Dubai: A total of 120 dhows — up from 98 last year — will take off from Sir Bu Na’air island at the break of dawn on Saturday for the 25th sailing of the Al Gaffal Dhow Race.
The fleet left the Mina Seyahi waters off Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) on Friday morning. Starter’s orders are expected to be given at 5.30am on Saturday, after which the dhows will proceed towards Moon Island and then the finish line at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
Leading the fleet will be traditionally strong competitors like Fateh Al Khair, owned by His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Ruler of Abu Dhabi; Al Hadhay, owned by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and Al Qaffay and Al Zeer, which are both owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council.
Barraq, skippered by Rashid Mohammad Al Rumaithi, won the race last year to take home a cash prize of Dh500,000. Second was Al Adeed and Dahees was third.
The race, which has taken place annually since 1991, is held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, and aims to preserve the maritime traditions of the UAE.
Initially, 60ft dhows competed alongside smaller 43-ft vessels, but after three years, only the 60ft dhows were allowed to compete.
The route of the race retraces the journey of pearl merchants who stopped off at Sir Bu Na’air island to rest and prepare their pearls for trading in the markets of Dubai.
