JEDDAH: The Red Bull Car Park Drift 2021/2022 series concluded in dramatic style with Egypt’s Hisham Al-Khatib crowned King of Drift in the World Final in Jeddah.
Grandstands packed with thousands of excited fans cheered on 24 drifters from 18 different countries at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the largest entry list in the event’s 14-year history.
The title competition could not have been fiercer in a sport where the smallest mistake can mean the difference between winning and losing, with drifters from Mauritius to Jamaica, South Africa to Azerbaijan, and all the Gulf countries participating.
After posting the top score in the first round, Al-Khatib set the standard early before saving his best performance for the Final 4 round where he took out the top spot over Haitham Al-Hadidi of Oman and Iraq’s Ahmad Daham.
Surrounded by emotional drifting fans following his victory, Al-Khatib could not hide his sheer joy at taking the title. After years of national victories, the World Final crown had always eluded him.
“I worked for…eight years for this result and (thank) God, I have it now. It was a great experience for me to compete with these drifting legends. I am so happy and so grateful,” he said.
The emotion of the crowds was a signature piece of this year’s Red Bull Car Park Drift conclusion, with Jeddah playing host to the World Final for the first time at the famous Jeddah Corniche Circuit, known as the home of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The magnificent track and electric energy from the stands were not lost on the Red Bull Car Park Drift’s leader, drifting legend Abdo Feghali, who celebrated the inaugural World Final in Saudi.
Feghali said: “This was a dream event from start to finish. The track was so fast, so technical. It could almost have been anyone from the top eight who won, the standard was so high, but all credit to Hisham. What a performance from him.
“I can’t wait to get back here for another Red Bull Car Park Drift and to give the talented Saudi drifters a chance to claim their place on the podium.”
Egypt’s Hisham Al-Khatib crowned winner in Red Bull Car Park Drift World Final 2022
https://arab.news/5pfgp
Egypt’s Hisham Al-Khatib crowned winner in Red Bull Car Park Drift World Final 2022
- Al-Khatib secures King of Drift title at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia
- Oman’s Haitham Al-Hadidi second, Ahmad Daham from Iraq third
Pegula withdraws from WTA Finals with knee injury
- Pegula lost her opening two matches in Saudi Arabia in straight sets and had no chance of advancing to the semifinals
- US Open finalist was due to face defending champion Iga Swiatek and will now be replaced by alternate Daria Kasatkina
RIYADH: American sixth seed Jessica Pegula has withdrawn from the WTA Finals in Riyadh with a left knee injury, the tournament announced on Wednesday.
A runner-up at the WTA Finals last year, Pegula lost her opening two matches in Saudi Arabia in straight sets and had no chance of advancing to the semifinals.
The US Open finalist was due to face defending champion Iga Swiatek in the last day of round-robin action on Thursday and will now be replaced by alternate Daria Kasatkina on the schedule.
“I’ve just been struggling with a little bit of an injury and for whatever reason, it really flared up this week. Not really sure why,” Pegula, 30, said.
“In the few days before practice, it felt really, really good, but it started creeping up right before my first match, and just feel like I’m not feeling comfortable moving on court, so I just wanted to make the decision to unfortunately pull out.”
Kasatkina is ranked No. 9 in the world and recently clinched the WTA 500 title in Ningbo.
She is 1-5 head-to-head against Swiatek, losing her last five consecutive clashes with the Pole.
Coco Gauff is the only player in the Orange Group in Riyadh to have secured passage to the semifinals.
Red Bull Car Park Drift returns to Riyadh with Red Bull Mobile
- The championship returns with Red Bull Mobile as the event’s connectivity partner
- A panel of expert motorsport judges will evaluate each competitor, awarding points based on specific technical criteria
RIYADH: Riyadh will host the national competition of Red Bull Car Park Drift on Nov. 16, 2024, at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex (Green Halls).
The championship, which first held its world finals in Jeddah in December 2022, returns with Red Bull Mobile as the event’s connectivity partner, providing unique services to enhance the fan experience.
In partnership with the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation and Nissan, 22 skilled drivers will compete to claim the title of Saudi champion and secure a spot in the Red Bull Car Park Drift World Finals in Oman on Dec. 6.
Fans can enjoy the event and all the shows for free, with doors opening at 2 p.m. on Nov. 16, according to a media statement issued on Wednesday.
Red Bull Car Park Drift uniquely blends car speed, engine power, driving precision, and drifting artistry, set against a backdrop of special effects and dynamic show elements.
