AlUla’s stunning landscape hosts Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup 2023

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The press conference was held by RCU at Equestrian Village in AlUla. (Supplied)
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Updated 04 March 2023
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AlUla’s stunning landscape hosts Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup 2023

  • The 120 km endurance race sees 200 riders from 41 countries take part across the Saudi desert

ALULA: The spectacular natural arena of the AlUla UNESCO World Heritage Site is set to host the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup 2023 on Saturday with 200 riders from 41 countries navigating 120 km of the city’s desert terrain.

Hosted by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation and Federation Equestre Internationale, the fourth version of the race will take about six hours on average to complete across the Saudi landscape.

“It’s going to be fantastic, it’s going to be electrifying” said event director, Brian Colin Dunn, who is one of the leading figures in the world for endurance and equestrian sports, during a press conference on Friday.

The event is a test of skill and stamina for riders and horses alike, as equestrians will compete in a route consisting of a 38.2 km loop, then a 32.1 km section followed by 27.3 km and 22.4 km laps.

While all equine sporting competitions require harmony between horse and rider, endurance riding requires that “it must be a pure Arabian horse,” Gianluca Laliscia, a general sports director and former world champion, told Arab News.

Horse welfare and time management by the rider also play a significant role.

Laliscia added that to qualify for this race, horses should be between five to eight years of age, as they have to be strong and capable of riding for long distances of 40 km, 80 km, 100 km, or more.

A pre-ride checkup on horses is conducted to make sure they are fit and healthy to compete. After each loop, horses are vetted to see if they are fit to continue.

“Endurance riding is the only sport in the world that once the riders cross the finish line, horses are subjected to a veterinary inspection,” Dunn said.

Since the welfare of the horses is a top priority, there is an event equine hospital on site that employs best practices, as well as 60 control stables, and grooming facilities that are developed in the community.

The press conference was held by RCU at Equestrian Village in AlUla and attended by Ziad Al-Suhaibani, head of the sports sector executive program at RCU; Phillip Jones, chief tourism officer, RCU; Anas Hassan from the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation; and Gerard Mestrallet, executive chairman of AFALULA. 

Horses have been a defining part of Saudi heritage since ancient times, and Al-Suhaibani added that “we have plans to make AlUla one of the most active and vibrant places, starting with the equestrian sports, but also other selected sports that will be developed from grassroots level, to major events.”

“The plans are actually to make AlUla an equestrian-friendly hub and to create a sustainable equestrian sector,” he said. “That doesn’t only include events, but this is definitely the nucleus of creating that sustainable sector.”

Jones asked the audience to take in the “amazing view” created by 7,000 years of continuous civilizations, each having left their mark.

“We are preserving and protecting those sites for future generations to appreciate and enjoy,” he said. “What we are doing is creating a tourism ecosystem for the destination for the long run. So it will truly be one of the top destinations in the world for culture, for heritage, for sports, and for adventure activities, as well as wellness and arts.”

The Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla is internationally renowned for offering a stunning landscape of routes and tracks that cannot be found elsewhere, and many riders, in the middle of competition, have often been known to pause and capture the surrounding beauty.

“Every year there is a big turnout from many countries across the world as they aspire to participate in this race,” Hassan said. “This season we have received calls from more than 55 countries wishing to participate, but we are restricted to a specific number within the conditions of the Federation Equestre Internationale.”

Dunn, who is also a highly experienced international manager acknowledged for providing strategic planning, operational management, training skills and customer service support, warned riders of the “toughest” second loop.

“The riders will have to ride tactically, they will have to look up to their horses, and (employ) the speed that is correct,” he said.

Dunn said that he would allow 500 horses to take part as there been no restrictions from the federation.

“I have got (horses from) 41 countries, and I could have 100 countries,” he said. “Everyone in the world wants to come here because it is unique. AlUla is the future of endurance in the Middle East.”

