Dubai: The official practice sessions for the Fifth Dubai International Parachuting Championships (DIPC) have begun at the Skydive Dubai drop zone on Wednesday.
Jumpers from across the world have started arriving for the annual parachuting competition that is being held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council (DSC). The free practice sessions will continue on Thursday and the actual competition will commence at 9am on Friday.
This year, more than 1,000 competitors from across the globe have confirmed their entry for the competition that will get under way with a formal inauguration ceremony at Skydive Dubai on The Palm at 7.30pm on Friday. The last day of competition will be December 7 and entry for the general public is free.
Today [Thursday], organisers have planned a special conference for judges and team managers followed by a meeting for the delegation heads.
This year, too, the annual competition is being organised in various disciplines, with each country allowed to field teams as per guidelines laid down by the technical committee of the organising committee.
In Accuracy Landing, each of the male and female teams can have five competitors, while in Formation Skydiving, each country will be allowed to field six competitors including a videographer in the team four-way open and vertical formation competitions and up to ten jumpers in the eight-way contest.
In the Canopy Formation, each nation can field two teams in the two-way Sequential with eight competitors, and one team each in the four-way Rotation and Sequential with six competitors each. In the Artistic Events, each country can field two teams in the Freestyle Skydiving with four competitors and in the Freeflying each team can have a maximum of six jumpers, including a videographer.
“From our part we are prepared to host yet another competition that will be organised to the highest level set by our experienced team of organisers. While this annual competition is for established jumpers, we have been giving adequate oportunities to the juniors as well so that the legacy of the sport is carried forward to the next generations,” Nasser Al Neyadi, President, Emirates Aerosport Federation (EAF), told Gulf News.
Gulf countries have regularly participated in the past and for the first time this year, Kuwait will be taking part. “The inclusion of Kuwait is a huge boost not only for the competition but also to have a fellow brother country with us during our UAE National Day celebrations,” Al Neyadi said.
“We are all geared to hosting some of the best jumpers from across the world, and we are committed to staging a competition that is bigger and better than last year,” he promised.
