Sunday, 9 February 2025 Algarve Pro Racing scored a second victory in Dubai but this time it was the no20 Oreca-Gibson of Kriton Lentoudis, Olli Caldwell and Alex Quinn that crossed the line in first place. Quinn was having an epic battle for the lead with Tom Dillmann in the no22 Proton Competition Oreca. Dillmann holding the upper hand until an unseen incident involving some back markers in final minutes of the race saw the Proton Oreca spin off and allow Quinn to take the lead and the chequered flag. Tristan Vautier in the no30 RD Limited Oreca finished second by passing Matthieu Vaxiviere in the no83 AF Corse Oreca on the final lap. The LMP3 win went to the no15 RLR MSport Ligier of Chris Short, Nick Adcock and Ian Aguilera after long battle with the no26 Bretton Racing and the no49 High Class Racing Ligiers. Aguilera brought the car home 12 seconds ahead of the rest of the class field. An intense GT encounter saw the no99 Herberth Motorsport Porsche of Ralf Bohn, Robert Renauer and Alfred Renauer come out on top, finishing the race ahead of championship leaders, the no81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG and the no89 EBM Aston Martin, with just 12 seconds cover the top three cars after four hours of racing. WARM AND SUNNY FOR RACE TWO IN DUBAI The grid formed up for the second of the two 4-hour races in Dubai with 43 cars taking the start after the no8Dragon Speed Ferrari and the no82 AF Corse Ferrari were withdrawn after the accidents in race one on Saturday. The race start saw pole sitter Giorgio Roda in the no22 Proton Competition Oreca leading the field into Turn 1. The no91 Pure Rxcing Oreca of Aliaksandr Malykhin ran wide and dropped back to 9th at Turn 3 on the opening lap. The no85 Iron Dames Porsche had to pit with front end damage in an unseen incident on lap 2, with the two Optimum Motorsport McLarens also colliding, damaging both cars at T12. This meant the Virtual Safety Car was declared by race control to clear the debris that had been dropped by the damaged cars. Some teams elected to pit to top off the fuel in the cars, with the no15 RLR MSport Ligier of Chris Short taking the opportunity to burn one of the teams long stops. After the Safety Car was withdrawn the race went green. The no50 AF Corse Oreca of Jeremy Clarke was leading from Roda in the no22 Oreca. The no26 Bretton Racing Ligier of Jens Moeller was leading LMP3 ahead of the no43 Inter Europol Competition of fellow Dane Mikkel Kristensen, with Kristensen eventually getting ahead of Moeller to take the lead. Dustin Blattner was in front of the GT field in the no74 Kessel Racing Ferrari, with Steve Janis in the no9 Getspeed Mercedes-AMG and Bo Yuan in the no87 Origine Motorsport Porsche both less than a second behind. After the pitstops the no91 Pure Rxcing had been brought back into contention, with Harry King ahead of the no22 Proton Oreca of Vlad Lomko, who had Job Van Uitert in the no3 DKR Engineering snapping at his heals. Van Uitert eventually moved up to second and set off after King. After 50 minutes of racing the Safety Car was deployed when the no8 Dragon Racing Ferrari of Todd Coleman spun off and hit the barrier at Turn 6. The American driver was OK, and the badly damaged Ferrari was recovered, but the Armco barrier required rebuilding, so the race was red flagged to allow the repair crew to work. The work took nearly an hour, with the clock continuing to run down, and the race resumed behind the Safety Car. The no9 Getspeed Mercedes-AMG of Steve Janis stalled on the grid at the restart and had to be pushed into the pitlane by the marshals. The championship leading no81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG also went into the garage with an ABS issue and the no15 RLR MSport Ligier retired with a coolant issue after steam was seen coming from the engine bay. Alexander Bukhantsov had brought the no7 Graff Racing Ligier up through the LMP3 field and he took the lead after 90-minutes of racing. The GT battle was still led by Dustin Blattner, with the American being challenged by the no28 AF Corse Ferrari of Massimiliano Wiser and the no99 Herberth Motorsport Porsche of Robert Renauer. Another VSC period was declared to clear even more debris from the last corner and main straight. The Safety Car period lasted 20-minutes before racing resumed. Job Van Uitert took the lead at the restart with Harry King challenging the Dutch driver for the lead, which he duly did before the end of the 47th lap. Battles continued up and down the field with the no3 DKR Engineering Oreca heading slowly for the pitlane with a damaged damper. A quick repair in the garage the car rejoined but 2 laps down. The no25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca of Valerio Rinicella was on the move up, taking second from Vlad Lomko just before coming into the pits for a scheduled stop. The LMP3 Championship leading no35 Ultimate Ligier stopped at the side of the track at Turn 16, bringing out another Safety Car period to recover it to a safe place. The race went green again with an hour of the race remaining. Julien Andlauer was leading LMP2 in the no91 Pure Rxcing Oreca from Tom Dillmann in the no22 Porton Competition and Malthe Jakobsen in the no25 APR. Alex Quinn was on the move in the no20 APR Oreca, catching the 