A development program has been established for a select group of local equestrians, which has resulted in five local riders qualifying for the race. One of them is the only Saudi female among the women’s field, which makes up 30 percent of the total number of competitors.

Al-Suhaibani told Arab News that RCU and the Saudi Equestrian Federation have a mutual objective of developing Saudi talents, and that the FAI and other partners will look to ensure the best conditions and practices for local events.

“All measure will be taken for their safety and also the maintenance,” he said. “As you can see, the weather is not so nice these days, compared to last week. I see this really as the grand finale because it is really difficult for endurance in such a landscape and also in such weather. I believe that it could be perceived as a challenge, but could be perceived as an opportunity to position this event as one of the toughest and also the most beautiful around.”

More than 40 locals are involved in stewarding and vet assistance roles after being shortlisted from a group of more than 80 youths, after a stringent training program in collaboration with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation ahead of the event.

AlUla is hosting a series of similar events with more than 70 sports events. In 2022, the number of visitors to AlUla reached more than 180,000 people, which in turn created about 1,900 jobs.


Ronaldo leads Al-Nassr to third in table

Updated 27 sec ago
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Ronaldo leads Al-Nassr to third in table

  • Big-name attacking stars steal show in first half, Ronaldo sets pace
  • Comfortable cushion after first period

JEDDAH: Cristiano Ronaldo scored again to set Al-Nassr on their way to a 3-1 victory over Al-Kholood on Friday to move them into third in the table and keep their faint Saudi Pro League title hopes alive.

Al-Nassr’s big-name attacking stars stole the show in the first half with Ronaldo setting the pace.

The 40-year-old struck in the fourth minute with his 19th league goal of the season. The ball fell to the Portuguese star just outside the six-yard box and he made no mistake in guiding his shot into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later the visitors thought they were back on level terms as Myziane Maolida had the ball in the net, shooting home from near the penalty spot, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Sadio Mane extended Al-Nassr’s lead after 26 minutes. Ronaldo was involved, freeing Salem Al-Najdi down the left and his cross was met first time by the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star.

There was still time before the break for Jhon Duran to give the home team a comfortable cushion. The Colombian picked up possession from Angelo outside the area and then shot low into the corner with a clinical finish.

The game fizzled out a little just before the hour as Al-Nassr were reduced to 10 men following Nawaf Boushal’s second yellow card.

Ronaldo was substituted soon after and while the five-time Ballon d’Or winner did not seem happy at the decision as he exited the pitch and headed down the tunnel, at least Al-Nassr had the points in the bag.

An own goal from Ali Lajami with 18 minutes to go gave some brief cause for concern, but game management meant Al-Nassr moved into third with the win, above Al-Qadsiah who missed the chance to go level on points with Al-Hilal in second after falling to a 1-0 defeat at Damac. The deadlock was finally broken after 101 minutes by a penalty from Habib Diallo.


Germany recall Goretzka and Adeyemi for Italy Nations League tie

Updated 15 March 2025
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Germany recall Goretzka and Adeyemi for Italy Nations League tie

  • Nagelsmann, who coached him at Bayern, said: “Leon is in a very good phase from a sporting perspective“
  • Adeyemi has not pulled on a Germany senior shirt since 2022 and this is the first time Nagelsmann has selected him

