Sheikh Maktoum Extends Invitation to the Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Tournament

Maktoum Meets With Organizers
His Highness, Sheikh Maktoum Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, the visionary and patron of the Maktoum Championships, spent some time this week with the Organizing Team of the upcoming Ramadan Tournament.

Different members of the committee spoke about the events being planned. The meeting included a tour of the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club and Sheikh Maktoum gave valuable input regarding the placement and interrelationship of the events.

Keen Sportsperson
Sheikh Maktoum has been involved in sports of many kinds and he loves the challenge of being in a competition. When asked if he had only one sport in which he could play he said he would choose football.

Huge Benefits
As the patron of the Maktoum Championships the Sheikh is keen to promote sport among all people in Fujairah and he does this with passion, believing that sport is a strategic way of building bridges among different groups. "Sport," he said, "has a wonderful capacity to gather people together.”

With obesity and related illnesses like diabetes being big problems in the UAE the Sheikh has set as a goal of the Maktoum Championships, "the encouragement of young people to exercise." Getting involved in playing sport, he believes, will help people of all ages to enjoy healthy living and raise positive awareness.

Developing the Maktoum Championships
In the few years since the games commenced in 2007, Sheikh Maktoum has developed the Maktoum Championships to the point where last year the Fujairah competition was the second largest Ramadan Tournament in the country, with 1154 players and 32,000 spectators.

The biggest hope Sheikh Maktoum has for the tournament this year is that it will be greatly enjoyed by everyone and it will do much to focus attention on the importance of the family.

Sport, Culture and Tradition
A recent photograph of Sheikh Maktoum shows him with a falcon and highlights the lead he is giving to the ancient art of falconry. In addition to promoting sport, His Highness believes it is our duty to teach children about their culture and to present the Emirati heritage to the world.

The Maktoum Championships are part of a larger vision for sport in Fujairah and Sheikh Maktoum is confident that much will be done in the years ahead to build the emirate and the people of the UAE as a sporting nation.

Welcome to the Arena
Sheikh Maktoum was heartened to learn of the progress and eager to contribute suggestions to the Organizing Committee for the Ramadan Tournament. As the plans are developed and the players prepare for the championships, His Highness, Sheikh Maktoum extends this enthusiastic invitation, "Welcome to Fujairah! Welcome to the arena!"

More Pictures
See the photographs that record Sheikh Maktoum’s meeting at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club and His Highness playing sport, at this link.

Further
Fujairah Crown Prince Receives Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Organizers, Fujairah in Focus, 8 June 2010.

Fujairah Tennis Club Gets Biggest Challenge in Scoring Maktoum Championships, Fujairah in Focus, 7 June 2010.

Maktoum Championships Plan New Sports for Ramadan Tournament in Fujairah, Fujairah in Focus, 4 June 2010.

Maktoum Championships—Facebook Page for up to the minute information, photos and video clips.

Find Fujairah in Focus on Facebook for much more information, links and photos on Fujairah.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Image: The visionary and patron of the Maktoum Championships, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Hamad Al Sharqi takes a tour of the venue of the forthcoming Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Tournament.

Fujairah Tennis Club Gets Biggest Challenge in Scoring Maktoum Championships

Most Challenging
General Manager, Ross Brown said that “the Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Tournament this year (13-27 August 2010) will be the most significant event we have hosted here at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club because it involves so many sports, players, spectators and organizers.”

In its short history the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club has developed a fine reputation for hosting and managing events such as the Monodrama Festival, the Wedding Expo, Style 2010 Fashion Exhibition, the Fujairah Classic Bodybuilding Championships, the Weightlifting Competitions, Eight Ball Championships and International Tennis Championships, but the sheer number of people who will attend makes the Ramadan Tournament logistically challenging.

Expertise in Organization
Each of the 18-20 sports has its own chairperson and organizational team and in the last two years since the Maktoum Championships was established by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Hamad Al Sharqi a good deal of local expertise has accrued.

Now Ross Brown is busy meeting with the organizers in order to finalize the location of each event in the grounds of the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club and to assess what resources will be needed.

Improving a Winning Formula
Brown wants to help improve what has become a winning formula. Coming to Fujairah over a year ago to take up the position of General Manager, last Ramadan was his first taste of the Maktoum Championships. He was impressed with the enthusiastic level of participation and he wondered how he could become more involved.

Bridge Building by Sport
Ross Brown resonates with Sheikh Maktoum’s vision of using sport as a means for developing harmony and growth for everybody because as a sportsman, a coach and a sports event manager over many years, he has seen first hand how “sport has a way of building bridges across various groups.”

Location, Location, Location
One of the attractive features of the Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Tournament this year will be to have nearly all the sporting competitions and exhibition events in the one location—the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club. This will eliminate the need for travelling by car from one event to another and when spectators come to watch their favoured event they will be able to walk around with ease and enjoy the many competitions that will be held both indoors and outside.

Excellence and Expertise
In addition to providing the variety of areas in the one location Ross Brown says his staff has significant expertise in sports management, training in a range of sports as well as proficiency in the crucial areas of safety, first aid and security.

High Hopes
As a tournament, Brown is hoping for a high participation of players in all the sports and the smooth running of the events.

For the crowds who will attend each evening from 9.00pm to midnight, Brown is working to provide a spectator-friendly environment with everyone easily finding their way from one event to the other, with food and refreshments being on hand whenever they are needed.

All in all, the leader of the team at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club is working hard with the organizers to ensure that when everyone looks back on the Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Tournament 2010, they will declare it to be the best championships yet.

More Information on the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club
* Some photographs of the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club are at this link.
* Link to see location and get directions to the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club.
* Fujairah Tennis and Country Club web site.

Further Information on the Maktoum Championships
* Maktoum Championships Plan New Sports for Ramadan Tournament in Fujairah, Fujairah in Focus, 4 June 2010.

* Bookmark this Maktoum Championships-Facebook Page for up to date information, photographs, videos etc.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Image: This 3,000 seat centre court stadium will be ideal for the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Maktoum Championships-Ramadan Tournament and for staging some of the final matches.