4th placed no83 AF Corse of Matthieu Vaxiviere. Vaxiviere passed Jakobson as the Dane struggled with front end grip due to a damaged dive plane, with the no20 Oreca also moving up to 4th. There was a change for the lead when Dillmann went ahead of Andlauer, with Vaxiviere almost immediately challenging Andlauer for second place. Alex Quinn was following the battle for 2nd between the two cars and at T13/T14 they tripped over some back markers and the no20 went from 4th to 2nd before the next corner. The battle for LMP3 was between the no26 Bretton Racing, the no49 High Class Racing and the no15 RLR MSport, with Ian Aguilera quicker moving up to second in the no15 Ligier before challenging Thomas Kiefer for the lead. It took a quicker pitstop to get the Mexican ahead of the German but once he was in front, Aguilera moved away from the chasing pack to take the win. The GT lead was also decided in the pitlane with the no99 Herberth Motorsport Porsche getting ahead of the no81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG after the team turned the car around in 21 second compared to Winward’s 28 second stop. Alfred Renaud kept Gabriele Piana at bay until the chequered flag with the no99 Porsche crossing the line 2.4 seconds ahead of the no81 Mercedes-AMG. The no89 EBM Aston Martin finished third after Mattia Drudi overtook the no10 Manthey Porsche of Klaus Bachler on the last lap of the race. At the front of the field the no22 Proton Competition Oreca was leading but Dillmann was being caught by Quinn in the no20 APR Oreca. With four minutes left Dillmann was keeping a small gap to the following British driver and was looking good for the win. However, an unseen incident with some GT backmarkers saw the no22 Oreca spin and drop down the order as Alex Quinn swept into the lead. The second placed no83 AF Corse of Matthieu Vaxiviere was also being caught by Tristan Vautier in the no30 RD Limited, with Vautier taking the position at Turn 10 on the very last lap of the race to finish second and Vaxiviere in third. Information and photo source : THE ASIAN LE MANS SERIES

The no25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca took the chequered flag at the end of the first 4 Hours of Dubai race, to record the team’s second win in a row, with Michael Jensen, Valerio Rinicella and Malthe Jakobsen taking the championship at the halfway point of the 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series. The LMP3 win went to the no26 Bretton Racing Ligier, after Jens Reno Moeller took the lead on lap, with Griffin Peebles and Theodor Jensen bringing the car home. The GT victory was claimed by the no96 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO when the leading no10 Manthey Porsche 911 dived into the pits for a splash of fuel with less than two minutes of the race remaining. This allowed Ben Barnicoat, who had been closing the gap to Klaus Bachler in the lead Porsche, to sweep into the lead and take the chequered flag and was joined by Anthony MacIntosh and Parker Thompson on the top step of the GT podium. DRAMA ALL THE WAY IN DUBAI The race start saw the field led into Turn 1 by the no22 Proton Competition of Giorgio Roda, with the no91 Pure Rxcing Oreca of Aliaksandr Malykhin trying to get alongside the Italian before the first corner. This allowed the no11 Proton Competition Oreca of Alexander Mattschull to go ahead of Malykhin and the no50 AF Corse of Patrick Byrne and exit in second place. Further back there were several spinners in the LMP3 field with the no35 Ultimate, no43 Inter Europol Competition, the no7 Graff Racing and no49 High Class Racing all being delayed, dropping them back down the field after they rejoined. Mark Patterson in the no49 Ligier was judged to have caused the incident and was served a 10 second time penalty on his next pitstop by the Stewards. The GT race start saw the no74 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Dustin Blattner kept the lead, with the no81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG of Rinat Salikhov and the no87 Origine Motorsport Porsche in second and third respectively. After dropping back to third at the first corner the no91 Pure Rxcing moved back to second on lap 2, with Malykhin setting off to catch Roda in the leading car. The no27 Optimum Motorsport McLaren had to slowly return to the pits with a binding front left brake calliper and was pushed into the garage for repairs. In LMP3 Moeller was leading with the no34 Inter Europol Competition Ligier of Tim Creswick pushing the Dane, keeping less than a second behind the lead car. After 50 minutes of racing the Safety Car was deployed when the no8 Dragon Racing Ferrari of Todd Coleman spun off and hit the barrier at Turn 6. The American driver was OK, and the badly damaged Ferrari was recovered, but the Armco barrier required rebuilding, so the race was red flagged to allow the repair crew to work. The work took nearly an hour, with the clock continuing to run down, and the race resumed behind the Safety Car. The no9 Getspeed Mercedes-AMG of Steve Janis stalled on the grid at the restart and had to be pushed into the pitlane by the marshals. The championship leading no81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG also went into the garage with an ABS issue and the no15 