BERLIN: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann on Thursday recalled the in-form Leon Goretzka and Karim Adeyemi to his squad for the two-legged Nations League quarter-final tie with Italy.
Injuries to key players including Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz, Niclas Fuellkrug and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen necessitated several changes as Germany look to reach the final four of the Nations League for the first time.
Bayern Munich midfielder Goretzka last played for Germany in 2023 but has regained the form of a few years ago.
Nagelsmann, who coached him at Bayern, said: “Leon is in a very good phase from a sporting perspective.”
Adeyemi has not pulled on a Germany senior shirt since 2022 and this is the first time Nagelsmann has selected him.
Appointed Germany manager in September 2023, Nagelsmann has repeatedly selected on form rather than reputation, having regularly left big names out of the squad.
On Thursday, Nagelsmann said he selected “players who play regularly for the club” and added he wanted players to be “on fire (and) show their spirit even if they don’t play from the start.”
Midfielder Nadiem Amiri has been chosen for the first time in five years as he benefits from Mainz’s rise to third spot in the table.
Inter Milan center-back Yann Aurel Bisseck, 24, is the only debutant.
“We’ve got great respect for him,” Nagelsmann said of Bisseck, adding “he’s got a lot of talent and brings plenty to the table.”
Manchester City back-up Stefan Ortega joins Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann and Stuttgart’s Alexander Nuebel, on loan from Bayern, as the goalkeepers.
Nagelsmann did not indicate which of the three would play but said he would opt for the same player for both games.
The coach complained about the scheduling of the Bundesliga, with seven members of the national squad involved when defending champions Bayer Leverkusen and last season’s runners-up Stuttgart play on Sunday.
Nagelsmann said he would now have “the shortest training period” he has ever had as Germany coach.
They face Italy in Milan on March 20 before hosting the Italians in the return leg in Dortmund on March 23.
Italy eliminated Germany with two goals in extra time at the same venue in the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup.
Germany had never beaten Italy at a major tournament until winning on penalties in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nuebel (Stuttgart), Stefan Ortega (Manchester City/ENG)
Defenders: Yann Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan/ITA), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstaedt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Ruediger (Real Madrid/ESP), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Pascal Gross (Borussia Dortmund), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart)
Forwards: Jonathan Burkardt (Mainz), Tim Kleindienst (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart)


Baniyas crowned Mother of the Nation Jiu-Jitsu Cup champions in Abu Dhabi

Updated 14 March 2025
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Baniyas crowned Mother of the Nation Jiu-Jitsu Cup champions in Abu Dhabi

  • Al-Jazira finish second, Al-Ain third
  • Baniyas’ Asma Al-Hosani won the gold medal in the adults’ 57 kg category

ABU DHABI: Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club emerged as champions in the Mother of the Nation Jiu-Jitsu Cup, which concluded on Thursday at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy.
The two-day event, which showcased elite female jiu-jitsu athletes, saw Al-Jazira finish second and Al-Ain take third place.
Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohammed Al-Hashmi, chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, president of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Union, and senior vice president of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, congratulated the winning clubs while acknowledging their role in supporting athletes by providing a well-rounded sports environment that enhanced their readiness and offered real opportunities for competition and growth.
Al-Hashmi said: “The incredible success of jiu-jitsu in the UAE is made possible by the limitless support of the country’s wise leadership and its commitment to developing talent.
“The achievements of Emirati women in local and international competitions demonstrate the success of the federation’s strategy in building a solid foundation of female athletes capable of competing globally and bringing pride to the nation.”
Baniyas’ Asma Al-Hosani, a gold medalist in the adults’ 57 kg category, said: “This victory is the result of months of hard work, refining both physical and mental skills.
“Winning requires more than strength: It demands strategy, adaptability, and teamwork. I aimed not just for personal success but to contribute to my team’s achievement.
“I’m grateful to Baniyas and the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation for their support and will continue striving for more success.”


4Aces take LIV Golf Singapore team lead after Johnson’s 8-under 63

Updated 14 March 2025
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4Aces take LIV Golf Singapore team lead after Johnson’s 8-under 63

  • Johnson has won once in each of LIV Golf’s first three seasons and can become the first player to win in all four seasons
  • “I couldn’t turn my head to the right,” Johnson explained

