RIYADH, 14 February 2006 — Algeria swept the team and individual contests in accuracy landing while Morocco ruled the canopy formation in the Second Arab Armed Forces Skydiving Championship.
As the nine-day event ended yesterday with fitting awards ceremony the first International Skydiving Center in the Kingdom opened at Al-Thumamah here.
Prince Khaled ibn Sultan, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation, attended the ceremony and donated SR1 million for the skydiving center. Three cups plus gold, silver and bronze medals were presented to the winners in the championship organized by the Armed Forces Sport Administration with support from Saudi Aviation Club.
Morocco outranked everyone else in the canopy formation contest receiving 72 points, the most by any team in the competition that was held over four sessions. They compiled 21 points in the first session, 17 in the second, 16 in the third and 18th in the fourth.
After a dominating display in accuracy landing, Algeria had to settle for a far second with 19 points in canopy formation followed by hosts Saudi Arabia in third with 4 points.
In the accuracy landing where the team with the least demerit points wins, Algeria underlined their class getting 19 and 3 points in the team and solo competition.
Team Syria came in second with 28 points, Jordan third with 49, Morocco fourth with 55, Saudi Arabia and Egypt tied on fifth with 101 followed by Libya with 208, Yemen with 230, Bahrain with 295, while Al-Arabi B and Al-Arabia A were tied on 215 points.
Saudi Mohammed headed a 1-2 finish for Algeria in the solo category. Mohammed got the gold medal over teammate Elatawi Bu Jumaat by virtue of fewer mistakes although both competitors finished equal on 3 points. The bronze medal went to Morocco;s Mohammad Aznag with 5 points.
Fourth place went to Imad Ahmad Ali from Syria (6 points), in fifth position was Elhasan Werkaf from Morocco (6 points) and in sixth place was Anwar Hamda from Syria (8 points) followed by Arifi Masoud from Algeria with (8 points), Sharif Eisa from Algeria (8 points), Ghazi Ramadan from Syria (10 points) and Yousif Mualaa from Syria (13 points).
“The championship was successful and thank God the weather cooperated,” said Maj. Mubarak Al-Suwailem, instructor and director at the Second Skydiving Championship technical committee.
He said the cultural exchange that happened between the countries’ parachuters and the skydiving fans was very impressive and useful. The purpose of brotherhood through sports, as the president of the Arab Federation for the Armed Forces Sports, Saleh Al-Suwat, noted recently, was realized.
“In this championship everybody is considereda winner and there are no losers,” Al-Suwat said.
“And those who used to watch and cheer will have the chance now through the first international center to practice,” said Al-Suwailem.
