Raffaele Chiulli and Saeed Hareb, Presidents of the International Union of Powerboating and the UAE Powerboat Federation, seal the deal to hold next year's UIM General Assembly in Fujairah ©UIM

This year's General Assembly of the International Union of Powerboating (UIM) will take place at the  the Fujairah International Marine Sports Club (FIMSC) in the United Arab Emirates, it has been announced.

The agreement was signed between UIM President Raffaele Chiulli and Saeed Hareb, head of the UAE Powerboat Federation, at a special ceremony.

The Assembly is due to take place between October 16 and 23. 

Fujairah is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, and the only one of the seven that has a coastline solely on the Gulf of Oman and none on the Persian Gulf.

Last year's General Assembly took place in Russian city St. Petersburg, where Chiulli was re-elected President for a third term.

The Italian had first been elected President in 2007. 

The Fujairah International Marine Sports Club will host the International Powerboating Federation General Assembly in 2016 ©FIMSC
The Fujairah International Marine Sports Club will host the International Powerboating Federation General Assembly in 2016 ©FIMSC

"The converging of International Powerboating’s officials in the Emirates next year for the most important institutional event of the UIM, is an indication of the sport’s continued popularity in the region and rewards Fujairah and the FIMSC for their excellent hosting candidature," said Chiulli.

The UIM event will also see the inauguration of the UIM-FIMSC Training Centre currently in preparation.

Following the announcement, the UIM President was received by the Crown Prince of Fujairah, Mohamed Bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi.

Officials from Fujairah have been invited by Chiulli to attend the world governing body's 7th UIM Awards Giving Ceremony and Gala dinner on March 5 at Salle des Etoiles in Monaco.