UAE camel marathon for expats, tourists to start next year
Organisers will train those wanting to ride and race camel in new annual race
Dubai: The Hamdan Bin Mohammad Heritage Center (HHC) on Sunday announced an annual ‘Camel Trek Marathon’ for expats and visitors in the UAE, which will start next year.
Under a directive of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the announcement comes on the heels of a camel race for participants in the HHC’s annual Camel Trek.
At least 13 expatriates from China, Japan, UK, Romania, Finland, USA, Germany and Armenia showcased their experience in racing camels on February 12.
The Camel Trek Marathon will be held next year, alongside the ‘6th National Day Camel Marathon’, as part of the Arabian Camel Festival under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan.
Abdullah Hamdan Bin Dalmook, CEO of HHC, said: “The Camel Trek Marathon will be open not only for participants of the annual camel trek but also for all residents as well as tourists [on visit visa] in the UAE.”
Providing training
There will be a trial marathon to test the abilities of the participants and prizes await the winners.
“The HHC will provide the necessary training for those wanting to learn to ride a camel and participate in this special marathon, without conditions or restrictions that limit their participation,” said Bin Dalmook.
“Before the official Camel Trek Marathon, [HCC] will organise a trial race to assess the capability of the person who registered for the competition”.
Bin Dalmook described the marathon as “unprecedented”.
He said: “The UAE’s founding father Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan had established a similar race in the early 1990s, which opened the door of participation of a group of foreigners who conducted the race in the country. After about 30 years, the Crown Prince of Dubai has revived a similar competition that is bound to further promote the UAE’s rich cultural heritage, not only among the Emiratis but every expatriate and visitor as well.”
Bin Dalmook also underlined the HHC’s role in implementing the directives of Shaikh Hamdan and the government’s role in promoting heritage sports in the framework of spreading tolerance among different cultures of the world.
More information is available on www.hhc.gov.ae