SINGAPORE: 4Aces GC Captain Dustin Johnson is back to full strength — and back at the top of the leaderboard.
Johnson leads LIV Golf Singapore presented by Aramco by three shots after a bogey-free 63 in Friday’s opening round at Sentosa Golf Club. His 8-under round matches his best single-round LIV Golf performance, relative to par, in 109 career regular-season rounds.
His 4Aces, seeking their first win since 2023, lead the team competition by two strokes over Torque GC.
A week ago in Hong Kong, the 40-year-old Johnson woke up prior to the first round with a sore right shoulder that limited his range of motion. He shot rounds of 75 and 72 to drop to last place after the first two days.
“I couldn’t turn my head to the right,” Johnson explained. “I kind of just pulled when I was on the through swing, so I was hitting everything left. It wasn’t a whole lot of fun.”
He received treatment between rounds and his body finally responded prior to Sunday’s final round. He shot a 6-under 64, tying for the third-best score of the day, but the leaderboard damage had been done, as he finished last for the first time at a LIV Golf tournament.
Feeling good about his game entering last week, Johnson said it was easy to dismiss the first two rounds and the final result because of the injury.
“Swung it really nicely on Sunday,” he said. “Obviously, the body loosened back up and I could hit the shots that I wanted.”
In shooting 63 at Sentosa’s Serapong course on Friday, Johnson hit 16 greens, tying for best in the field, and missed just three fairways. Meanwhile, his putter heated up, especially at the par-3 14th when he rolled in a birdie putt from 58 feet.
“I put a lot of work in the last couple of days on the putter,” Johnson said, “and it paid off.”
Johnson will enter the weekend seeking his fourth league individual title. He has won once in each of LIV Golf’s first three seasons and can become the first player to win in all four seasons.
His closest pursuer is Torque’s Sebastian Munoz, who continues to push for his first LIV Golf title. Munoz shot a 5-under 66 to take solo second. He has held or shared second after five of the first 10 rounds of the 2025 LIV Golf season.
“I don’t know if I’m going to get it done this week, but I’m working hard at it,” Munoz said. “I want that opportunity again.”
Eight players are tied for third after shooting 4-under 67, including five team captains: Jon Rahm (Legion XIII), Brooks Koepka (Smash GC), Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC), Louis Oosthuizen (Stinger GC) and Cameron Smith (Ripper GC).
Rahm is the reigning LIV Golf Individual Champion and Niemann already has a win this season. Koepka is the defending Singapore champion while Smith tied for second with teammate Marc Leishman as the Rippers won the team title in 2024.
The 4Aces shot a collective 14 under, while Torque is at 12 under. Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC are another two strokes back, with all four of their players shooting in the 60s. Not only do the Aces have a lengthy winning drought, Torque also hasn’t won since 2023, while the HyFlyers have yet to win a team trophy.
“We’ve got a lot of golf to play in the next two days,” Niemann said. “We’re excited to see what’s coming.”
Team scores
LIV Golf’s new scoring format this season now involves all four scores now counting in every round in the team competition. (Click here for more on the new format). Here are the results and scores for each team after Friday’s Rd. 1 of LIV Golf Singapore.
1. 4ACES GC -14 (Johnson 63, Reed 68, Varner III 69, Pieters 70)
2. TORQUE GC -12 (Munoz 66, Niemann 67, Ortiz 68, Pereira 71)
3. HYFLYERS GC -10 (Tringale 67, Mickelson 69, Ogletree 69, Steele 69)
4. FIREBALLS GC -7 (Ancer 67, Puig 68, Masaveu 70, Garcia 72)
T5. STINGER GC -5 (Oosthuizen 67, Schwartzel 68, Burmester 70, Grace 74)
T5. LEGION XIII -5 (Rahm 67, Surratt 68, Hatton 70, McKibbin 74)
7. RIPPER GC -3 (Smith 67, Herbert 68, Jones 72, Leishman 74)
T8. RANGEGOATS GC -2 (Uihlein 68, Campbell 68, Watson 70, Wolff 76)
T8. IRON HEADS GC -2 (Lee 68, Catlin 70, Jang 72, Na 72)
10. SMASH GC -1 (Koepka 67, Kokrak 68, Gooch 70, McDowell 78)
11. CRUSHERS GC +1 (Casey 67, Lahiri 70, DeChambeau 74, Howell III 74)
12. MAJESTICKS GC +8 (Stenson 71, Westwood 72, Horsfield 73, Poulter 76)
13. CLEEKS GC +10 (Meronk 70, Bland 71, Kaymer 73, Kjettrup 80)
Wild Cards: Lee 70, Kim 73