RLR MSport Ligier retired with a coolant issue after steam was seen coming from the engine bay. The race went green with an hour and 45-minutes remaining, with the no91 Oreca leading with Harry King at the wheel from the no11 Proton Competition of Mathias Beche and the no25 Algarve Pro Racing of Valerio Rinicella in second and third respectively. Griffin Peebles in the no26 Bretton Racing was being challenged for the LMP3 lead by Leonardo Colavita in the no35 Ultimate, with the no7 Graff Racing Ligier of Daniel Frost in third. The no87 Origine Motorsport Porsche of Ye Hongli was leading from Kang Ling in the no14 Climax Racing Mercedes AMG, with Ben Tuck in the no74 Kessel Racing Ferrari and Joel Sturm in the no10 Manthey Porsche closing up on the two Chinese drivers. Tuck went up into second place and was soon challenging Ye for the GT lead. For several laps the leading GT cars battled before Tuck finally moved into the lead at Turn 6, with Joel Sturm making his move for second place at Turn 9 on the same lap. A Full Course Yellow was declared with 66 minutes left when the no51 AF Corse and no88 Dragon Racing Ferraris collided, dropping debris on the track at the last corner and on the main straight. The intervention last four minutes and racing resumed with just over an hour of the race remaining. Joel Sturm in the no10 Porsche got a better restart and got alongside Tuck’s Ferrari into Turn 10, with the German sweeping into the GT lead. After the next set of pitstops for the LMP2 field the no11 Proton Competition Oreca was leading from the no91 Pure Rxcing of Julien Andlauer. However, Mathias Beche had to pit to allow Jonas Ried to complete the race. Andlauer was leading but was being caught by the no25 APR Oreca as Malthe Jakobsen moved closer to the lead car. A slight spin for the no91 Oreca at T15 allowed Jakobsen to close right up and the Dane swept into the lead at the last corner with just over half an hour remaining. Julien Andlauer’s race went from bad to worse when the French driver was passing some GT cars and caused a collision with the no9 Getspeed Mercedes-AMG. The no91 Oreca rejoined in second place but was later given a Drive Through Penalty for causing the collision. Ben Barnicoat had taken over the no96 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG from his teammate Parker Thompson and rejoined in 5th place. The British driver was soon moving up the field, passing the cars ahead of him to be lying 8 seconds behind the no10 Manthey Porsche with 15-minutes of the race remaining. Barnicoat was closing the gap, but it wasn’t going to be enough to overtake the leading Porsche before the chequered flag. However, the race wasn’t over as with 1m46s on the clock the no10 Porsche unexpectedly went into the pits for a splash of fuel, promoting the no96 Mercedes-AMG into the GT lead. At the chequered flag 2 Seas Motorsport took the GT win, just 3.2 seconds ahead of the no92 Manthey EMA Porsche, with the no74 Kessel Racing Ferrari taking the flag in third. The LMP3 lead was still held by the no26 Bretton Racing, which now had Theodor Jensen at the wheel, but Matteo Quintarelli was slowly closing the gap to the lead car. However, the Dane held on to take the LMP3 win, just 8.047s ahead of the championship leading no35 Ultimate Ligier, with the no34 Inter Europol Competition Ligier claiming the final podium position one lap down to the leading cars. At the front of the field the no25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca took the chequered flag for the second time this season, Malthe Jakobsen crossing the line 11.3 seconds ahead of the no3 DKR Engineering Oreca with Laurents Horr at the wheel. The no20 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca finished third to give the Portuguese flagged team a double podium at the end of a drama filled first race in Dubai. The second 4 Hours of Dubai will get underway at 14h10 GST on Sunday afternoon. Valerio Rinicella - #25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca 07-Gibson: “With the red flag we had to change the plan, but we adapted really quickly. I really thank my teammates and to the team for the fantastic job. The car was amazing, the pace looked good and I hope for another win tomorrow. The pitstop after the Safety Car was a bit crazy, I had contact with a Porsche on the back, but we managed to survive on the exit. I think this was the crucial moment of the race, because it helped our position. So, I would say I'm really thankful to the safety car. Malthe Jakobsen- #25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca 07-Gibson: “It's been a very chaotic week for me; not with a lot of sleep. I had a busy week with Peugeot, with duties both in Paris, and then a test day in Portimao. Unfortunately, I had a canceled flight on Thursday night, so I couldn't get here until last night. I got here this morning and managed to get one flying lap before the start of the race. Then I got thrown out into the race with an hour to go. “It was a very intense race. It's amazing to fight with drivers like Julian (Andlauer), because we have obviously, respect for each other, but we still race each other hard but there's respect in between us. So that's cool to see that there are no dirty tricks or anything going on but hard and fair racing and the run to the flag. “At the end, the tyres were starting to fall off and I needed to fight the car a bit more. Once you're in clean air, it's kind of okay but here, because the track is so dirty and difficult off the line, whenever you overtake GTs, it sometimes takes half a lap or a lap to clean the tyres again.” 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series Calendar Rd 1 / Rd 2 6-8 Dec 2024 Sepang International Circuit Malaysia Rd 3 / Rd 4 7-9 Feb 2025 Dubai Autodrome UAE Rd 5 / Rd 6 14-16 Feb 2025 Yas Marina Circuit UAE Information and photo source : THE ASIAN LE MANS SERIES

