Sulayem tells Arab drivers to capitalise on golden era

Dubai.   Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the most successful Arab driver in motor sport history, says the region’s current generation of hopefuls must capitalise on a golden era which could take one of them all the way to the top level in circuit racing.

Sulayem, winner of a record 14 Middle East rally titles and a glut of other international awards, believes there is little to stop an Arab driver finding success at the highest level now that the region has developed its own world-class motor sport venues.

He says the introduction of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East is another positive development at a time when the region is attracting an increasing amount of international attention and respect.

“In the past, it was difficult to see an Arab driver go far in circuit racing because they would need to spend so much time in Europe,” said Sulayem. “It’s a different story now, as we have our own tracks, including two of the best in the world in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. This is a golden era for someone with talent and dedication.”

Five challengers from the new Porsche GT3 Cup series get the kind of opportunity which Sulayem sees as priceless during the upcoming Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix race programme on 13-14 March

Championship leader Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal, Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa,  Abu Dhabi’s Khaled Al Qubaisi, and Saudi’s Bandar Alesayi and Fahad Algosaibi, have all been given special invitations to line up in the first two rounds of the 2010 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup that weekend.

“I don’t know how much ambition they have. But being in a professionally run series like they are they must be serious about motor sport and so they should take full advantage of opportunities like this when they come along,” said Sulayem, President of the ATCUAE and Vice President of the FIA, motor sport’s world governing body.

“They’ll have the chance to measure themselves against more experienced and faster drivers from Europe, and should learn as much as they can. They’ll also be sharing the stage with the stars of Formula One, and they shouldn’t take that lightly.”

“I was always keen to learn what I could when I met and competed with great drivers like Bjorn Waldegard, Ari Vatanen and Carlos Sainz. You can soak up so much just by watching and listening to them.”

Prince Abdulaziz has a 45-point lead in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East which is sponsored by Michelin and Mobil 1 and was launched at the Bahrain Grand Prix Circuit back in December.

He can now clinch the title on home territory later this month, with Rounds 9 and 10 to be held at Reem International Circuit, outside Riyadh, on March 24-25 and the final two rounds taking place there the following week.
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The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup has been supporting the FIA Formula One World Championship since 1993 and is the world’s fastest and most spectacular international one make professional race series.

Captions: Action from the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East - Mohammed Ben Sulayem says the series is another positive development for the region

German tennis legend Boris Becker visited IWC Schaffhausen’s Boutique at Dubai Mall yesterday (March 8th 2010) to launch the 4th Limited Edition Watch that will benefit the Laureus Sports for Good Foundation charity.

Watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has joined forces with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, an organisation that combines sport and social commitment at the very highest level. Every year the best sportsmen and sportswomen from all over the globe are recognised at the annual Laureus World Sports Awards. In the context of this year’s Laureus World Sports Awards in Abu Dhabi, IWC Schaffhausen and vice chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy Boris Becker are showcasing the fourth in a series of watches, the IWC Portuguese Automatic Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Part of the proceeds from the sales of the watch goes to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.

A supporting pillar of the Foundation is the Laureus World Sports Academy, which is made up of 46sporting legends from all over the world. Tennis legend Boris Becker is vice chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, and through his involvement with the Foundation he intends to give back to society part of what sport has given to him. “As a father of four children and a sportsman, I see it as my duty to support others with my wealth of experience.” He travels the world and regularly visits Laureus Sport for Good Foundation projects, imparts public awareness to these projects and, at the same time, sends a signal to the participants that they are taken seriously by society.

“Probus Scafusia”: good, solid craftsmanship from Schaffhausen – also for a good cause

Sports watches are one of IWC’s most important segments alongside the company’s horological specialities. For the fourth time in a row, IWC Schaffhausen is supporting the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation with a special edition, and part of the proceeds from its sales will go to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. In the context of this year’s Laureus World Sports Awards in Abu Dhabi, IWC Schaffhausen and vice chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy Boris Becker are showcasing the fourth in a series of watches, the IWC Portuguese Automatic Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. This model, with its unmistakeable dial in Laureus blue, is limited to 1000 pieces. The series of watches dedicated to sport is thus continued and builds upon the tradition of the special editions of previous years: the Da Vinci Chronograph in 2008, the Pilot’s Watch Chrono-Automatic in 2007 and the Portuguese Chrono-Automatic in 2006. To lend force to its involvement, IWC Schaffhausen conceived the book Let the Children Pl
ay in 2007 and produced in association with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. This hardcover illustrated volume, written in English, presents the work of famous photo-journalists who report on ten selected Laureus Sport for Good projects with deeply touching images. The book can be ordered at www.iwc.com or www.laureus.com. Purchasers of the Portuguese Automatic Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation watch also receive a complimentary copy of the book Let the Children Play.

