The FAI announced on Friday 6 June, that the 2015 edition of the FAI World Air Games has been awarded to the United Arab Emirates. It will be held in Dubai over a period of 12 days in December 2015.
A meeting between FAI’s representatives and a delegation from the UAE led to the signature of a an agreement by Dr John Grubbström, FAI President, and His Excellency Nasser Al Neyadi, President of the Emirates Aerosports Federation.
I cannot wait for next year to attend the Games in Dubai, in front of the spectacular skyline
Flagship
Billed as ‘the Flagship event of the Federation’, the FAI World Air Games is a combination of elite competition and spectacular demonstrations, showcasing the best that air sports have to offer. Past editions of the Games took place in Turkey (1997), Spain (2001) and Italy (2009). The fourth edition, at Skydive Dubai, will include Skydiving as well as Glider Aerobatics, Ballooning, Gyrocopters, Hang Gliding, Helicopters, Microlights, Experimental Aircraft, Paramotors, and more.
Comment
FAI President Dr John Grubbström commented: ’The FAI World Air Games is an absolutely thrilling competition which showcases the best of air sports. Every single detail of each event will be thought through to communicate the excitement and joy of air sports to the spectators on-site and to the television viewers… I know how much it means for an athlete to participate in the ‘Olympiad’ of air sports, as I had the privilege to compete as a ballooning pilot in this event.”
The FAI World Air Games
The World Air Games, conducted under the rules of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), has many goals including:
- showcasing air sports to the general public
- promoting public participation by attracting new participants
- determining the FAI World Air Games Champions
- creating an attractive platform for TV, media and other external stakeholders.
DIPC
The Dubai International Parachuting Championship (DIPC) has taken place each year since 2010. In 2012, Dubai hosted the FAI World Championships, where 1,440 participants from 57 countries participated in 13 different disciplines, making it the biggest ever.
The World Air Games 2015 will see the DIPC, an official category 1 FAI competition, alongside a host of other air sports, all framed against the spectacular Dubai skyline, during 1-12 December 2015.
