The Indian cricketer and one of the current greats of the game, Virat Kohli has launched Blue Rising Team, which will be competing in the inaugural season of the UIM E1 World Championship.
The 34-year-old cricketer will be co-owning the team along with the CEO of League Sports Co. (LSC), Adi K Mishra.
In the inaugural season of the world’s first all-electric race boat championship, the Blue Rising Team will battle on the water against the electric racebird teams already announced by Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal, Steve Aoki, Didier Drogba, Sergio Perez, and Team Venice.
Expressing his delight on this new venture, Virat Kohli, commented, “I want to inspire people to have a competitive spirit and to raise awareness about sustainability issues, something I am becoming more and more passionate about as we build a family. I can’t wait to cheer for our male and female pilots racing for our team. I’m looking forward to lining up against the likes of Tom Brady, Rafa Nadal, Sergio Perez, Steve Aoki and Didier Drogba – we’re going electric, we’re going flying over the water and we’re going to try to win it for The Blue Rising.”
Adi K Mishra, Founder and CEO of LSC, said, “We are excited to partner with one of the best athletes of our generation and arguably one of the best batsmen in the history of cricket. It has also been a pleasure to work alongside Bunty Sajdeh, CEO of Cornerstone Sport & Entertainment who has played a key role and the firm has already brought insightful conversations with brands that share our combined values with the UIM E1 World Championship of sustainability and gender inclusion. We are keen to explore partnerships with the UIM E1 World Championship and some of the other team owners with the World Bowling League in order to elevate both sports.”
Rodi Basso, Co-Founder & CEO of UIM E1 World Championship, stated, “The start line for the first season of the UIM E1 World Championship is filling up fast, and our seventh team is a big one for us! Virat Kohli’s passion for sustainability, combined with Adi’s ability to drive success, will make The Blue Rising Team a force to be reckoned with on the water. I am confident they will bring positive energy, fierce competitiveness, and natural creativity to our championship. And there’s no doubt their involvement will attract millions of new fans and help us deliver an even bigger impact through sport and purpose. Welcome The Blue Rising Team! We’re excited to have you with us on this incredible journey.”
Alejandro Agag, Co-Founder & Chairman of UIM E1 World Championship, expressed, “Our inaugural season is getting closer and I’m thrilled to announce yet another fantastic team joining us on our journey, one who has both sport and sustainability at the heart of their team. Spearheaded by cricket superstar, Virat Kohli, The Blue Rising Team says it all in their name! No doubt on the water, their sportsmanship will allow their team to thrive and guide their team to success. Off the water, their strength in championing sport with purpose is something we want to elevate and by joining forces together especially with our diverse fan base, I believe we can inspire and educate future generations. The race is on and I cannot wait for the first race of the UIM E1 World Championship in Jeddah next year.”
E1 is the world’s first and only all-electric race boat competition, authorised by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the international controlling body for all powerboating events. The UIM E1 World Championship was established to offer a new, entertaining, and competitive on-water racing platform based on electric technologies to protect and revitalise the urban waters and coastal ecosystems.