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Event's success underscores Aspire Zone Foundation's capabilities in hosting major international sports and cultural activities
Richard Debray from France wins gold in the individual category and Andesky team from Colombia win gold in the pairs & teams category
More than 40,000 spectators visited the festival over five days
More than 500 schools invited to take part
Doha - The Aspire 1st International Kite Festival drew to a close today, capping an incredible five days of unique sporting spectacle and widespread involvement in community activities.
Over five days, more than 40,000 visitors enjoyed an incredible range of technical feats showcased by some of the world’s best professional kite flyers, in addition to a hugely varied programme of community events and activities.
French competitor wins gold in the individual category and Colombian team wins gold in the pairs & teams category
Large crowds gathered for the closing ceremony during which prizes were awarded to the winning teams. In the individual category Richard Debray from France won gold, Roger Tessa-Gambassi also from France won silver and Adam Ahmad from Malaysia won bronze. In the pairs & teams category, Andesky team from Colombia won gold, Ex-Grads team from the UK won silver whilst Paire’Spire team from France won bronze.
Following months of planning, the competition saw teams of top international kite flyers from 13 countries compete in a range of individual and team sports kite events at the Festival – which took place between 25th and 29th April at Aspire Park.
During the five days, a range of stunning synchronised kite performances and displays celebrated the art and performance of kite flying, offering spectators a chance to witness professional international kite flyers in action.
Crowds of schoolchildren discover a love for kite flying and learn new skills
Another major success for the festival was the level of involvement of young people from around the country. A specially designed schools programme attracted large numbers of schools to participate in a series of fun activities. More than 500 schools were invited to take part, including Tamakon Comprehensive School for children with special needs.
Hundreds of youngsters enjoyed workshops on designing, decorating and building kites with many hundreds of kite making kits being provided free of charge. Experts from the Singapore Kite Association, one of the joint organisers, also provided easy-to-follow explanations for visitors on kite aerodynamics. More than 15,000 kites were distributed to members of the public.
These efforts reflect the competition organiser’s commitment to develop a Qatari team to take part in next year’s competition. The hope is that talented Qatari youngsters who have discovered a love of kite flying during this year’s festival will be ready to compete in next year’s event. A number of International Kite Associations together with Aspire Zone Foundation will provide coaching support to help develop these youngsters.
A unique community festival that offered something for everyone
Part professional competition, part community festival, the five-day event provided a jam-packed programme of fun, free activities, events and workshops that offered something for everyone.
Large numbers of families visited throughout the five days taking full advantage of a series of creative competitions and entertainment options. Fun for the whole family included a photo booth wind machine and F1 simulators, as well as the chance to relax and explore beautifully appointed wind gardens.
Competition prizes galore
Thanks to the generous support of Festival sponsors Katara Cultural Village, Qatar Airways, Ooredoo, Nikon and Kiddy Zone, members of the public had the opportunity to enter creative competitions to win an array of impressive prizes.
A photography competition running on Instagram captured perspectives of the festival through the eyes of the visitors and participants themselves. More than 2,500 people took part, posting to Instagram using the hashtag #AspireKitePhoto. A panel of judges including representatives from the Qatar Photographic Society at Katara selected four lucky winners who were awarded amazing prizes ranging from Qatar Airways flights to Nikkon cameras.
A poster competition also encouraged youngsters to express their creative side. Several hundred children took part by creating illustrations of a kite in the skies above Aspire Park. By posting their entry to @aspirezone on Instagram, ten children won a series of great giveaways from Kiddy Zone.
In the schools competition, three school teams won impressive cash prizes in a competition to design and build kites. Muaz Bin Jabal school walked away with QAR 30,000, second-place winner Gheras International school took home QAR 20,000, while third-place winner Birla school received a QAR 10,000 prize. Every school that took part received vouchers. All winners were announced during the Festival’s closing ceremony.
The event is further evidence of AZF’s capabilities and expertise in organizing large-scale, international events.
Given the enormous success of the event this year, the Aspire International Kite Festival is set to become a regular annual fixture and a highlight of AZF’s events calendar. The search is now on for a team of enthusiastic Qatari kite flyers to make up a team in next year’s event.
The festival also highlighted Aspire Zone Foundation’s support for small businesses, with a number of local companies promoting their products and services to festivalgoers. These included several Qatari small businesses serving a range of food and drink options.
Mrs. Kholoud Al Hail, CEO of Aspire Katara Hospitality & Head of the Event’s Organising Committee said:
“Aspire’s 1st International Kite Festival soared with success! It was incredible to see more than 40,000 people visit the Festival over the last five days. Crowds of kite enthusiasts, new kite fliers, and curious spectators of all ages gathered at Aspire Park to experience and take part this colourful and beautiful event. As well as combining sports and entertainment, the event provided real scope for members of the community to make the most of being outdoors and physically active.”
Mrs. Kholoud Al Hail, added:
“I’d like to congratulate everyone that participated in the kite flying competitions. I’d also like to thank
our generous Festival sponsors Katara Cultural Village, Qatar Airways, Ooredoo, Nikon and Kiddy Zone. Thanks to them, members of the public entered several creative competitions and won some fantastic prizes. Our thanks also go to the Singapore Kite Association for their support and contribution in making the event such a success.
“As we look ahead to next year, we hope to make the Festival even bigger and better, and find a group of talented Qatari kite flyers to make up a national team in next year’s event.”
Aspire’s first International Kite Festival is set to become an annual event, further demonstrating Qatar’s capabilities and expertise in hosting major international sports and cultural activities.
Meanwhile, Dr. Khalid Bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Cultural Village Katara, said:
"We are keen to cooperate with the various institutions in the country, and our role as a cultural partner in this festival comes within this framework, considering that Katara and Aspire Zone and Aspire-Katara Hospitality are working under one umbrella, with common objectives.”
Dr. Al Sulaiti indicated that Katara gives great attention and support to achieve its mission of extending bridges between peoples and enriching the cultural scene in Qatar. He also emphasized that the 1st Aspire International Kite Festival will be an entertainment and educational event for all segments of society of different ages and nationalities. The families will find a real opportunity to spend agreeable times.
For more information on activities at Aspire, please visit: www.aspirezone.qa.
© Press Release 2017