IWC’s continuing involvement

As vice chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy and watch enthusiast, Boris Becker is delighted by the lasting and intensive involvement of IWC Schaffhausen alongside the other global partners Mercedes-Benz and Vodafone of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Thanks to the financial support of these global partners, around 1,000,000 children and young people have been able to benefit from this involvement with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in more than 70 projects throughout the world. Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, explains the motivation for the continuing support of the Laureus Sport for GoodFoundation: “As an internationally active company, we bear social responsibility on all five continents. The new Laureus watch enables IWC customers to support our Involvement with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. This involvement directly benefits those who are socially, physical or economically disadvantaged. In doing so, we utilize sport as a universal

language, and as Nelson Mandela put it so succinctly, at the inaugural Awards ceremony, ‘Sport has the power to change the world.’ ”

He’s the world’s first billionaire athlete.  He’s won more awards and shattered more records than anyone in his field.  Even mentioning the sport brings to mind one iconic figure; golf is Tiger Woods.

Since he became engulfed in allegations of multiple extramarital affairs following a mysterious car accident outside his Florida home last November, the world has learned just how important Tiger is to golf, and his corporate sponsors.  Although projections vary, the scandal is estimated to have cost shareholders of companies endorsed by Tiger $5 billion to $12 billion in losses.

Sponsors who have dropped Woods include technology outsourcing and consulting firm Accenture, Procter & Gamble Co ’s shaving products maker Gillette (which dropped the golfer from its marketing), and telecommunications giant AT&T. However, Tiger’s biggest and longest sponsor Nike has said they are standing by the golfer as he hits the rough.  Luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer has gone back and forth with Tiger but has yet to officially drop him.

Besides being the hottest scandal in recent sporting history, the Tiger Woods incident is also a great case study for those in the world of marketing.  It has provoked us to reflect on the value—and risk—involved in building brands around a single person or idea.  His brand of video games alone has earned millions for EA Sports and his personal piggybank.  This has been the ultimate crisis point for Tiger as a brand and an athlete.  His indefinite departure from the sport was an honorable thing to do given the nature of the scandal; his very own crisis management strategy.  Has this saved Tiger from further scrutiny?  Was he able to save face by giving up his love of golf in order to resolve his character flaws?  Like his sponsors, some people say that his actions are unforgivable, while others are standing by their iconic role model figure.

Not even a month after the scandal, Tiger was voted Athlete of the Decade by Associated Press, and he’s graced the cover of countless magazines and journals.  Sports biggest brand may have suffered the greatest blow of his career, but the brand of Tiger Woods is far from expired.

DUBAI: Over 80 amateur golfers from across the UAE participated in the Dulsco Classic 2010 tournament held at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. Playing on three-fourth handicap, the team format was made up of four alliances, with the two best scores on each hole counting towards the team total.
 
The golfers teed off in the 1pm shotgun start of the event, which was organized by Dulsco for the seventh time for its valued customers and invited guests, who included CEOs, corporate executives and decision makers. This year’s Dulsco Classic was part of Dulsco’s year-long celebration of its 75 years of providing service excellence in the region.

In the individual category, Steven Lawson and Naresh Bhambhaney won honors in their respective divisions.

“I would say that this is the best corporate golf event I have attended in the UAE. The whole day was very well organized, with a high turnout. I will definitely play again next year,” said Steven Lawson, winner

Steven Lawson took first place with 36 points in the Division A honours (handicap 0-14), Sergy D’souza was placed second with 36 points (countback) while Pieter Van Wyk walked away with the third prize scoring 36 points (count back)

Naresh Bhambhaney won the first place in the Division B (handicap 15-36) with 40 points followed by Dileep Kumar with 35 points (countback). Jamal Bin Marghoob, was third with 35 points (countback).

The team of Steven Lawson, Vivian Albertyn, Kevin Ryan and Teofisto Santos combined superbly to win the team honors’ , scoring 78 points.

