Dubai: Dubai is to hold its first Camel Marathon, which will cover 50km and award luxury vehicles and cash prizes to winners, on December 3.
The long race is meant to inspire the care and breeding of camels, which are part of UAE heritage.
Organised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammad Heritage Centre (HHC), the marathon will be held in Al Marmoum area on December 3 to coincide with celebrations for the 44th UAE National Day (December 2).
The marathon invites adult Emirati camel owners, and not jockeys, to compete in the race. Around 1,000 contestants are expected to take part.
HHC CEO Abdullah Hamdan Bin Dalmuk said: “We see the cultural, sports and traditional activities we hold as a means of reviving the customs and practices of our ancestors. Camels were a key means of livelihood for the people of the Arabian Peninsula. They taught people patience and endurance and even had songs and poems written about them. Hence we at [HHC] are keen to introduce new ways to try and inspire citizens to breed and care for camels.”
He added that organisers hope to hold the marathon again in the coming years.
“Under the directives of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and in line with his vision to preserve the UAE’s heritage through different sports and activities, we are launching this marathon in conjunction with the celebrations of the 44th National Day… We’d like to thank the Dubai Camel Racing Club for their cooperation with us in organising this marathon for the first time.”
Ali Saeed Bin Sarud, Director-General, Dubai Camel Racing Club, said: “This race is characterised by its length. Although many camel races are held in the Emirates, this will be the first time that a camel race is held over such a long distance… Training and conditioning would play a big role in this marathon, along with the rider’s tactics in distributing the camel’s effort and in pacing the camel over the long distance. How well the rider understands and assesses his competitors, the racetrack and climatic conditions would also prove decisive.”
Valuable prizes will be awarded to the first 50 winners, including cash prizes to the winners of the 4th to the 50th positions, and luxury vehicles for winners of the first three positions.
