Hareb says Sea Dubai Festival was a resounding success

Dubai: Authorities at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) are pleased with the overwhelming success of the Sea Dubai Watersports Festival that was held under the patronage of which has been closely followed by Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

The event concluded at the Mina Seyahi breakwater on Saturday with the UIM/WPPA Class 1 World Powerboat Championship.

"The response this year has been fantastic and we are more than pleased to have both visitors and residents attend and enjoy the various activities held under the banner of the festival," said Saeed Hareb, CEO, Mina Seyahi and Managing Director of DIMC.

"We owe all the success of this annual event to His Highness Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and to Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum," Hareb added.

Shaikh Mohammad recently allocated Dh90 million to the DIMC in recognition of the tremendous work being done by the body in upholding traditional watersports while also promoting the modern aspects of the sport.

"This gesture has been a great boost to us. For one, we are confident we are on the right path and it is our aim to do even better in putting the UAE on the international watersports map," Hareb promised.

The 12-day festival saw a variety of watersport activity being held at the Mina Seyahi breakwaters, starting with the traditional rowing and sailing to the more modern surf-ski racing. The culmination of the watersports festival was with the Emirates-Dubai Duty Free Class One Grand Prix - the eighth and final round on the 2008 Class One calendar on Saturday.

The Dubai-based Victory 1 clinched a second straight and an eighth overall world Class One title.