In second place, with 76 points, were Graeme Sears, John J Hetherton and Peter Tighe while the team of Rajeev lal, Capt. J.S Brar and Dileep Kumar with 74 points were third.

“As usual, although we organized a friendly tournament, we saw very competitive and serious play out there on the greens. We also liked the greater diversity of participants and the excellent level of sportsmanship which has been characteristic of this event over the past years,” said Balakumar, Director, Dulsco HR Solutions.

“We thank our repeat players for patronizing this event and hope to see this year’s freshmen come back for more. Once again we have rolled out a great tournament for appreciating our partners & customers and challenging the sport’s amateur enthusiasts,” concluded Dulsco Managing Director John Neale.

Results of the seventh edition of the Dulsco Classic 2010 held at the Dubai Creek Yacht and Golf Club.

Nearest The Pin and Longest Drive: Results

Nearest the pin – 5th (Div. B)  Mark Siddorn
Nearest the pin – 14th (Div. B) David Burns
Longest Drive - 4th (Div. B) Mukti Rai
Nearest the pin 8th - (Div. A)  Vivian Albertyn
Nearest the pin - 16th (Div. A) Peter Tighe
Longest Drive - 12th (Div. A) Steven Lawson
 
Individual winners: Results

Division A (Hcp 0-14)
1st Place - Steven Lawson 36 points
2nd Place - Sergy D’souza 36 points (countback)
3rd Place - Pieter Van Wyk 36 points (countback)

Division B (Hcp 15-36)
1st Place - Naresh Bhambhaney 40 points
2nd Place - Dileep Kumar 35 points (countback)
3rd Place - Jamal Bin Marghoob 35 points (countback)

Team winners: Results

1st Place – Steven Lawson, Vivian Albertyn, Kevin Ryan and Teofisto Santos -  78 points.
2nd Place - Graeme Sears, John J Hetherton and Peter Tighe -  76 points
3rd Place - Rajeev Lal, Capt. J.S Brar and Dileep Kumar -  74 points.

Barcelona, 22 February 2010: The legendary FC Barcelona coach, Josep Guardiola, is to become an ambassador for the Qatar 2022 Bid, it was announced today.

Guardiola, whose team won the 2009 UEFA Champions League, spent two years playing for Qatar’s Al Ahli Club, and recently returned to the country after leading his team to the FIFA Club World Cup title in Abu Dhabi, the sixth trophy of an historic season.
 
“I am very pleased to be representing Qatar’s 2022 World Cup Bid,” Guardiola said upon his appointment. “I believe this is a truly unique bid, and a wonderful opportunity to spread the magic and the benefits of the world’s favourite game across the globe.”

“Having played in Qatar myself between 2003 and 2005, and having grown to love the country and greatly appreciate Qatar’s football development and infrastructure investment, I believe the time is ripe for the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East. My experience in Qatar, as well as the outstanding organisation and football passion we witnessed in the UAE during the Clubs World Cup, makes me confident that Qatar and the Middle East can host a spectacular, passionate and unforgettable World Cup that embraces all the FIFA ideals.”

As a Bid ambassador, Guardiola will be attending events to voice his support for Qatar’s World Cup ambitions, as well as giving the leadership technical advice on staging the world’s biggest tournament. He joins a high profile list of Bid ambassadors including the World Cup legends Gabriel Batistuta, Ronald De Boer, Roger Milla, Sami Al Jaber and Bora Milutinovic.

Guardiola, a graduate of FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth academy, captained Spain to the Gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Two years later he was part of the Spanish squad that narrowly lost to eventual finalists Italy in the 1994 World Cup quarterfinals. At club level he won all major titles with FC Barcelona, including the Spanish League, Spanish Cup as well as the European Champions League in 1992. He captained Barcelona for his last four years at the club before moving on to Brescia, AS Roma and Al Ahli in Qatar. Upon his switch to coaching he won six trophies in his first season in charge at Barcelona.

Qatar’s Bid Committee CEO, Hassan Abdulla Al Thawadi, welcomed Guardiola onto the Qatar 2022 team and hailed his recent achievements with FC Barcelona as well as his commitment to youth development. “We are honoured to work together with Josep to bring the World Cup to Qatar in 2022. Both as a player and as a coach he has been the personification of dedication and passion on the football pitch,” Al Thawadi said.

