al Kamali opened the account for the hosts with a penalty in the 21st minute, followed by another spot kick converted by Mohammad Al Shhehi in the 29th minute. Ismail Al Hammadi then completed the tally in the 80th minute of the match.

Football

Feature of Kamali breakthrough

Martin Kaymer of Germany lines up a putt on the 18th green on the second day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic golf
championship at Emirates Golf Club on Friday.

Golf

Long wait over

Winning Desert Classic as close to McIlroy's heart as Wozniacki

Cricket

On the backfoot

Sport Editor's choice