The Emirates News Agency reported that Alia Fairooz is ramping up her on-water sessions in Norway this summer, collaborating with radioman Frode Sundsdal to refine tactics and boat handling for the championship’s concluding phase. The intensive camp builds directly on her progress since signing a sponsorship agreement with Nirvana Holding and 9Yards Communications in August 2025. Powerboat News data places her fourth in the 2026 UAE F4 Championship with 14 points after she opted not to enter the Klaipeda round.
Alia Abdulsalam Fairooz became the first Emirati woman to compete internationally in Formula 4 powerboat racing. She races under the name Alia Abdulsalam Fairooz and followed her father Abdulsalam Fairooz, who served as the first Arab promoter of the F2 UAE President’s Cup and the F2 World Cup. Her entry has expanded representation from the UAE in a series that drew competitors from 11 nations this season.
In her 2025 world championship debut at Viverone, Italy, she scored points in both races there to end the year 19th with eight points, a powerboat.news assessment found. The 2026 UIM F4 World Championship features multiple rounds, including an early event in Abu Dhabi and the finale at Lake Viverone, according to the Union Internationale Motonautique calendar. Twenty-one drivers from countries including Sweden, Norway, France and Lithuania are contesting the title across the final two rounds.
Frode Sundsdal has supported the Fairooz family racing effort for years, providing continuity as she prepares to return to the Italian venue one year after her first world championship start. The Norway sessions come after regional training initiatives such as the first UAE edition of Formula Future camps held in Fujairah in February 2026 under Nida Kilinskaitė and Paulius Stainys. These programs have helped broaden the talent pool in powerboat racing across the Gulf region.
Previous UIM F4 World Champions include Nils Slakteris, who claimed the 2025 title ahead of William Leithe-Martinsen of Norway and Jean Baptiste-Thomas of France, Wikipedia figures show. Participation has remained steady with European drivers dominating the podium in recent years while new entrants like Fairooz introduce greater diversity. The governing body has scheduled the Italian finale as a double-header to decide the championship standings.
Alia Abdulsalam has blended aggressive starts with improving race management, traits noted in her domestic results this year. Her continued presence in both UAE and international events underscores growing opportunities for female racers in the sport. The championship’s next phase at Viverone will test adaptations made during her current Norway preparations.
