Riyadh
EFFORTS are being made to put Jeddah on the world map as a sea sport destination.
For the first time, Jeddah will host one of the rounds of the world Championship Formula 2000 Power Boat race.
"Our goal is to make Jeddah a world capital for sea and environmental tourism," said Prince Abdullah Bin Saud Bin Mohammad, chairman of Alahlam Marina Tourism Group. Due to the great success of the F2000 International Championship Asir Round, Jeddah officially requested to host one of the rounds in Oct. 2007. The round would be a part of the coming season.
A three-year contact was signed Wednesday by Prince Abdullah and Abdelsalam Fairooz, the championship promoter in the presence of Col. Dr. Mohamed Mustafa Al Juhaini.
Alahlam Marina Tourism Group along with the Supreme Commission of Tourism has worked in bringing Formula 2 Power Boat Race to Jeddah.
This championship is only the beginning of a series of championships that are being planned in Jeddah in an attempt to highlight Jeddah as a sea sport destination.
"Jeddah has all the qualities needed to put it on the world map alongside other world- class cities in sport activities," said Prince Abdullah.
"This will not only bring in additional income to the province but it will also create more jobs for our youth and will also encourage tourism to Jeddah and Makkah."
Three races are scheduled between October and December this year. The first Power Boat Race will be hosted in Jeddah on the 16-18 Oct. The second race of the year will be hosted by Egypt.
Usually 15 countries participate in the Formula 2000 Power Boat World Championship Race.
This is a list of sea sport divided by categories. Some may not be available here in Jeddah:
- In the water
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Water basketball
- Water polo
- Synchronized swimming
- Fin swimming
- Water aerobics
- Water gymnastics
- Snorkeling
- Diving off springboards or off platforms
- A water slide
- Under water
- Diving
- Scuba diving
- Free-diving
- Underwater photography
- On the water
- Skurfing
- Barefoot water skiing
- Boating
- Bodyboarding
- Dragon Boat Racing
- Fishing
- Hydroplane racing
- Jet sprint boat racing
- Kayaking
- Kite surfing on flat water using a kite for propulsion
- Motor boating
- Offshore powerboat racing
- Outrigger Canoe racing
- Parasailing where a person is towed behind a vehicle (usually a boat) while attached to a parachute
- Rafting
- Sailing
- Skimboarding involves riding, standing up, on a board down the wet sand and timing the ride to connect with a shorebreaking wave
- Surfing downhill on waves
- Splash padding: games on zero depth splash pad
- Wakeboarding is similar to water skiing, but using only one board attached to the feet
- Wake skating is similar to wakeboarding, but the board is not attached to the feet
- Water skiing
- Windsurfing
- Yachting
By Suzan Zawawi
© The Saudi Gazette 2007
