Zilzal boat no. 81, owned by His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and captained by Nawaf Ahmed Al Marei, was crowned the champion of the Traditional Rowing Race, marking the first round of the Dubai Championship in the sports season 2023-2024.

The Bahraini boat no. 54, KHK, owned by His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa and captained by Ahmed Nasser Al Busmait, achieved the lead and distinction in the open class category designated for boats from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and teams from government departments and national institutions.

The great race, successfully organized by the Dubai International Marine Club, took place within the calendar of events for the marine sports season 2023-2024. It coincided with the Dubai Fitness Challenge 30×30 activities and with the Athletic Caravan initiative, organized by the Dubai Police Athletes Council, which concluded successfully on Sunday in the Events Village on Al Jaddaf Walk.

The success of the race was evident through the participation of more than 200 sailors on board 44 boats, divided into two categories: the local and open class. They competed over a race distance of 2.3 km, against the stunning backdrop of the urban renaissance of Business Bay, the Dubai Harbor Creek Marina, and the Wildlife Sanctuary.

Thirty boats competed in the local class race, with boat no. 81 Zilzal leading from the first stages, securing the first position, ahead of the second-place boat no. 36 Al Asifa, owned by Hamdan Saeed Jaber and led by Bader Abdul Hakim Mohammed Thani. The third-place went to boat no. 2 Wadi Sahm, owned by Sheikh Maktoum bin Hamad Bin Muhammad Al Sharqi and led by Mohammed Salem Al Kindi.

In the open class category, fourteen boats showcased a high spirit of honorable competition. The Bahraini boat no. 54 KHK outperformed all, including the two boats from the Sultanate of Oman affiliated with the Oman Marine Sports Committee: Ahed Oman 44, led by Salem Hamid Salem Al-Bahri (second place), and Shabab Suhar 22, led by Ibrahim bin Saleh bin Rashid Al Ghaithi (third place).

Mohammed Harib, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Dubai International Marine Club, accompanied by Dr. Maryam Anas Al Matroushi, Chairman of the Dubai Police Athletes Council, and Mohammed Al Marri, Race Director, crowned the champions of both the local and open class categories on the center stage in the Athletic Caravan Village. This initiative was successfully organized by the General Command of Dubai Police as part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge 30×30

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Mohammed Harib, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Dubai International Marine Club, stated that the race achieved great success with wide and large participation, involving 44 boats. This affirms the significance of the Dubai Championship, now entering its twenty-eighth season, as it brings together not only the people of the country but also participants from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, along with teams representing various government departments and institutions.

He further explained that the Dubai International Marine Club is committed to sustaining its successes in environmental conservation. This commitment is evident in the organization of environmentally friendly races, including this traditional race held annually near the Dubai Creek Wildlife Sanctuary.

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The 2023-2024 Dubai Traditional Rowing Race Championship will resume on the ninth of December with the second round race. Following this, the final ranking of the boats will be approved to announce the list of elite boats participating in the prestigious Al Maktoum Cup 2023, scheduled on Saturday, the 23rd of December

Top 10 Result Per Category

Local Class Run 1- Zilzal 2 (81), 2-Al Asifa (36), 3- Wadi Sahm (2), 4- Balbala (43), 5- Al-Kous (35), 6- Atlas (39), 7- Zillzal (51), 8- Al-Saroukh (7), 9- Zilzal 1 (16), 10 - Shati Dibba (24)

Open Class Run: 1- KHK (54), 2- Ahed Oman (44), 3- Shabab Suhar (22), 4- Avon Center (31), 5- A25 Team (87), 6- Tornado (84), 7- Dubai Police (3), 8- Police Dubai (30), 9- Hawail (83), 10- Al Mataf (46)