On The Radar is back to make sure you do not miss out on the UAE's best sporting events this week. Sit back and watch the world's best horses in Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse or try something new with the 2015 Ping Pong Dubai Festival. For the traditionalists, there will be first-class cricket in the Dubai Triangular series.
Tuesday, January 06
Ping Pong Dubai Festival
Venue: Dubai Ice Rink, Dubai Mall
Start: 12:00 PM – 11:55 PM
The Dubai Mall Ice Rink will be transformed into a sporting venue to host the 2015 Ping Pong Dubai Festival. There will be eight free-to-play tables and visitors can enter prize draws, take part in academy sessions with professional coaches, watch a celebrity match and even play against members of the Chinese National Table Tennis Team. It is a free event and runs from noon and until midnight.
Website: Eye of Dubai
Thursday, January 08
Afghanistan vs Scotland cricket
Venue: ICC Cricket Academy
Start: 09:30 AM
The Dubai Triangular Series is a round-robin One Day International cricket tournament held in the UAE from January 8-19, 2015. It is a tri-nation series between Afghanistan, Ireland and Scotland as a warm-up for the 2015 Cricket World Cup. Each team receives four points for a win and an additional bonus point if their run rate is 1.25 times higher than the losing side.
Thursday, January 08
Dubai World Cup Carnival 2015 (Race 1)
Venue: Meydan Racecourse
Start: 6:45 PM
A battle between the world's best horses, jockeys and trainers, Dubai World Cup Carnival will feature a series of nine highly-competitive race meetings. The Dubai World Cup Carnival attracts the most famous stars of the international racing scene, with the finale – the Dubai World Cup – set to be held on March 28, 2015 taking the title of the world's richest race meeting.
Website: Dubai World Cup
Thursday, January 8-10
Hankook 24H Dubai
Venue: Dubai Autodrome, Motor City
Start: 11:30 AM
This is a 24 hour endurance race that pits drivers against time and each other to last through the entire race. A wide variety of ‘tin top’ touring cars, GTs and 24H-Specials (e.g. silhouette cars) are eligible to race, from ‘hot hatchbacks’ up to proper GT3 machinery and purpose-built race cars. An established structure of classes and liberal technical regulations allow teams to compete without having to change their cars for the 24H SERIES, thus helping them to save costs.
Website: 24hrSeriesDubai
Thursday, January 08 – Sunday, 11
ITTF World Team Cup 2015
Venue: Al Nasr Leisureland
The International Table Tennis Federation and the UAE Table Tennis Association bring the sport to Dubai for its second year. With an estimated USD$270,000 as the prize fund, this is going to be yet another exciting sporting event to start off the new year. The top 16 men and women in the tournament compete in singles and doubles while the top eight boys and girls under 21 compete in singles.
Website: ITTF Website
Thursday, January 08
Afghanistan v Ireland cricket
Venue: Dubai Sports City
Start: 2:00 PM
The second match of the Triangular Series sees Afghanistan take on Ireland, with both teams keen to show they can be more than just plucky underdogs in Australia and New Zealand in February.
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