Saudi Arabia to Host SnowBlast KSA Cup

The SnowBlast KSA Cup will feature the participation of 30 competitors, including top international figures in skiing and snowboarding
The SnowBlast KSA Cup will feature the participation of 30 competitors, including top international figures in skiing and snowboarding
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Saudi Arabia to Host SnowBlast KSA Cup

The SnowBlast KSA Cup will feature the participation of 30 competitors, including top international figures in skiing and snowboarding
The SnowBlast KSA Cup will feature the participation of 30 competitors, including top international figures in skiing and snowboarding

Riyadh is scheduled to host end of February the SnowBlast KSA Cup, a snow skiing show and competition that blends artistry, creativity, and outdoor skill performance as part of the Riyadh Season events.

The SnowBlast KSA Cup, held for the first time in the region, represents a unique global event. It marks the inaugural hosting of snow skiing sports in Riyadh, taking place from February 26 to 29.

The event will feature a range of distinctive winter experiences for visitors, aiming to promote the sport and create local and international skiing competitions.

The global event features skiing and snowboarding performances, along with the participation of 30 world and Olympic champions in skiing sports.

The event is set on over 500 tons of snow, with a slope length of 150 meters, a height of 30 meters, and a width of approximately 20 meters.

During the SnowBlast KSA Cup competitions, each contestant will perform three jumps, with the total of their best two jumps being calculated. The results and points of the contestants are displayed on large screens, while the audience enjoys live commentary in both Arabic and English.

There will also be various winter activities and artistic performances for families and children, starting at 4:00 PM. These include snowball battles, building snowmen, simulated snowfall, and roaming winter activities featuring artistic and musical performances.

The SnowBlast KSA Cup will feature the participation of 30 competitors, including top international figures in skiing and snowboarding, such as X Games champions, Olympic medalists, and national heroes.

Additionally, there will be an international judging panel for freestyle skiing events.



‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
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‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.