* More than 1,700 people take part in Ooredoo Ride of Champions, beating previous record of over 1,500 set during 2019 edition
* 71 nationalities represented, with most participants coming from Qatar, the Philippines, UK, Indonesia and India
The 2020 Ooredoo Ride of Champions, organised annually by Qatar Cyclists Centre under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture and Sports proved that it is, indeed, possible to have fun while being safe in the year 2020. The event featured more than 1,700 champions from ages three to 68, with 71 nationalities represented in its fourth edition on Friday.
For the first time, wheelchair, handcycle and ability sport participants were involved in the event.
The Ceremonial Court at Education City, Qatar Foundation (QF), was filled with cycling enthusiasts from all over Qatar, including public figures and diplomats, to celebrate their favourite sport, beating the previous record of more than 1,500 participants set during the 2019 edition, the organisers said in a statement.
Dr Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, president of Qatar Cyclists Centre, the event organiser, said: “In 2020, in these challenging times, the organising team, government bodies, our host venue at Education City, Qatar Foundation, event partners and the 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.”
Hamad al-Jaaidi, co-managing director, Ooredoo Ride of Champions, added: "For 2020, the event incorporated a host of Covid-19 protocols following all government guidelines and best practice, including pre-event screening, temperature checks at registration and entry points to the event. Socially distanced start and finish protocols, specific Covid-19 teams at the event working to ensure compliance with protocols and the elimination of all non-essential activities and areas such as VIP and media centres and Fan Zone. Additionally, for 2020, all prize-giving and competitor raffle activities are being moved online or done post-event in socially distanced formats."
The increased vigilance displayed towards safety has enabled individuals and companies throughout Qatar to resume their efforts to promote healthy lifestyles, the statement noted.
Sabah Rabiah al-Kuwari, director of PR at Ooredoo, said: “We’ve had a difficult year with sporting events due to the ongoing pandemic situation. So, to see so many riders out there enjoying the fresh air and our beautiful environment was refreshing and encouraging. We’re committed to supporting events such as Ride of Champions that promote a healthy, active lifestyle, both as part of our corporate social responsibility strategy and in line with our commitment to the United Nations Sustainability Goals, and we’re delighted to be able to hold such events once again. We hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did.”
Dr Mohamed Jaham al-Kuwari, president of Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation, had this to say: “It’s great to see this event’s progress over the years. This year, hitting a record number reflects the growth in the cycling community in Qatar. Being a founder of Qatar Cyclists, I could not be happier."
Hamad al-Khaja,?head of the Events and Festivals Technical Support Section at Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), added: "QNTC is pleased to once again support the Ride of Champions. Though this year’s event could not host international cyclists, it was heartening to see enthusiasm from the local community, which made the event a success and a celebration of the power of sports."
Given the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the event’s organisers, with the support of QF and other partners, postponed the original event date of March 2020. After meticulous planning and consultations with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health and other key stakeholders, a new date for the 2020 edition was approved (November 13), the organisers said.
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.
"It has been difficult to host live community events this year following the outbreak of Covid-19," said Mohamed Fakhroo, executive director of Outreach and Institutional Advancement at QF. "However, we're delighted to have played host to the 2020 edition of the Ooredoo Ride of Champions on Friday. With health and safety at the forefront of the event, we hope that we will be able to set an example for others, demonstrating how large-scale activities - with the necessary protocols in place - can be carried out successfully."
The event was marked by Ehteraz and temperature checks, a mandate to wear masks and social distancing 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 organisers.
Event operations also underwent significant changes, all designed to cater to the safety and health of the participants, workforce and community at large.
What was usually a favourite event of the participants, the end of ride podium, lunch, and on-site prize draw, was completely adjusted to meet the demanding health and safety standards required due to Covid-19. In this year’s edition, there were no podium presentations, and boxed lunches were provided to participants as they departed the Ceremonial Court. In addition, all prize draws were migrated to social media, enabling all participants and Qatar residents a chance to win prizes from the event’s many prime sponsors.
The event proved to be the "most inclusive mass participation event in Qatar’s history". People from all walks of life were able to participate, regardless of their age, gender or physical or cognitive ability. The oldest rider in this year’s Ooredoo Ride of Champions was Ammed Raoof, 68 years of age, while the youngest cyclist was Hagan Joseph Jilin, clocking in at just three years of age. "We also had more than 40 participants in our new Ability-Friendly Ride, featuring wheelchair and hand pedal riders as well as the Best Buddies ride, with more than 20 participants. This year’s Ooredoo Ride of Champions event proved that just about anyone can enjoy cycling in Qatar," the statement added.
As with all Ride of Champions events, the organisers provisioned for riders who may not own their own bikes.
In addition to a bicycle rental service from Qatar Cyclists' booth, another sponsor, Rasen Sports, offered free bicycle repair services to all participants at its booth, as the organisers intended to draw the attention of the greatest number of participants looking to give cycling a try.
At 6am, the first ride began, when mainly seasoned riders went on a 137.5km ride. The riders were socially distanced at the starting gate, and the start was staggered.
Routes were selected to display the elegance and fantastic desert views of Qatar, putting Qatar’s fast growing sports tourism sector on display.
Motorbikes from the Traffic Police helped ensure rider safety in and around the Ooredoo Ride of Champions. There were also support vehicles provided by GMC. The number of participants in the three major rides, which exceeded all projections, kept the support team busy. The event organisers praised the efforts of the Traffic Police, as they went to great lengths to ensure the safety of the riders.
All eyes were on the green spine from 8am, which featured children's programmes. The first was attended by more than 100 young riders and their close friends, representing the Best Buddies Qatar project. Qatar Cyclists Centre issued bicycles for all the children who joined the ride.
The second was a 1km race, open to children from 3-8 years of age with more than 100 riders. .
Next was the event's most popular ride, the Family Ride, offering family members a chance to take a 5.8km tour together on bicycles on the QF premises.
Once again, this year, there was a Corporate Challenge, enabling companies from around Qatar to provide team building activities while also competing against other well-known companies across Qatar’s business landscape. Awards will soon be presented to the most successful organisations, depending on the number of participants from each company and overall average times.
With riders passing the finish line, the organisers implemented a rapid exit procedure to avoid the congregation of large crowds at the end of the event. As soon as riders finished, they formed a single-file socially distanced line to receive their medals, pick up their takeaway lunch and finish their day. In the interest of safety, the normal prize raffle event was moved 100% online, enabling all participants and Qatar residents to participate on the official Instagram account, @rocdoha.
