Mansoor bin Mohammed crowns Japanese rider Hikari Okubo as winner of inaugural Dubai Electric Scooter Cup
His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, honoured the top three winners of the inaugural Dubai Electric Scooter Cup. Japanese rider Hikari Okubo from the Fade Fit team won the first place, while Anish Shetty from the Booz Racing team came second, and Swiss rider Matis Neyroud from the Supercar Blondie team finished third.
The first championship of its kind in the Middle East, the event, organised by the Dubai Sports Council and the Federation for Micromobility and Sport, was held at the Dubai Design District (D3) as part of the UAE's Year of Sustainability.
The event was attended by His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council; His Excellency Naser Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council; Alex Wurz, President of the Federation for Micromobility and Sport; Khalil Beschir, Deputy President, Sport, Federation for Micromobility and Sport; and Lucas di Grassi, Ambassador of the United Nations Environment Programme and former Formula 1 and Formula E champion.
The Cup featured a strong competition between 16 elite male and female riders from the USA, UK, India, South Africa, Estonia, Japan, Spain, Ireland, Switzerland and Italy. Teams competed in semi-final heats over two stages, with the top six advancing to the final race for the Cup. The trophies for the top three winners of the Cup were crafted sustainably in Dubai.
The race featured the world's fastest electric scooters capable of speeds of over 140 kph, which were manufactured and assembled specifically for the event in Dubai.
Hundreds of enthusiasts across nationalities gathered at the Dubai Design District to watch the competition, while millions more followed the event on television and social media.
The teams in the contest were associated with prominent individuals seeking to support environmentally friendly sports. Radio host and musician Chris Fade led team Fade Fit whose rider won the first place, while four-time freestyle scooter champion Kota headed the team bearing his name. Famous social media personality Supercar Blondie sponsored one of the teams, while British boxer Anthony Joshua led team 258 Racing and the Indian micromobility company Booz Racing sponsored its own team.