UAE and Dubai Sports Council to hold Alpine skiing events

The UAE Winter Sports Federation is to hold Alpine skiing championships — for both slalom and freestyle — at Ski Dubai in Mall of the Emirates, Dubai.

In collaboration with Dubai Sports Council, the UAE Olympic Committee and Ski Dubai, the National Ski Championships, Asian Paralympic Championships, and East Timor Ski Championships are being organised.

Hamel Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Vice-President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation stressed the importance of these events which are being held in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai, with international participation of almost 20 countries. People of Determination will also be involved through the Asian Paralympic Championship.

Al Qubaisi said: “The UAE Winter Sports Federation works closely with our partners to embrace talent and provide competition opportunities for champions, we value the wise leadership’s support for the UAE in providing sports facilities and services available, the UAE has become the best environment to host these competitions.

Mohammad Mohammed Fadel Al Hameli, Chairman of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation, expressed his delight for the continuous cooperation with the Emirates Winter Sports Federation to hold such events at Dubai Snow Slope, which reflects the diverse capabilities thanks to the unlimited support of the leadership and the strong will to integrate People of Determination in all sports activities of all kinds, Al Hamli added: “While this is the first of its kind, we hope will be the basis for expanding the practice of skiing for People of Determination.”

Mohammad El Etri, the executive director of Ski Dubai, said: “Our team is fully prepared to provide all services and facilities to support the participating teams, and on top of that our national team. We have provided the most skilled trainers and equipment for our national team — Theyab Jasim Al Muhairi, Hamda Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Abdullah Hussein Al Balushi and Hassan Al Fardan.

People of Determination will compete in the Asian Paralympic Championship from November 19-20, running alongside the National Ski Championships.

East Timor chose the UAE for their Ski Championships — free and slalom — because the Dubai Snow Slope is the only indoor slope approved by the International Ski Federation. They will run from November 17-20.