Giorgio Roda claimed another double pole position for both races in Dubai in the no22 Proton Competition Oreca, the Italian adding to the two poles he claimed in Sepang to make it four poles from four attempts. The session started with the no24 Nielsen Racing heading the time sheets after the first lap with the no91 Pure Rxcing, no22 Proton Competition and no50 AF Corse going to the top spot in quick order. The no50 AF Corse Oreca of Jeremey Clarke lowering the time to 1m48.154, who then clipped a kerb at T1 on the next lap, spinning the American around. Roda then responded with a 1m47.569 with 7-minutes left on the clock. He then popped in a 1m48.049 to claim the pole for Race 2, which left the rest of the field fighting over who would join Roda on the front row. P2 was claimed by Jeremy Clarke in the no50 AF Corse for both races, with Aliaksandr Malykhin in the no91 Pure Rxcing and Alexander Mattschull in the no11 Proton Competition filling row 2 for both races. LMP3: Kiefer Takes Double Pole for High Class Racing Thomas Kiefer claimed the LMP3 pole position in both races in Dubai on his ALMS debut after the 15-minute LMP qualifying session at the Dubai Autodrome. The no26 Bretton Racing Ligier of Jens Reno Moeller set the early LMP3 pace, the Dane posting a 1m58.199 on his first lap. It wasn’t until halfway through the session that Moeller was knocked off the top spot when Kiefer posted a 1m54.942, which bettered Moeller’s best lap of 1m55.930 by nearly a second. A second best lap of 1m54.942 lap by Kiefer confirmed the pole for race 2, with the no7 Graff Racing Ligier of Alexander Bukhantsov claiming third in Race 1 with a 1m56.300 and a front row start in race 2 with his second best time of 1m56.318, pushing the no49 High Class Racing Ligier into third for Sunday’s race. Row 2 for race 1 was claimed by the no34 Inter Europol Competition Ligier of Tim Cresswick, with Nick Adcock taking 4th for Race 2 in the no15 RLR MSport. GT: Blattner Claims Double Pole for Kessel Racing in Dubai Qualifying for the GT category saw the 28 cars go out on track for the 15-minute session. The no14 Climax Racing Mercedes-AMG of Lui Wei setting the first competitive time, the Chinese driver posting a 2m000.034 ahead of the no96 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG and the no19 Blackthorn Aston Martin. As the session progressed several cars made their bids for the top position on the grid with the no18 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG Sergey Stolyarov, the no87 Origine Motorsport Porsche of Bo Yuan and the no19 Blackthorn Aston Martin of Reema Juffali all briefly holding the provisional pole position before the no74 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Dustin Blattner posted a 1m58.960 lap with three minutes left on the clock. The American then went quicker on the next lap with a 1m58.891 to claim the pole for Race 1 and Race 2. With 36 seconds of the session remaining the red flag was shown after Charles-Henri Samani’s no82 AF Corse Ferrari went off into the wall at Turn 6. The French driver emerged unaided but the session was over as the damaged Ferrari had to be lifted away. The no81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG of championship leader Rinat Salikhov will start Race 1 in P2, with the no28 AF Corse Ferrari and no9 Getspeed Mercedes-AMG in P3 and P4 respectively. For Race 2 the no87 Origine Motorsport Porsche will join the no74 Kessel Racing Ferrari on the front row, with the no16 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG and no19 Blackthorn Aston Martin on row 2. The first 4 Hours of Dubai race is due to get underway at 14h10 (local) this afternoon. 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series Calendar Rd 1 / Rd 2 6-8 Dec 2024 Sepang International Circuit Malaysia Rd 3 / Rd 4 7-9 Feb 2025 Dubai Autodrome UAE Rd 5 / Rd 6 14-16 Feb 2025 Yas Marina Circuit UAE Information and photo source : THE ASIAN LE MANS SERIES

