Claypaky Lights Up Global Stages with A Show of Power + Dominance in Bahrain and Singapore

From dazzling beams at Bahrain’s celebration of its historic Arabian Gulf Cup victory to precision lighting at the World Table Tennis Grand Smash, Claypaky fixtures have decisively proved their brilliance in high-energy live events. Demonstrating both power and precision, Claypaky’s lighting solutions delivered stunning visuals that enhanced the live experience for spectators while ensuring broadcast-friendly illumination for millions watching at home.

At the Bahrain National Stadium, where the nation celebrated its football team’s victory in the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup, a spectacular lighting display was orchestrated to match the grandeur of the occasion; with the event featuring an impressive deployment of 40 units of Skylos, 40 units of Xtylos, and 40 units of Scenius Profiles from Claypaky. The stadium, packed with fans and dignitaries, including His Majesty the King, was transformed into a visual spectacle of beams and colours that painted the night sky in Bahrain’s national red and white.

For lighting programmer and operator Alex Douglas, the event marked his first time working with Skylos, Claypaky’s all-weather, laser-powered beam fixture. “Skylos was impressive; it was everything I expected from a big light,” he remarked. “They were punchy and fast with a good zoom range. They also created an especially narrow beam through the deflection gobo.” The Xtylos units played a key role in rendering vibrant red hues essential to the national colour scheme, ensuring that the lighting held its own even against a dramatic fireworks finale. Meanwhile, the Scenius Profiles, positioned in two groups of 20 on either side of the stage, provided front and base lighting for presentations. Douglas also highlighted the durability of Claypaky’s fixtures under extreme environmental conditions. “The heat of the day combined with the cold of the night in the desert makes the condensation level insane, especially in winter. The Skylos with its IP66 rating handled it perfectly, and even the IP20-rated Xtylos had zero issues.”

Across the globe in Singapore, Claypaky fixtures took centre stage at the World Table Tennis Grand Smash Singapore 2025, one of the most significant events in the international table tennis calendar. With lighting at the heart of both competition and entertainment, a large deployment of Sharpy X Frames and Sharpy Washes ensured the perfect balance between precision and spectacle. The lighting team, led by Gabriel Chan and Michael Chan, was tasked with delivering competition lighting that was bright yet soft to avoid glare for athletes, while simultaneously providing dynamic sports presentation lighting that energised the audience.

For the Grand Smash, 83 units of Sharpy X Frames were strategically placed throughout the venue, serving multiple purposes. 6 units were mounted on each of four diagonal trusses as camera fill lights, while 8 units were installed on the mother truss for athlete and umpire illumination. Additional fixtures were positioned on the rear truss above the 24-metre LED screen, with 16 more on the floor and one dedicated to backlighting athletes in the tunnel. Michael Chan praised the Sharpy X Frame’s performance, saying, “I love the effects we could create with the fast movements and extremely punchy X Frame, especially when I have the ability to switch between the beam and spot modes.” He also noted the fixture’s unique characteristics, explaining, “I think the Sharpy X Frames stand out in a market where all the new and upcoming fixtures are either LED or laser-based. The use of a discharge lamp creates a solid, punchy looking beam that is hard to replicate with current LED and laser technology.”

Sharpy Washes, a staple in the event’s lighting design since its inception, once again played a crucial role. At this year’s Grand Smash, 29 units were mounted on the perimeter of the mother truss, serving as audience wash lights. “I appreciate the saturated reds, the thematic colour for the event, that the fixture is able to produce, which I use to light up audiences during competition,” noted Gabriel Chan. “The result is punchy and renders well on camera yet is comfortable for audiences to sit through without it affecting their appreciation of the sport.”

The lighting choreography at the Grand Smash also featured five 45-second light shows per match, meticulously synchronised to music and multimedia cues. “The light shows have become a prominent and integral part of the event experience and are now a highly choreographed design with lots of cues responding to all the attacks and beats,” explained Michael Chan. The event’s opening and closing ceremonies incorporated extended two-to-two-and-a-half-minute sequences, interwoven with storytelling elements to enhance the immersive experience.

Lighting vendor MediaPix, with Frankie Yee overseeing operations, provided the fixtures, alongside crucial support from Acoustic and Lighting System – Claypaky’s official distributor in Singapore. Meanwhile, back in Bahrain, Showtech Productions W.L.L. produced the stunning celebratory event, with lighting design by the company’s CEO Lawrence Rodricks; reinforcing Claypaky’s ability to deliver outstanding results across different event scales and conditions.