Dubai: Five hundred swimmers will on Friday lap the azure waters around the Burj Al Arab hotel in an event that is part of the Global Swim Series.
The event, now in its thirteenth edition, is organised by the Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Holding, which owns the Burj Al Arab through its Jumeirah Group subsidiary.
Swimmers aged 16 years and above will tackle either a 1,600-metre or an 800-metre stretch. The Global Swim Series features 63,000 swimmers from 29 countries taking part in open water races.
The competition offers a “unique opportunity for UAE residents to swim around one of the most iconic landmarks in the Emirate of Dubai, and the world’s most luxurious hotel,” said Cedric Betis, the chairman of Dubai Holding’s wellness committee.
“We encourage swimmers of all fitness and skill levels to take part,” Betis told Gulf News.
Participants will be given a day pass to the Wild Wadi water park, along with half-price entry for a friend. Winners will receive other giveaways.
Funds raised by the competition will go to the obesity research fund of Al Jalilah Foundation, a Dubai-based charity.
Abdul Kareem Al Olama, CEO of of Al Jalilah Foundation, observed that obesity was “one of the UAE’s pressing health issues.”
“The high incidence of obesity in the UAE highlights the need for scientific research to develop life-saving discoveries to reverse the alarming statistics and ensure the future health of the nation,” he added.