FP1: Algarve Pro Racing Tops Time Sheets The first of two Free Practice sessions of the 4 Hours of Dubai weekend saw the no20 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca take the top spot on the timing screens after Alex Quinn posted a 1m47.199 lap, just 0.073s ahead of championship leaders RD Limited. The session was interrupted by a red flag when the no10 Mathey Porsche and no19 Blackthorn Aston Martin collided in T3. Both drivers were OK, but the cars had to be hoisted off the circuit, so the session was stopped to allow the marshals to complete the task as soon as possible. The no15 RLR MSport Ligier was the fastest of the seven LMP3 entries and the no14 Climax Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 was quickest in GT. FP2: Pure Rxcing Fastest in Final Practice TThe second 90-minute Free Practice session in Dubai saw the no91 Pure Rxcing Oreca-Gibson top the timing screens as the sunset in the UAE. Julien Andlauer’s best lap of 1m48.790 was four tenths quicker than the rest of the field but 1.5 seconds slower than the best lap from FP1. The no26 Bretton Racing Ligier was the quickest of the LMP3 after Griffin Peebles set a 1m55.387 and the no92 Manthey EMA Porsche headed the GT field as the chequered flag brought the session to a close. Information for Round 2 of the 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series It's almost time to go racing in Dubai with the Asian Le Mans Series. Here is some information for the upcoming first weekend in the United Arab Emirates. Information includes the event schedule, TV distribution, Entry List and Free Entry for all fans. 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series Calendar Rd 1 / Rd 2 6-8 Dec 2024 Sepang International Circuit Malaysia Rd 3 / Rd 4 7-9 Feb 2025 Dubai Autodrome UAE Rd 5 / Rd 6 14-16 Feb 2025 Yas Marina Circuit UAE Information and photo source : THE ASIAN LE MANS SERIES

Partnership officially announced today at King Khalid International Airport by Riyadh Air CEO, Tony Douglas and LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil LIV Golf stars Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann and Jon Rahm participate in the official launch. Riyadh – February 4, 2025: Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new premium national carrier and LIV Golf, the world’s first global golf league, today announced a major multi-year partnership. The agreement, unveiled today by Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas and LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil, marks Riyadh Air’s ongoing commitment to sports, one of its key focus areas, and will encompass comprehensive sponsorship across the LIV Golf League. Crushers GC captain Bryson DeChambeau, Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia, 4Aces GC captain Dustin Johnson, Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann, and Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm were also in attendance for Tuesday’s announcement, bringing together some of the biggest stars in golf to commemorate the League’s new partnership. "We are incredibly excited to partner with LIV Golf, a league that is transforming the sport of golf with its exciting format and commitment to growing the game globally," said Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air. "This partnership aligns perfectly with our values of innovation, excellence, and community engagement, and the growth plans for both organizations are hugely positive for the future. Having five legends of the game here today at Riyadh Airport in the presence of our first-ever aircraft and attempting a very special challenge that we will reveal in the coming days, shows our inventive approach to aviation and sport." Scott O’Neil, CEO of LIV Golf said: “We are proud to tee off the 2025 LIV Golf season with an innovative and forward-thinking partner in Riyadh Air. This partnership shares a commitment to delivering a best-in-class experience for golf fans around the world. We both have a bold vision and ambitious plans with a long runway of success ahead.” Starting this week with the League‘s season-opening event at the Riyadh Golf Club, the multi-year agreement will see Riyadh Air join the LIV Golf League as an official partner. The collaboration covers a range of benefits across the calendar’s 14 global events in nine countries throughout Asia, Australia, Europe and North America including on-course branding, hospitality, TV placement and more that will regularly feature the airline in front of a prominent on-course and global TV audience. Set to launch services in 2025, Riyadh Air is committed to providing a world-class travel experience that greatly enhances connectivity to and from Riyadh. The airline has already partnered with several sports clubs and federations including Atlético de Madrid, Concacaf, the WTA Finals in Riyadh, and today is proud to add LIV Golf to its ranks. Riyadh Air believes that sports have the power to bring people together and inspire them to achieve their dreams and is proud to provide fans with unforgettable experiences locally and globally. Information and photo source : LIV Golf

[香港，2025年2月4日]：數十年來，「國泰/滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽」（「香港七欖」）已被譽為全球最盛大的欖球派對，現場的音樂表演與球場上的世界級欖球比賽一樣，都是這場體育娛樂盛宴中不可或缺的一部分。隨著2025年「國泰/滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽」即將於3月28日至30日移師至極具現代化的啟德主場館舉行，活動的氣氛必將再次推至重高峰。 在過去「香港七欖」中，像The Beach Boys、Madness、The Wailers和The Village People 等具代表性的樂隊曾經帶動全場四萬名觀眾勁歌熱舞。今年唯一的變化是，隨著賽事登陸啟德體育園嶄新的新主場，將有額外一萬名球迷能夠現場感受著名的「香港七欖」體驗。 請立即購票，並準備熱情痛快地高歌吶喊！賽事主辦方中國香港欖球總會（欖總）將利用新主場的最先進數碼科技為大家帶來最經典的曲目，這將是「香港國際七人欖球賽」又一個最精彩的週末。 週末現場表演的亮點將是Kaiser Chiefs 樂隊的音樂會和Pete Tong的DJ 表演。 英國獨立搖滾樂隊Kaiser Chiefs今年慶祝長踞榜首20周年。樂隊自2005年推出經典專輯《Employment》 以來，已發行了八張原創專輯。《Employment》 的專輯售出超過三百萬張，並為樂隊贏得三項全英音樂獎，包括最佳英國組合獎、NME 最佳專輯獎，並入圍水星音樂獎。他們在英國的熱門單曲包括2005年的《I Predict a Riot》和2007年英國冠軍單曲《Ruby》，此單曲銷量已超過461,000張。Kaiser Chiefs 樂隊將於「國泰/滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽」的週日下午4時45分演出。 週六晚上，英國著名DJ Pete Tong將把七欖派對推向另一個高潮，為這個世界級欖球嘉年華帶來澎湃的音樂。 