WPPA take another step closer to staging XCAT event in Stockholm

12 May 2013, Dubai – XCAT action could well take to the waters of Stockholm in 2014, with plans in place to host one of the international legs of the UIM XCAT World Series in the Swedish capital. A UAE delegation from the World Professional Powerboating Association (WPPA) visited Stockholm this week to discuss plans for a Stockholm race. The delegation, comprised of WPPA vice president Dr Khalid Al Zahed, WPPA Secretary General Sid Bensalah and Arif Al Zafein, Managing Director of the Victory Team, met with Annika Malhotra, Director of Events for the City of Stockholm and Per Benson, Secretary General of the Swedish Powerboat Federation. Also in attendance was the WPPA’s Swedish representative Niklas Sjoo. The WPPA gave a full brief on the XCAT World Series in terms of the history and development of the XCAT brand, while the group also discussed matters regarding the Stockholm race. These included venue locations, event budget, safety requirements, media requirements and administration. Also discussed was marketing a

nd sponsorship for the race, along with the benefits the city would experience from hosting an XCAT event.Bensalah explained that the discussions were tremendously constructive with everything on track for 2014. A further meeting will be held on June 14-15, 2013. “The meeting was extremely positive and we exchanged different ideas and options on how to engage both cities, Dubai and Stockholm, using the XCAT race as a feature to boost common interest,” said B ensalah.Action in the 2013 UIM XCAT World Series is set to resume after the summer, with several international races planned, before racing returns to the UAE in December. Dubai-based Fazza still leads the series standings with 830 points from the three heats so far, with Mouawad 50 second on 671 and Gabon 33 third on 525.