Around 16 UAE clubs will participate in Vice President’s Cup Championship at the Sharjah Sport Club.

A strong field of 150 athletes, representing 16 UAE clubs, take to the mats in the first round of the Vice President’s Cup Championship at Sharjah Sport Club as the UAE Jitsu-jitsu season 2019/2020 gets underway from Saturday.

Organised by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJF), the official governing body of the sport in the Emirates, The Vice President’s Cup Championship is one of the most prestigious and lucrative national championships on the calendar.

The competing clubs are: Al Ain Club, Al Jazira Club, Al Wahda Club, Emirates Club, Al Wasl Club, Fujairah Martial Arts Club (FMAC), AFNT, Baniyas Club, Ajman Club, Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Sharjah Sports Club, Team 777, Commando Group, Al Dhafra Club, Sharjah Defence Club and Al Nasr Club.

First-round action gets under way at 11am across three age brackets categories – Under-18s, Under-21s and Over 21.

Youth practice during a training session.

The Under-18 division will see matches in eight weight classes, from 46kg up to 94kg with each match lasting four minutes, while Under-21 and Over 21s will compete in their respective categories in six weight divisions, 56 kg through to 110 kg, with matches lasting six minutes.

The Vice President’s Cup Championship is a significant event, providing local sports clubs with the opportunity to compete and win one of the most prominent championships of the region.

Following on from the first round on Saturday, the second and third rounds of the Vice President’s Cup will take place on Dec. 13 in Fujairah and, on March 13, 2020 in Dubai.

Points accumulated in each of the three rounds will count towards end-of-season totals.

The Championship winners will be announced after completion of the third round in March.

“We are confident this season’s rich programme of events will grant the opportunity to the jiu-jitsu family to continue their learning journey to compete on the highest level on both the continental and global stages,” said Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice-Chairman of the UAEJJF.

“Thanks to our wise leadership in the UAE who continue to support the sport of jiu-jitsu, the UAE national team was able to raise the UAE flag high in the fourth Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship in Mongolia.

“Tournaments such as the Vice President’s Cup Championship will give competitors the perfect opportunity to practice and develop their game by measuring their performance to help them upgrade their skills.” added Dhaheri.

“The UAE Vice President’s Cup Championship is an important milestone in the busy sporting season and is part of the Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s efforts to establish the presence of this noble sport in the UAE community and to strengthen the country’s position as a home for jiu-jitsu globally,” he continued.