Pete Tong 被譽為全球電子音樂大使，也是一位出色的製作人、推廣人、DJ 和主持，他在其輝煌的職業生涯中發掘了眾多樂隊。週六晚上6時35分，Pete Tong的伊比薩混音將把啟德搖身一變，成為世界上最大的夜場，觀眾們將享受一場熱血沸騰的體驗。 「國泰/滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽」於週五拉開序幕，首場小組賽將於上午10時30分開始，由香港旅遊發展局全力支持的開幕式將於下午6時40分舉行。首日的娛樂盛宴將由本地流行樂隊RubberBand領銜演出。 RubberBand 是香港最著名的樂隊之一，曾獲多項獎項，至今已發行了十張專輯。2021年，他們的巡演演唱會《Ciao》 廣受好評，並首次進行歐洲、北美和台北的世界巡演。樂隊還受邀參加了在巴塞隆拿舉行的世界最大的音樂節之一「Primavera」 音樂節。 週六的「香港七欖」還將迎來意大利音樂人GALA 的現場表演。她的演出曲目包括多屆白金單曲《Freed from Desire》，這首單曲已成為全球體育賽事的主題曲，並經常在FIFA 和UEFA 的足球比賽中播放。曼城、AC 米蘭和紐卡素等多家足球會都採用了這首歌曲，法國欖球隊也自原曲發行近30年以來一直沿用此曲。 《Freed from Desire》 無疑是世界上最著名的體育歌曲，在Spotify上的播放量已接近五億次，並在多個歐洲國家上榜，包括在法國和比利時排名第一、在英國、愛爾蘭和意大利排名第二。這是意大利音樂人史上最成功的國際發行作品。 「國泰/ 滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽」將提供一連三日世界級欖球賽事、餐飲美饌及音樂，同時也是為啟德主場館打響頭炮的開幕盛事。今年三月的「國泰/ 滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽」是欖球迷和音樂愛好者不能錯過的盛事。 門票現已在官方網站有售： www.hksevens.com 成人三日門票只需港幣1,950元，即可在欖球界最大型派對中觀賞30支世界級勁旅上演共72場精彩的七人欖球賽，欣賞四場星級現場音樂表演，以及一連三日無間斷的娛樂活動。12歲或以下的兒童可購買兒童票，票價為港幣950元。兒童門票先到先得。 全球特定市場的球迷還可以透過聯合冠名贊助商國泰航空購買官方旅行套票，優惠有效期至 2 月 28 日（星期五）。套票提供了航班、賽事門票和酒店等不同組合的選擇，如欲了解更多套票詳情，請按此。 「國泰/ 滙豐香港國際七人欖球賽」很高興成為一項「M」品牌認可活動，協助提升香港作為亞洲體育盛事之都的形象。獲大型體育活動事務委員會頒發的「M」品牌，標誌著緊張、精彩、刺激的大型體育活動。 資料及相片來源 : Elite Step Asia Limited / 中國香港欖球總會

FEBRUARY 4, 2025 BRNO (Czechia) - The path to the trophy for the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2025 has been determined as the groups for the sixteenth edition of the event were confirmed in Tuesday's draw. The 16 teams were divided into four groups of four teams each. The results of the draw are as follows: Group A: USA, Israel, Hungary, Korea Group B: Nigeria, Portugal, Canada, China Group C: Australia, France, Brazil, Mali Group D: Spain, Czechia, Japan, Argentina All 16 teams participating in the event will advance to the competition's Final Phase with a single-elimination format in place from the Round of 16 onwards. The teams from Group A will face teams from Group B, based on standings within these groups (1st vs 4th - 2nd vs 3rd) and teams from Group C will face teams from Group D. Three-time defending champions USA will be looking to win an 11th title in this upcoming edition of the competition. Four other national teams have previously won the U19 Women's Basketball World Cup, among those being host nation Czechia who won the competition back in 2001 also hosted in Brno. The draw was performed by former Czechia national team stars, Ivana Vecerova and Eva Viteckova. Czech Basketball Federation President Miroslav Jansta and FIBA Central Board and Executive Committee member Carmen Tocala attended the event. The 2025 edition of the tournament will take place from July 12 - 20 in Brno, Czechia. Information and photo source : FIBA

JANUARY 31, 2025 LAUSANNE (Switzerland) - The path to the trophy for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 has been determined as the groups for the seventeenth edition of the event were confirmed in Friday's draw. The 16 teams were divided into four groups of four teams each. The results of the draw are as follows: Group A: Argentina, Mali, Serbia, New Zealand Group B: China, Slovenia, Germany, Canada Group C: Jordan, Switzerland, Israel, Dominican Republic Group D: Cameroon, USA, Australia, France All 16 teams participating in the event will advance to the competition's Final Phase with a single-elimination format in place from the Round of 16 onwards. The teams from Group A will face teams from Group B, based on standings within these groups (1st vs 4th - 2nd vs 3rd) and teams from Group C will face teams from Group D. The defending champions, Spain, failed to qualify for the event, finishing 13th at the U18 EuroBasket 2024. France will be aiming for their first ever U19 World Cup title after missing out in overtime in the Final of the 2023 edition of the competition. USA will try and extend their lead as all-time leader in U19 World Cup titles, having already won 8 in the past. The draw was performed by French legend Antoine Rigaudeau, Swiss national team player Jonathan Kazadi and Sarah Atcho-Jaquier, a Swiss sprinter. FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis and Swiss Basketball President Andrea Siviero attended the event. The 2025 edition of the tournament will take place from June 28 - July 6 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Information and photo source : FIBA

An inspiring week of volleyball at the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) Season 5 Finals came to a remarkable close on Sunday. Held in Tezpur, Assam, from 24 - 26 January, the finals celebrated the best of grassroots volleyball, bringing local players, coaches, league volunteers and FIVB leadership together in a momentous celebration of collaboration, integration, peace and solidarity. Founded in 2020 by Abhijit Bhattacharya, the BVL has become a catalyst for change in Assam, one of India’s poorest states, proving that volleyball can have a positive impact far beyond the court. What began with just 50 teams now unites over 10,000 children across the region, and this year’s season saw 401 teams competing in nearly 900 matches. The BVL has been officially recognised as a Silver Level Project by the FIVB Volleyball Foundation, which has pledged support across three areas: coaching, broadcasting