“More than any of his astonishing successes, though, we are delighted to have him on our team because of his continued commitment to youth development in football. As the coach of FC Barcelona, he has won every title with a team based on Barcelona youth academy players, a philosophy we are most familiar with from his time helping youth development here in Qatar.

Everywhere he goes, Josep will bring across our message that a World Cup in Qatar in 2022 will give sporting hope to millions of children across the Middle East.”

Dashing Saudi scores sixth win to tighten grip on title race

Abu Dhabi.  Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal took another major step towards the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East title with an impressive victory in Round 8 at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi today.

Reversing the result from the previous round 24 hours earlier, Prince Abdulaziz snatched victory from the grasp of Sheikh Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa after the Bahraini driver had looked set for back-to-back wins from successive pole positions.

The decisive moment came on the tenth of 13 laps when Sheikh Salman, under increasing pressure, slide wide and the championship leader glided through to score his sixth win in the 12-round series.

With his nearest challenger in the title race, cousin and team-mate Prince Khalid Al Faisal, crashing out of contention on the day, Prince Abdulaziz increased his lead in the new one-make Porsche series to a massive 45 points.

Trying to put pressure on third-placed fellow Saudi driver Bandar Alesayi, Prince Khalid instead lost control on lap seven and slid sideways into the crash barrier.

Like Abu Dhabi’s Khaled Al Qubaisi, who had spun off two laps earlier, he was forced into the pits and the pair were dropped to the back of the field.

With Alesayi holding on to third spot, the top six was completed by Saudi drivers Fahad Algosaibi, Bandar Alireza, and Faisal Binladen who maintained his 100 per cent winning record in the in the Mobil 1 Trophy for rookies and amateur drivers over the age of 45.
Round 8 results:

1. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA), Al Faisal Racing Team  26:19.932
2. Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa (BAH)    26:23.747
3. Bandar Alesayi (KSA),      26:34.355
4. Fahad Algosaibi (KSA), ClassicArabia Racing   26:34.697
5. Bandar Alireza (KSA), Bison Reem Racing Team   26:46.198
6. Faisal Binladen (KSA), Reem Racing Team   26:54.895
7. Fawaz Al Gosaibi (KSA) ClassicArabia Racing   27:25.957
8. Raed Abuzenadah (KSA), Reem Racing Team   27:28.841
9. Jaap Vaandrager (NL)      27:38.943
10. Khalid Al Faisal (KSA), Al Faisal Racing Team   26:28.922
11. Khaled Al Qubaisi (UAE), Tolimit Racing    26:43.152

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East positions after Round 8
1. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA), Al Faisal Racing Team  156pts  
2. Khalid Al Faisal (KSA), Al Faisal Racing Team   111pts  
3. Bandar Alesayi (KSA),      109pts  
4. Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa (BAH)    106pts  
5. Bandar Alireza (KSA), Bison Reem Racing Team   91pts  
6. Raed Abuzenadah (KSA), Bison Reem Racing Team  76pts  
    Faisal Binladen (KSA), Bison Reem Racing Team  76pts  
8. Fahad Algosaibi (KSA), ClassicArabia Racing   66pts  
9. Jaap Vaandrager (NL)      57pts  
10. Khaled Al Qubaisi (UAE), Tolimit Racing    48pts  
11. Fawaz Al Gosaibi (KSA) ClassicArabia Racing   47pts  
12. Nabil Karam (RL) Karam Rally Team    13pts

Mobil 1 Trophy positions
1. Faisal Binladen (KSA), Reem Racing Team   160pts
2. Jaap Vaandrager (NL)      134pts
3. Fawaz Al Gosaibi (KSA)     104pts
4. Nabil Karam (RL) Karam Rally Team    34pts

Captions

1. Prince Abdulaziz (Car No.7) on his way to victory after gliding ahead of Sheikh Salman (Car No.1).
2. Prince Abdulaziz, Sheikh Salman (left) and Bandar Alesayi on the podium

Salman claims pole to raise hopes of back-to-back wins

Abu Dhabi.  Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa followed up his first race victory in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East 24 hours earlier by grabbing pole position

for Round 8 of the series today.

Sheikh Salman put himself in an excellent position to complete back-to-back wins later in the day by setting the fastest time of 1:59.628 in this morning’s qualifying session, as he did the previous day.

Second fastest with a time of 1:59.920 was Saudi Arabia’s championship leader, Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal, the runner-up in Round 7 after five victories in the first six races of the 12-round series.

