+ A
A -
Tribune News Network
Doha
The fourth edition of Al Adaid Desert Challenge has achieved huge success, as 530 participants from 51 different countries took part in cycling and running races on Friday across the scenic areas of Khor Al Adaid.
The turnout this year has exceeded all expectations, with the organisers having to close the registration two weeks before the event, which was organised by Qatar Cyclists in cooperation with Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), the Ministry of Culture and Sports and Qatar Cycling Federation.
The organising committee allocated more than QR180,000 for the top finishers of the various races in this year’s edition.
More than 300 athletes took part in the multi-category cycling race, among them were cyclists who travelled from countries like the UK, France, Australia, Italy, Ireland and Iran to take part in the event.
Frederic Gombert of France completed the 38.5 km cycling race – which included the tough task of crossing seven sand dunes on the way to the finish line – in 1:34:52 h, less than a minute ahead of Iran’s Faraz Shokri, while Serbia’s Alexander Roman took the third place.
“The race was harder this year, but I have adapted well and the experience I have gained over the past two years made the difference today,” said Gombert.
The women’s elite category saw Finland’s Pia Sundstedt winning her fourth title in a row after completing the race in a time of 1:54:49 h, ahead of Qatar’s Tala Abujbara and Lebanon’s Marwa El Hage.
AbuJbara achieved a time of 2:34:41 h, which gave her the title of the National MTB Cross-country Champion, while her sister Amira AbuJbara finished second, as the third place went to Muneera al Kuwari.
It was a historic day for women sports in Qatar, as three female cyclists competed in the event for the first time.
Marwan al Jalham, who finished fourth in the overall rankings of the MTB category, won the men’s National MTB Cross-Country Championship title after completing the race in 2:03:51 h, less than two minutes ahead of second-placed Mubarak al Ajji, while Abdulaziz al Mohannadi finished third.
“Cycling in Qatar has developed significantly in recent years. I am currently getting ready to participate in a race in Croatia after less than two months, and it will be followed by other tough races including one in Turkey and the Arab Championship in Tunisia,” said Jalham, who competed for Rasen Sports Team and currently leads the national mountain bike league with three wins in the previous four stages.
In the Fat bike category, Qatar’s Hamad al Jaaidi won first place after a thrilling race, reaching the finish line in 2:04:46 h, ahead of Iran’s Vahid Fallahi and Jumel Justo of the Philippines, who finished second and third respectively.
In the women’s Fat bike category, Maricar Estacio of the Philippines won the title after completing the race in 3:25:12 h, as her compatriots April Joy Frange and Christine Llegos finished second and third respectively.
Britain’s Tom Whateley won the title of the MTB category with a time of 1:52:42 h, as Australia’s Glenn Bull took second and Argentina’s Andres Del Valle came third.
In the women’s MTB category, Canadian Shawna Rae Garrett came first after reaching the finish line in 2:24:13 h, as Spain’s Carla Pregigueiro won the second and South Africa’s Eulogy van Dyk the third places.
In the running race, where more than 200 participants had to cover a distance of 26.7 km crossing four sand dunes in the process, Morocco’s Abderrahim Ghayour won first place in the open category after completing the race in 1:41:21 h, more than three minutes ahead of Qatar’s Mohcine Zaytouni who came second, and Morocco’s Ahmed Sebbar who finished third.
Meanwhile, it was an all-British podium in the veterans’ category, as Andrew Jones won the title ahead of his compatriots Steven Baker and Andrew Buckley, who finished second and third respectively.
Stephanie Innes-Smith won the women’s running open category in a time of 2:28:16, while Ireland’s Sinead Noone took second and Romania’s Nicoleta Hodorogea took third.
In the women’s veterans’ category, Diana Quinton of Canada won first place.
Doha
The fourth edition of Al Adaid Desert Challenge has achieved huge success, as 530 participants from 51 different countries took part in cycling and running races on Friday across the scenic areas of Khor Al Adaid.
The turnout this year has exceeded all expectations, with the organisers having to close the registration two weeks before the event, which was organised by Qatar Cyclists in cooperation with Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), the Ministry of Culture and Sports and Qatar Cycling Federation.
The organising committee allocated more than QR180,000 for the top finishers of the various races in this year’s edition.
More than 300 athletes took part in the multi-category cycling race, among them were cyclists who travelled from countries like the UK, France, Australia, Italy, Ireland and Iran to take part in the event.
Frederic Gombert of France completed the 38.5 km cycling race – which included the tough task of crossing seven sand dunes on the way to the finish line – in 1:34:52 h, less than a minute ahead of Iran’s Faraz Shokri, while Serbia’s Alexander Roman took the third place.
“The race was harder this year, but I have adapted well and the experience I have gained over the past two years made the difference today,” said Gombert.
The women’s elite category saw Finland’s Pia Sundstedt winning her fourth title in a row after completing the race in a time of 1:54:49 h, ahead of Qatar’s Tala Abujbara and Lebanon’s Marwa El Hage.
AbuJbara achieved a time of 2:34:41 h, which gave her the title of the National MTB Cross-country Champion, while her sister Amira AbuJbara finished second, as the third place went to Muneera al Kuwari.
It was a historic day for women sports in Qatar, as three female cyclists competed in the event for the first time.
Marwan al Jalham, who finished fourth in the overall rankings of the MTB category, won the men’s National MTB Cross-Country Championship title after completing the race in 2:03:51 h, less than two minutes ahead of second-placed Mubarak al Ajji, while Abdulaziz al Mohannadi finished third.
“Cycling in Qatar has developed significantly in recent years. I am currently getting ready to participate in a race in Croatia after less than two months, and it will be followed by other tough races including one in Turkey and the Arab Championship in Tunisia,” said Jalham, who competed for Rasen Sports Team and currently leads the national mountain bike league with three wins in the previous four stages.
In the Fat bike category, Qatar’s Hamad al Jaaidi won first place after a thrilling race, reaching the finish line in 2:04:46 h, ahead of Iran’s Vahid Fallahi and Jumel Justo of the Philippines, who finished second and third respectively.
In the women’s Fat bike category, Maricar Estacio of the Philippines won the title after completing the race in 3:25:12 h, as her compatriots April Joy Frange and Christine Llegos finished second and third respectively.
Britain’s Tom Whateley won the title of the MTB category with a time of 1:52:42 h, as Australia’s Glenn Bull took second and Argentina’s Andres Del Valle came third.
In the women’s MTB category, Canadian Shawna Rae Garrett came first after reaching the finish line in 2:24:13 h, as Spain’s Carla Pregigueiro won the second and South Africa’s Eulogy van Dyk the third places.
In the running race, where more than 200 participants had to cover a distance of 26.7 km crossing four sand dunes in the process, Morocco’s Abderrahim Ghayour won first place in the open category after completing the race in 1:41:21 h, more than three minutes ahead of Qatar’s Mohcine Zaytouni who came second, and Morocco’s Ahmed Sebbar who finished third.
Meanwhile, it was an all-British podium in the veterans’ category, as Andrew Jones won the title ahead of his compatriots Steven Baker and Andrew Buckley, who finished second and third respectively.
Stephanie Innes-Smith won the women’s running open category in a time of 2:28:16, while Ireland’s Sinead Noone took second and Romania’s Nicoleta Hodorogea took third.
In the women’s veterans’ category, Diana Quinton of Canada won first place.