A panel of expert motorsport judges will evaluate each competitor, awarding points based on specific technical criteria.
Lebanese drift icon and rally star Abdo Feghali will return to elevate the competition with new twists on the track layout, ensuring an even higher level of challenge.
Alongside the thrilling main event, fans will get a behind-the-scenes track tour with Feghali, while they cheer on top drivers in Saudi Arabia.
Red Bull Car Park Drift is a competitive drifting event where both amateur and professional drivers tackle a track full of obstacles and challenges. Competitors aim to score high in each round to move forward in an elimination-style format.
Judges evaluate performances based on skills like drifting ability, car smoke, and overall appearance, awarding up to 400 points.
Red Bull Car Park Drift also gives amateur drivers the chance to compete internationally, showcasing their skills in front of thousands of motorsport fans.
Mideast’s first baseball league announces completion of Dubai ballpark
- Baseball United Ballpark at The Sevens will be unveiled with the Arab Classic International Baseball Tournament running Nov. 7-10
DUBAI: The Middle East’s first professional baseball league has completed the construction of a Dubai ballpark in just 38 days.
The Baseball United Ballpark is the first baseball ground in the region. It will debut to the public beginning this week with the Arab Classic Tournament, which will see nine nations from the GCC and South Asia take part in the largest international baseball tournament in the region’s history.
Baseball United Chairman and CEO Kash Shaikh shared the news of the ballpark — as well as several other record-setting milestones — at a press conference held in partnership with Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
Prominent figures attended, including Baseball United co-owners and Major League Baseball legends Barry Larkin, Mariano Rivera, Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus. Government officials from the UAE, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic were also present.
“We have come a long way in a short time,” said Shaikh. “In just two short years — fueled by the belief and support of the Dubai government, regional baseball federations, baseball legends, baseball fans around the world, and the will and resilience of our own Baseball United team — we’ve all made history. And we’ve made that history over and over again. I say that with no exaggeration or hyperbole, because everything we are doing together has truly never been done before.
“Together, we’ve transported a completely new sport to a completely new part of the world, and we’ve built another bridge to connect people to Dubai as one of the world’s greatest sports and entertainment destinations.”
Baseball United’s historic milestones include:
- The expansion of its ownership to 20 baseball legends. In addition to Larkin, Rivera, Beltre and Andrus, top players such as Albert Pujols, Felix Hernandez, Robinson Cano, Robinson Chirinos, Ryan Howard, Bartolo Colon and Ronald Acuua Jr. are part of the investment group. These players have more than 300 years of combined professional baseball experience, 80 MLB All-Star appearances and 15 World Series Championships titles.
- The launch of Baseball United’s official merchandise line in Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and The Galleria Mall (Abu Dhabi) in partnership with GO Sport. Official baseball jerseys will be available for sale for the first time, including the jerseys of all four inaugural Baseball United franchises: Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Mid East Falcons and the Dubai-based Arabia Wolves.
- The formation of the first-ever UAE National Baseball Team in partnership with Emirates Cricket Board. The new UAE team will play its first-ever match at 1 p.m. GST on Thursday against India. It will also face off against Pakistan at 8 p.m. GST the same day.
- The completion of the first-ever professional baseball field in the history of the region. Baseball United Ballpark, with field dimensions mirrored after the iconic Yankee Stadium, is the only professional field within 10,000 km of Dubai. The field will be home to all Baseball United events, tournaments and its upcoming league season, as well as serve as a launchpad for international events with top baseball teams from around the world.
- The opening of the Arab Classic International Baseball Tournament from Nov. 7-10 at Baseball United Ballpark at The Sevens. Nine nations from the GCC and South Asia will take part in the largest and most competitive international baseball tournament in the history of the region with four consecutive days of baseball at the new Baseball United Ballpark. Twenty-one games will be played in morning and evening sessions, with the championship held on Nov. 10. Evening games will be streamed for free at baseballunited.com.
Tickets for all sessions are available via Platinumlist. Ticket prices begin at AED49 ($13).
“We are so excited that — for the first time in history — all these national baseball teams from the subcontinent and the GCC will finally have a stage to showcase their passion, their talent and their development,” said Shaikh. “Growing the game at the grassroots and national team levels is so important to our mission at Baseball United. We know that this is where and how we build the foundation of this sport in the region. We transformed an empty oval of dirt and dust into a world-class baseball field in just 38 days so that these national teams and their players would be the first to play at our new ballpark.