Holding third place in the championship, Saudi’s Bandar Alesayi was third quickest in 2:00.656, with Prince Khalid Al Faisal, 2:00.763, Abu Dhabi’s Khaled Al Qubaisi, 2:00.995, and Fahad Algosaibi, 2:01.066, completing the top six.

Round 8 Qualifying results:

1. Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa (BAH)    1:59.628
2. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA), Al Faisal Racing Team   1:59.920
3. Bandar Alesayi (KSA),      2:00.656
4. Khalid Al Faisal (KSA), Al Faisal Racing Team  2:00.763
5. Khaled Al Qubaisi (UAE), Tolimit Racing    2:00.995
6. Fahad Algosaibi (KSA), Algosaibi Travel Racing  2:01.066
7. Bandar Alireza (KSA), Reem Racing Team   2:01.836
8. Faisal Binladen (KSA), Reem Racing Team   2:02.830
9. Raed Abuzenadah (KSA), Reem Racing Team   2:03.254
10. Jaap Vaandrager (NL)     2:03.483
11. Fawaz Al Gosaibi (KSA)     2:04:171

Captions:

1.       Sheikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa – seeking back-to-back wins after claiming
          pole position for Round 8

2.       Abu Dhabi’s Khaled Al Qubaisi in action in today’s qualifying session at Yas Marina
          Circuit, Abu Dhabi.

Bahraini out to secure first series victory in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi.  Chasing his first victory in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa set the early pace as the 12-round series returned to action at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi this morning.

Warming up for this afternoon’s seventh round, Sheikh Salman was fastest in official practice with an impressive time of 2:00.373, almost a full second quicker than his nearest challenger, Saudi Arabia’s championship leader, Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal, in 2:01.306.

Looking to impress on home territory, Abu Dhabi’s Khaled Al Qubaisi was third fastest with a time of 2:01.594, ahead of Prince Khalid Al Faisal, currently second in the championship, in 2:02.059.

Fahad Algosaibi, 2:02.836, and Bandar Alesayi, 2:03.088, the Saudi driver holding third place in the series, completed the top six.

Round 7 Official practice results

1. Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa (BAH)    2:00.373
2. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA), Al Faisal Racing Team  2:01.306
3. Khaled Al Qubaisi (UAE), Tolimit Racing    2:01.594
4. Khalid Al Faisal (KSA), Al Faisal Racing Team   2:02.059
5. Fahad Algosaibi (KSA), Algosaibi Travel Racing  2:02.836
6. Bandar Alesayi (KSA),      2:03.088
7. Bandar Alireza (KSA), Reem Racing Team   2:03.510
8. Faisal Binladen (KSA), Reem Racing Team   2:04.186
9. Jaap Vaandrager (NL)      2:05.358
10. Fawaz Al Gosaibi (KSA)     2:05.403
11. Raed Abuzenadah (KSA), Reem Racing Team   2:06.980

Captions:

1. Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa (Car no.1) – fastest in official practice for the 7th round of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East

2. Championship leader Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal (Car No.7) in action at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi.

3. Abu Dhabi’s Khaled Al Qubaisi (Car No.2) was third fastest in official practice

February 15, 2010

Dulsco, organiser of Dulsco Classic, the popular annual corporate golf tournament, has announced that the 7th edition of the tournament will see golfers comprising CEOs and decision makers from all over the UAE teeing off at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on February 25. 

Prizes will be handed out to the top three individual performers of the competition, which will adopt an individual stableford format with a three-fourth handicap (under Division A & B). Participants are also allowed to form teams of four players to compete for the top three team prizes. The two best scores on each hole of each team will be counted for the team total. Special prizes will also be handed out for the ‘nearest to the pin’ and ‘longest drive’.

Balakumar, Director, Dulsco HR Solutions, said: “Golf has been a popular sport among corporate executives and businessmen around the world as the sport is an enjoyable and challenging physical fitness activity that also allows them to discuss business with their peers at a more leisurely and relaxing pace. In a way, the golf course has been considered an outdoor boardroom because of tales of business deals that have been sealed after a round of golf.”

“The Dulsco Classic complements the sport’s popularity within the business community as we continue to gather and encourage the participation of an increasing number of business executives in the past seven years of organising the event. Every year we find new companies that are eager to participate and send their representatives to the tournament, which has made the Dulsco Classic one of the must-attend sporting events among members of the UAE’s business community,” added Balakumar.

