The Organizing Committee of the 29th Al Gaffal Long Distance Race , which is held under the support and patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum , Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, decided the race to be on Friday (03 May) after reviewing all the matters related to the sea condition in the coming days.
The Organizing Committee of the closing race, the 29th Al Gaffal Long Distance Race, based on the directives of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum , the launch of the race should be in the best conditions in accordance to the safety and security standards which causes the delayed of race because of the weather situation and disruption to the sea and decided to be with the new date on Friday.
The meeting was held yesterday at the club headquarter's headed by Ali Nasser Belhabala , Vice Chairman of DIMC and Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee with the Board Member & CEO , Mohammed Harib with Hezaim Al Gemzi the Director of Sports Department and Mohammed Al Shamsi the Director of Admin and Corporate Support with the HR Manager , Manaf Khasawneh decided to held the race on a new date , which is on Friday.
The Organizing Committee of the 29th Al Gaffal Long Distance Race extend his deep thanks and appreciation for His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum , Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance for his constant support and encouragement to the participants who participate many times in the race thus uplifting them by increasing the race awards to 12 Million AED.
The Committee also sent a sincere appreciation towards the boat owner and skipper for their great cooperation and follow up in order to the the appropriate decision and to held the race at great condition especially the sea state which in the past days are unstable with up and down that causes difficulty in building the Thuraya tower with the intense north wind.
Mohammed Harib , DIMC Board Member and CEO give his warm thanks and appreciation of the Organizing Committee to the government departments and national institutions which lend their full support for the success of the event and their decision of postponing it and giving new date.
He also said that the organizing committee will be there on Sir Bu Na'air Island starting from Wednesday to complete the preparation for the race which they will do Technical Inspection from Wednesday until Thursday prior to race day.
The organizing committee is ready to go to Sir Bu Na'air Island at anytime with the boats Shindagha carrying the delegation of Dubai Media Incroporated and channel from Dubai Sports TV , the Za'abeel boat carrying the DIMC staff, the Fatah Boat carrying the medical and safety operation team and the Al Fahidi Boat as headquarter of the Organizing Committee.
They also reminded all the boat owners and skippers to comply with all the regulations and law as well as with the race instruction to achieve the success of the race as well as for their safety on the shore.
The Al Gaffal Long Distance Race marks each year end of the season for the Dubai International Marine Club which always happen during the month of May and this time it will happen on Friday.
The race was characterized as closing race since it was launched on 1991 usually during the month of May except for the fifth edition on 1995 and twelfth on 2002 which happen to be on June .
The first version: 23 May 1991
Second Edition: 21 May 1992
Third edition: 26 May 1993
Fourth edition: 26 May 1994
Fifth edition: 1 June 1995
Sixth Edition: 30 May 1996
Seventh edition: 22 May 1997
Eighth edition: 21 May 1998
Ninth Edition : 20 May 1999
Tenth Edition : 25 May 2000
Eleventh Edition :31 May 2001
Twelfth Edition : 13 June 2002
Thirteenth Edition : 29 May 2003
Fourteenth: 28 May 2004
Fifteenth: 26 May 2005
Sixteenth: 26 May 2006
Seventeen: 26 May 2007
Eighteenth: 31 May 2008
Nineteenth : 23 May 2009
Twenty: 29 May 2010
Twenty-first : 28 May 2011
Twenty Second : 27 May 2012
Twenty - third : 25 May 2013
Twenty - fourth: 18 May 2014
Twenty - fifth: 23 May 2015
Twenty - sixth: 20 May 2016
Twenty - seventh : 14 May 2017
Twenty - eighth: 14 May 2018
Twenty - ninth : May 3, 2019