“Our new field will enable so many other opportunities like this one for so many countries, communities and athletes,” he added. “It is truly a game-changer for Dubai and the region. We can’t wait to host everyone at the ballpark.”
Benjamin Mendy wins most of $14m unpaid wages case against Manchester City
- The France international filed a claim against Manchester City last year
- The 30-year-old argued City unlawfully deducted wages that he was due under his contract
LONDON: Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy won a case against the club on Wednesday for most of over 11 million pounds ($14 million) in wages withheld after he was charged with sexual offenses, of which he was later cleared.
The France international filed a claim against Manchester City last year. The Premier League club stopped paying him in September 2021, shortly after he was charged with sexual offenses, until the end of his contract in June 2023.
Mendy was acquitted of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in January 2023, following a trial at Chester Crown Court. He was found not guilty of one count of rape and one of attempted rape after a retrial.
The 30-year-old argued City unlawfully deducted wages that he was due under his contract, saying in a witness statement that he had been promised he would be paid after he was cleared.
City’s lawyers, however, said Mendy was not paid because he was not able to perform his duties as he was held in custody before his trial for breaching his bail conditions.
“Mr Mendy is entitled to recover some, but not all, of the sums claimed,” Judge Joanne Dunlop said in a written ruling on Wednesday.
Manchester City did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mendy said in a statement posted on X: “Having had to wait for three years for my wages, I am delighted with the decision and sincerely hope that the club will now do the honorable thing and pay the outstanding amounts, as well as the other amounts promised to me under the contract, without further delay, so I can finally put this difficult part of my life behind me.”
Dunlop said in her ruling that Manchester City was entitled to withhold Mendy’s pay for two periods he spent in custody, covering about five months of the 22-month period of his claim.
When Mendy was not in custody, Dunlop found, he was “ready and willing to work” and prevented from doing so by his suspension by the Football Association and bail conditions “which were unavoidable or involuntary on his part.”
Mendy joined City from AS Monaco in 2017 for a fee of around 52 million pounds, on an annual salary of 6 million pounds.
He signed for French club Lorient, currently in Ligue 2, shortly after his retrial.
McIlroy looks to clinch Race to Dubai title with new swing after 3 weeks shut away in a studio
- The No. 3-ranked McIlroy said he has been locked in a studio for three weeks just hitting balls at a screen with a modified swing
ABU DHABI: Rory McIlroy can finish a season as the European tour’s top player for the sixth time with a win at the Abu Dhabi Championship this week.
He’ll attempt to do so with a new swing.
The No. 3-ranked McIlroy said he has been hunkered down in a studio — first in Florida, then in New York — for three weeks, just hitting balls at a screen with a modified swing and not even looking at the flight of his shots.
He hasn’t liked the shape of his swing for a while, he said Wednesday, and wanted a more robust one that could hold up in the most pressure-filled moments following a number of missed chances this season. The most notable was at the US Open in June, where he missed two putts in the 3-foot range in the final three holes on Sunday to pave the way for a victory for Bryson DeChambeau and extend McIlroy’s decade without a major title.
“The only way I was going to make a change, or at least move in the right direction, with my swing was to lock myself in a studio and not see the ball flight for a bit and just focus entirely on the movement,” McIlroy said.
“It’s something, he added, “just to make my golf swing more efficient, and then if it is more efficient, then it means it’s not going to break down as much under pressure. If I look at my year, the one thing that I would criticize myself on is the fact that I’ve had these chances to win.”
McIlroy has won twice this year — at the Dubai Desert Classic and the Wells Fargo Championship — and has had four second-place finishes, including recently at the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship on the European tour.
That has left the Northern Irishman frustrated but well clear in the Race to Dubai rankings that determine the best player of the year on the European tour. A win in Abu Dhabi can seal the title and remove some suspense — at least for McIlroy — from the final event of the season, at the World Tour Championship in nearby Dubai next week.
“If I go out and win this week, obviously you know, it makes it a bit boring next week,” the four-time major champion said. “But I won’t find it boring. It will be lovely.”
A sixth Race to Dubai title — it used to be called the Order of Merit — would put McIlroy level with the late Seve Ballesteros on the all-time list and only two behind Colin Montgomerie, who has a record eight.
“I’m a European player,” McIlroy said. “I would like to go down as the most successful European of all time. Obviously Race to Dubai wins would count to that but also major championships and hopefully I’ve got a few more Ryder Cups ahead of me as well.
“So that’s something that I would like to (do). I think (it) is a goal that’s quite attainable over the next 10 years.”