This year’s Dulsco Classic will also be part of Dulsco’s year-long celebration of its 75 years of providing service excellence in the region. A 75 years memento presentation and tree planting ceremony marked the start of the series of activities to celebrate Dulsco’s 75th year in service.

• Four-day event reiterates appeal of Downtown Dubai as city’s most vibrant lifestyle destination
• Several classic car collectors bring show-piece vehicles
• Competitions for participants including public poll

Dubai, UAE; February 14, 2010: The rich heritage and colourful legacy of classic cars is once again on display in Downtown Dubai. The second Downtown Dubai Classic Car Show will be celebrated over four days this year following overwhelming participation from the public and classic car enthusiasts last year.

The second edition of the much-awaited event will be held from February 18 to 21, lending further colours and excitement to the city, already bustling with the Dubai Shopping Festival 2010.

The event also underscores Downtown Dubai, the 500-acre development by Emaar Properties, as the most vibrant lifestyle destination in the city, attracting thousands of visitors and residents to a wide array of activities.

Mr Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director – UAE, Emaar Properties, said: “Downtown Dubai Classic Car Show, this year, has a richer offering including more parades and competitions that will appeal to visitors and automobile lovers. This follows the overwhelming response from the public and classic car collectors last year.”

He added: “The car show also highlights the lifestyle appeal of Downtown Dubai, which is now in global spotlight following the opening of Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall. Emaar is committed to offering unique lifestyle experiences to our residents and visitors, and Downtown Dubai Classic Car Show is a fine example of creating events that add to the tourist appeal of Dubai.”

Taking visitors through the history of how modern-day cars evolved, and highlighting awe-inspiring car creations that blend functionality with elegance, the car show will be held on Emaar Boulevard. Running through Downtown Dubai and overlooking Burj Khalifa, Emaar Boulevard, with its mix of art and lifestyle events, is fast evolving as one of the world’s finest boulevards.

Organized by Emaar with the support of the Automobile & Touring Club of the United Arab Emirates (ATCUAE) - a member of the ‘Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens’ (FIVA), the world-wide authority for historic vehicles, the Downtown Dubai Classic Car Show will feature several showpiece vehicles from the past.

Several private collectors including rally legend Mr Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Vice President of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile FIA and President of ATCUAE; Sharjah Museum and others will display their cars. Car collectors from the GCC region and abroad have also confirmed their attendance.

The participants will take the cars on rides through Emaar Boulevard and the Downtown Dubai community at the colourful parades held every day. A detailed description of the cars’ characteristics and ownership lineage will be displayed to inform and educate visitors.

The participants can also enter competitions for the ‘best car’ in eight categories including a Public Choice Award to be voted by the public. Eminent classic car experts will score the cars on the basis of car originality, engine cleanliness, original car colour, historical car value, finishing and aesthetics.

The top prize is the Downtown Dubai Classic Car Show Award. Awards will also be given for the Best of Show in the Public Exhibition and the Classic Car Parade. The judges will also pick winning cars in Pre World War II, Post World War II, European Car and American Car categories.

The event will open with an attractive parade and inaugural ceremony on Feb. 18 at 4.30pm, and will continue through midnight with a classic car parade at 8pm. On Feb. 19 and 20, the car show will be open from 4pm to midnight and on Feb. 21, it will from 10am to 4pm. The award ceremony will be held on Feb. 20 at 6.45pm. For more details, please visit www.emaar.com or call +971 4 367 3664.

Downtown Dubai has evolved as the most definitive lifestyle development in the city featuring two malls – The Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar. The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping center with 1,200 retail stores including 160 F&B outlets, and features Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo; the Middle East’s first and only SEGA Republic; a dedicated children’s edutainment centre KidZania®; an Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink and Dubai’s largest megaplex, Reel Cinemas. Souk Al Bahar, overlooking Burj Khalifa, has a veritable collection of restaurants and vintage stores. Another showpiece attraction at Downtown Dubai is The Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallest performing fountain.

The community is anchored by Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. In addition to homes and offices, Downtown Dubai also features five world-class hotels – The Address Downtown Dubai; The Address Dubai Mall; The Palace – The Old Town; Al Manzil and Qamardeen.

Emaar Boulevard, a 3.5 km boulevard, hosts several lifestyle activities including the Downtown Dubai Classic Car Show.