Jet aerobatic team, the Saudi Hawks, were in the lead on the first day of the 21st FAI Grand Prix, organisers said yesterday.
The Hawks are competing against Russian teams, the Russian Knights and the Swifts, in the jet category of the competition.
The Saudi Hawks secured 11,595 points while the Russian teams both bagged 10,790 points.
Russian pilots, however, dominated the solo contest by capturing five of the eight positions. Lithuanian Jurgis Kairys took the first position in the solo technical category of the prix, followed by Germany's Klaus Schrodt and Russia's Victor Chmal.
Eight pilots, who are considered the world's elite solo performers, are taking part in the technical category. Kairys is defending the title he won in the first aerobatic show in Al Ain last year.
The Russian, Svetlana Kapanina, who was sixth on Wednesday, has won the Grand Prix four times. All the teams competed again yesterday, and the final results will be announced today the concluding day of the aerobatics show.
A total of 18 teams from 36 countries are taking part in the event being held at Al Ain International Airport under the auspices of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Yesterday's events were witnessed by Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Interior Minister, with several other officials and dignitaries.
The 21st FAI World Grand Prix is the main activity of the Al Ain Air Show. The panel of judges includes Osmo Jalovaara from Finland, the jury chairman, and South African John Gaillard, chief judge.
Jean Louis Monnet, founder of the Huete Voltage, the organisers of the Grand Prix, said the competition consisted of two programmes incorporating creative technical style in flying and precision in synchronising movements with music.
The judges will give their marks based on aerobatic performances, speed and precision of formations and solo performances.
The Indian Sarang team, which is the only helicopter team in the show, has been putting on a thrilling display. On Wednesday they had the maximum number of points of all participants (11,790.)
The air show is being jointly organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the UAE Air Forces and Air Defence and the Fdration Aronautique Internationale (FAI) the World Air Sports Federation.
A large crowd of people, from all over the UAE and neighbouring GCC countries, yesterday packed the air show venue.
Gulf News
