DOHA (Qatar): The fourth edition of Ooredoo Ride of Champions featured more than 1,700 participants from ages 3 to 68 from more than 70 nationalities at the Ceremonial Court of Education City, Qatar Foundation, last Friday.
Organized by Qatar Cyclists Center and under the patronage of Ministry of Culture and Sports, the competition also included wheelchair and handcycle participants for the first time.
“In 2020, in these challenging times, the organising team, government bodies, our host venue at Education City, Qatar Foundation, event partners and Qatari cycling community have shown great resilience and co-operation to ensure and deliver an event for the physical and mental wellbeing of participants in a year with few opportunities to celebrate sport and enjoy a shared community moment,” said Dr. Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, President of Qatar Cyclists Center.
The first edition was held as a support event for the 2016 UCI Road World Championships. But today the tournament has become one of the most anticipated events for cycling enthusiasts.
Sabah Rabiah Al-Kuwari, Director PR at Ooredoo, said: “Supporting events that promote a healthy, active lifestyle is a key priority for Ooredoo, both as part of our corporate social responsibility strategy and in line with our commitment to the United Nations Sustainability Goals.”
Given the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the tournament was postponed from its original event date of March 2020.
After a long series of meticulous planning and consultations with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health and other key stakeholders, a new date was approved (13th November 2020).
The edition featured many new protocols and other changes that enabled a record number of participants to come out and still enjoy the experience while staying safe.
“We’re delighted to have played host to the 2020 Ooredoo Ride of Champions. With health and safety at the forefront of the event, we hope that we will be able to set an example for others,” said Mohammed Fakhroo, Executive Director of Outreach and Institutional Advancement at Qatar Foundation.
Among many changes in this year’s event were: Ehteraz and temperature checks, a mandate to wear masks and social distance in and around the Ceremonial Court area, more stringent health declaration and waiver forms, and a rigid, but necessary, social distancing policy observed by all attendees and organizers.