and operations. The league’s innovative broadcasting initiative has helped carry its impact even further. Through a partnership with Sportvot, a start-up providing broadcasting technology, the BVL uses a live-streaming system using just smartphones and minimal equipment. This year, an impressive 72 matches were streamed live during the Finals, culminating a period that has seen nearly 700 broadcasts across 170 villages. Over 500 individuals have been trained to use the broadcast set-up, gaining not only video production skills but also expertise in storytelling, PowerPoint design and Excel. This inspiring community-driven approach aligns seamlessly with the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032, which has the motto “Together as One” at its core. The finals also drew international volleyball and sport leaders to Assam such as Assam’s Sports Minister Nandita Garlosa, FIVB President Fabio Azevedo, FIVB Volleyball Foundation Executive Director Elizaveta Bracht, Olympic Champion Vladimir Grbić, Thailand’s national volleyball star Nootsara Tomkom and FIVB Volleyball Empowerment and National Federation Relations Head Hitesh Malhotra. AN INSPIRING WEEK FOR THE GLOBAL VOLLEYBALL MOVEMENT IN INDIA BVL Season 5 Finals shine as a global celebration of sport and community An inspiring week of volleyball at the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) Season 5 Finals came to a remarkable close on Sunday. Held in Tezpur, Assam, from 24 - 26 January, the finals celebrated the best of grassroots volleyball, bringing local players, coaches, league volunteers and FIVB leadership together in a momentous celebration of collaboration, integration, peace and solidarity. Founded in 2020 by Abhijit Bhattacharya, the BVL has become a catalyst for change in Assam, one of India’s poorest states, proving that volleyball can have a positive impact far beyond the court. What began with just 50 teams now unites over 10,000 children across the region, and this year’s season saw 401 teams competing in nearly 900 matches. The BVL has been officially recognised as a Silver Level Project by the FIVB Volleyball Foundation, which has pledged support across three areas: coaching, broadcasting and operations. The league’s innovative broadcasting initiative has helped carry its impact even further. Through a partnership with Sportvot, a start-up providing broadcasting technology, the BVL uses a live-streaming system using just smartphones and minimal equipment. This year, an impressive 72 matches were streamed live during the Finals, culminating a period that has seen nearly 700 broadcasts across 170 villages. Over 500 individuals have been trained to use the broadcast set-up, gaining not only video production skills but also expertise in storytelling, PowerPoint design and Excel. This inspiring community-driven approach aligns seamlessly with the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032, which has the motto “Together as One” at its core. The finals also drew international volleyball and sport leaders to Assam such as Assam’s Sports Minister Nandita Garlosa, FIVB President Fabio Azevedo, FIVB Volleyball Foundation Executive Director Elizaveta Bracht, Olympic Champion Vladimir Grbić, Thailand’s national volleyball star Nootsara Tomkom and FIVB Volleyball Empowerment and National Federation Relations Head Hitesh Malhotra. The League’s visionary founder, Abhijit Bhattacharya, spoke of his pride at seeing the community come together, stating; “It was a historic three days at Tezpur, and the people of the town will never forget this amazing experience in their life.” FIVB President Fabio Azevedo praised the immense reach and power of the initiative: “At the heart of the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 is that every single player, young person, athlete and fan counts. Fans and athletes must always be at the centre of all our actions. That is exactly what I have seen here at the BVL Finals. Volleyball has the power to bring people together and make the world a better place. I have never been more certain of that following everything I have seen and experienced over the past few days.” The finals coincided with India’s 76th Republic Day on 26 January, which saw a vibrant celebration at the KIIT & KISS Athletic Stadium in Bhubaneswar. FIVB leadership attended the event, joining over 40,000 students, staff, and dignitaries to mark the occasion with a grand parade and cultural performances. The BVL is a shining example of the widespread impact that volleyball can have as a community-building tool, helping to create a better, more inclusive world through the Global Volleyball Movement. Information and photo source : FIVB

