South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa to Host the 2017 Challengers Cup Finals, World’s Largest Semi-Professional Drone Racing Championship, Jan. 19 – 20, 2018
Purchase tickets here
The International Drone Racing Association (IDRA), in partnership with the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa, will hold its semi-professional world championship, 2017 Challengers Cup Finals, in Exhibit Hall C and D Friday, Jan. 19 and Saturday, Jan. 20. Tickets are on sale now for $20 and available through the South Point Box Office and online.
After completing a 12-race series, which visited cities including, but not limited, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, and San Diego, the race will feature the Top 32 Ranked Pilots in the world, competing head-to-head to win the World Championship and a total purse of $50,000. Pilots will include No. 1 Ranked JaeHong Lee from South Korea and No. 2 ranked Santiago Nardin from Argentina.
“Bringing the 2017 Challengers Cup Finals to the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is an incredible opportunity for IDRA,” said Justin Haggerty, the founder and CEO of IDRA. “Las Vegas is one of the leading cities for extravagant venues and world class sporting events, which fits perfectly with the 2017 Challengers Cup Finals as the Top 32 ranked pilots in the world compete for the world championship and a $50,000 purse. The South Point Hotel & Casino gives IDRA a platform to raise the sport’s spectator experience and professionalism to a higher level.”
For the first-time ever, IDRA will have the opportunity to build a world class race, focused on the spectator experience, in the entertainment capital of the world, which is renowned for colossal sporting events.
“We are always looking for new opportunities and events to introduce to Las Vegas,” said Ryan Growney, general manager of South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa. “Over the last year, drone racing has grown significantly, and we are excited to bring this sporting event to our property and introduce it to the city on a larger scale than ever before.”
The 2017 Challengers Cup Series is a semi-professional series of 12 international events. The series began in Buenos Aires, Argentina and will conclude in Manila, Philippines. Pilots compete for a position in the Challengers Cup Finals, which is determined by the Top 32 Pilot Rankings on the basis of total points earned during the series. These Top 32 ranked pilots will race head-to-head for the world championship, bringing valuable recognition to self and country.
UAS/Drone racing is a worldwide sport that utilizes Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology to allow a new breed of innovators to compete on the international stage. There are roughly 100 drone competitions in the U.S. annually and 200 worldwide competitions, highlighted by races like 2016 World Drone Prix in Dubai and 2017 Dover Internationals at the Dover International Speedway with NASCAR.
For tickets or more information about race weekend, please visit South Point Box office, South Point website or call 866.796.7111.
About the International Drone Racing Association:
The International Drone Racing Association (IDRA) is a for-profit association founded on the belief that competition drives innovation, and that drone racing is the next evolution of motorsports. IDRA believes in growing this awesome new industry by organizing historic drone racing competitions like the semi-professional Challengers Cup and professional Drone Racing Series. The IDRA’s core mission is to grow this amazing community of tinkerers, dreamers, and innovators. #IDRA #DroneRacing #ChallengersCup
For more information visit the IDRA website or stay up to date on IDRA Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Dailymotion.
About South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa:
Featuring more than 2,100 guestrooms, South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa overlooks the famous Las Vegas Strip and the serenity of the surrounding mountainscape. Each oversized guest room features state-of-the-art LED televisions as well as WiFi with high-speed internet connections. Guests visiting South Point will experience affordable luxury through a casino offering top-of-the-line gaming technology, more than 60 table games and a separate race and sports book area, 11 restaurants, including the award-winning Michael’s Gourmet Room, the world-class Costa Del Sur Spa and Salon, a 400-seat showroom featuring headliner entertainment, a 700-seat Bingo room, a 16-screen Cinemark movie complex, a state-of-the-art 64-lane bowling center, a 52,000-square foot Conference Center and an 80,000-square foot Exhibit Hall. South Point Hotel is also home to the Tournament Bowling Plaza, a multi-million dollar professional bowling tournament facility. In addition, South Point has the finest equestrian event facility in the country. The 240,000 square feet of event space features three climate-controlled arenas, vet clinic, feed store, more than 1,200 climate-controlled stalls and plays host to some of the country’s most unique events. South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa is at 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89183.
For more information or for room reservations, call (702) 796-7111 or visit the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa website. Connect with South Point on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and foursquare.+