Tuchel calls up Marcus Rashford and ‘serial winner’ Jordan Henderson to his first England squad

Updated 14 March 2025
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Tuchel calls up Marcus Rashford and ‘serial winner’ Jordan Henderson to his first England squad

  • Henderson and Rashford missed out on last summer’s European Championship under then-coach Gareth Southgate
  • The German coach seemed equally impressed by Rashford’s recent performances with Aston Villa

LONDON: Thomas Tuchel praised Jordan Henderson as “a serial winner” in welcoming him and a resurgent Marcus Rashford back to the England team on Friday.
Tuchel included the pair in his first squad as England coach ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia at Wembley Stadium.
Both Henderson and Rashford missed out on last summer’s European Championship under then-coach Gareth Southgate and faced uncertain international futures.
But now they’re contenders for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“Jordan is, first of all, a serial winner,” Tuchel said of the Ajax midfielder. “What he brings to every team is leadership, character, personality, energy, make sure that everyone lives by the standards.”
The 34-year-old Henderson helped Liverpool win both the Champions League (2019) and Premier League (2020) before leaving in 2023 for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. He lasted just six months there and transferred to Ajax, in part to face European competition in a bid to keep his place in the England team.
“Jordan brings everything — he embodies everything of what we want (for) this team to be,” Tuchel said at a news conference at Wembley.
The German coach seemed equally impressed by Rashford’s recent performances with Aston Villa. The 27-year-old forward couldn’t get into Ruben Amorim’s team at Manchester United, but his loan to Villa has been a success.
“I felt that Marcus had a huge impact in Aston Villa,” Tuchel said.
“The impact was impressive — the physical impact was impressive,” he added, “and most importantly the impact against the ball, his work rate, his defensive impact, his hard work in counter pressing, his tracking back on his position was impressive.”
Villa beat Club Brugge 3-0 on Wednesday to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals.
“I had the strong feeling that we should nominate him, we should bring him in to push him to stay on that level, to not fall back in old routines,” Tuchel said. “This camp is to bond with him, of course, to get to know him and push him to stay on exactly that level.”
Rashford joined Villa on loan the day before Europe’s winter transfer window closed, having not played for United since mid-December. Amorim had questioned Rashford’s commitment in training sessions.
Tuchel also included uncapped defenders Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn in his 26-man squad. Arsenal’s Lewis-Skelly is 18, while Newcastle’s Burn gets his first call-up at the age of 32.
England host Albania next Friday and Latvia three days later at Wembley Stadium.
“Everyone who is with us on this journey in the first camp is a contender for the World Cup,” Tuchel said.
While it’s just the first step, he added: “It is important to be in the first camp.”
‘Crash course’ starts Monday
Tuchel, who led Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021, was hired to get England over the line. The men’s team’s lone World Cup title was in 1966.
Under Southgate, England reached the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup and back-to-back finals at the Euros. Spain beat England 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final.
“We only have six camps, we only have 60 days. We need to take care of every single day and make sure that we are on point,” Tuchel said.
Harry Kane will remain the team captain, Tuchel confirmed.
The playing style will reflect the Premier League, he added.
“We should be brave enough to play like an England squad and should not try to copy other nations, other styles too much,” he said. “It should reflect the values of the country and of the strongest league in the world, which is the Premier League.
“We will try to increase our rhythm in our game, increase the intensity in our game,” he added, “and we will try to do it of course in a crash course from Monday and unleash the potential for Friday.”

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)