JANUARY 27, 2025 MIES (Switzerland) - FIBA Global Ambassador Carmelo Anthony has launched the official visual identity of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, along with the 'Step It Up' campaign, which is set to unite players, teams and fans in propelling the legacy and impact of the competition to unprecedented heights. The most prestigious and high-profile international men's basketball tournament globally, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 will be hosted by Qatar. It will make history as the first edition ever to be held in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and FIBA's biggest competition ever held in one city. Passion, skill and pride will all converge spectacularly in Doha in 2027, with 32 nations all battling for the coveted silverware, as well as looking to qualify directly for the LA 2028 Olympic Games or for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. The logo for the flagship event is rooted in Qatar's history and spirit, inspired by the Bisht - a symbol of prestige and tradition in Qatari culture. The logo symbolizes achievement, pride and distinction. The Bisht wrapping around the Naismith Trophy captures Qatar's energetic embrace of the global basketball community, the ultimate prize and the honor and passion of wearing a national team jersey. Meanwhile, the logo will change according to the stage of the competition: Qualifiers, Tournament and Final Stage, changing its colors of white, brown and black to reflect the various stages of the world class competition - mirroring the colors of the Bisht throughout the day. It also represents fresh beginnings turning into resilience and then celebration. The logo has been developed by Unlock Brands. The truly unique visual identity is based on a bold graphic territory and perfectly encapsulates a journey of unity, strength, and excellence. While the campaign 'Step It Up' is more than a slogan: it's a call to action capturing the full strength and energy of basketball while connecting Qatar's story and ambitions. The visual identity and slogan have been developed by the branding and design agency Leroy Tremblot. Three-time Olympic champion and NBA Legend Anthony expressed his excitement at the big brand reveal and what lies ahead on the Road to Qatar. He said: "The atmosphere and the stakes at the FIBA Basketball World Cup don't compare to any other experience for a player. It is the ultimate tournament. The last World Cup was unforgettable for players and fans, but I can't wait to see how Qatar 2027 is going to reach a whole new level again. "The truly unique visual identity of the tournament further energizes what will be an incredible journey for the players, coaches and fans. Everyone is looking to rise to the challenge and 'Step It Up', to take the FIBA Basketball World Cup and our sport to unprecedented heights." FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Global Ambassador Carmelo Anthony launches unique visual identity on Road to Qatar. The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 will continue on from the stunning 2023 edition in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan, which was the most successful FIBA tournament in history due to the phenomenal digital engagement levels and attendance at games. FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis commented: "This is a very exciting stage of our journey to Qatar. The visual identity expresses the unique identity of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 and captures the essence of our sport's pinnacle men's competition. This 2027 edition of the tournament will inspire even more fans around the world and will reach out in new and innovative ways to engage the next generation. "We can't wait to see the action on the court, but also the positive reach and impact of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027. We are confident it will set a milestone that will accelerate the growth of our sport globally and deliver an even stronger and lasting legacy." Mohammed Saad AI-Meghaiseeb, Director General of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 Local Organizing Committee, said: "The design of this logo celebrates the rich Qatari and Arab culture and values, reflecting Qatar's commitment to showcasing its heritage on the global stage through this prestigious sporting event. We aim to play a pivotal role in promoting basketball culture, increasing its appeal across the region as we firmly believe that the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 will stand out as one of the most sustainable editions in the history of the competition, driven by a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. "This tournament serves as a global call for unity, peace, and solidarity, bringing together nations of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and languages. It offers a platform for fostering mutual respect and camaraderie in an atmosphere of shared enthusiasm." The 'Step It Up' campaign is a call to action that will engage and unite the global basketball community on the Road to Qatar. It embodies the relentless shared vision, connection, and drive of players, teams, fans and the host country to seize every opportunity, overcome obstacles, and leave a lasting mark on the sport. Millions of fans worldwide will follow the excitement of the Road to Qatar as 80 national teams from all four FIBA regions compete in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers. Commencing in November 2025 and spanning across 15 months, the World Cup Qualifiers will showcase over 2,000 players across 420 national team games, delivering intense basketball action leading up to the main event. The Draw of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers will take place on May 13, 2025, in the host city of Doha. Information and photo source : FIBA