Dubai Traditional Dhow Sailing Race (60ft) - Heat 1

Registration for the first round of the Dubai Traditional Dhow Sailing Race closes today. The race, organized by the Dubai International Marine Club, is set to take place tomorrow as part of the new season’s calendar, which began last month.

The organizing committee opened registration earlier this week and informed participants of the schedule for the first-round race on Saturday. The registration process attracted significant interest from dhow owners and captains, with 70 boats confirming their participation by Thursday.

Today, the organizing committee will hold an online meeting with the participating captains and boat owners. Led by Mohammed Al Marri, Director of the Sports Affairs Department, the meeting will cover race instructions, the course layout, and coordinates.

Dubai's shore will host a significant marine sports heritage event this afternoon with the launch of the 60ft Dubai Traditional Dhow Sailing Race, marking the first round of the Dubai Championship 2024-2025. Organized by the Dubai International Marine Club, this event is part of the new season's calendar.

The race holds special significance for owners, captains, and sailors, as it marks the official opening of the season for this category. The championship consists of four rounds, starting today with the first round. The second round will take place at the end of this month, followed by the third round next month. The season will culminate in the fourth round, the Al Gaffal Long Distance Race, which runs from Sir Bu Nair Island to the Dubai coast and is scheduled for May or June of next year.

Over 70 dhow boats will gather at noon in the Arabian Gulf, parallel to Dubai Islands and Umm Al Hatab Island. Once the green flag is raised, the boats will unfurl their white sails against the stunning backdrop of the blue Gulf waters, heading towards the finish line near the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel on the Jumeirah beaches.

Mohammed Al Marri, Director of the Sports Affairs Department at the Dubai International Marine Club, confirmed that all preparations have been finalized to ensure the success of this highly anticipated event. This has been achieved through close coordination and consultation with key partners and government agencies that consistently support the club's initiatives.

Al Marri expressed his sincere gratitude to the owners, captains, and sailors for their enthusiasm at the season's start and their ongoing cooperation with the organizing committee. He noted that the club communicated the latest conditions and instructions to the participants in an online meeting held on Friday.

He added that the race distance exceeds 20 nautical miles and is expected to take place under favorable weather conditions, with reports indicating wind speeds of 5-9 knots and wave heights of around one foot. The anticipated temperature will be 32 degrees Celsius. Al Marri extended his best wishes for a successful race to all participants.

The crew of Atlas 12, owned and skippered by Ahmed Rashid Jumaa Al Suwaidi, claimed victory in the Dubai Traditional Dhow Sailing Race (60ft), organized by the Dubai International Marine Sports Club on the shores of the Pearl of the Gulf, as part of the 2024-2025 sports season calendar.

In second place was the crew of Al Tabr 55, owned by Rashid Mohammed Rashid bin Ghadeer Al Ketbi and captained by Mohammad Suhail Al Muhairi. The crew of Zayurikh 120, owned by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense, led by Captain Khalifa Muhair Saeed Al Mazrouei, finished third.

The race marked a promising start for this category, with over 70 dhow boats lining up at the starting line in the Arabian Gulf off the coast of Dubai. Once the green flag was raised, the boats sailed smoothly for 20 nautical miles, taking advantage of stable wind and sea conditions as they raced toward the finish line near the Burj Al Arab, between the World Islands and Palm Jumeirah.

Atlas 12 led the race, completing it in approximately one hour and twenty-five minutes. The crew’s skill in navigating race conditions and selecting the shortest route secured them a well-deserved first place, ahead of Al Tabr 55 and Zayurikh 120, in an exciting contest.

Other boats that secured top positions included Al Dhafra 125 in fourth place, Barq 183 in fifth, Shaheen 57 in sixth, Zilzal 25 in seventh, Toofan 21 in eighth, Namran 211 in ninth, and Ghazi 103 in tenth.

Following the race, an awards ceremony was held for the top three finishers, with Mohammed Al Marri, Director of the Sports Affairs Department at the Dubai International Marine Club, and Colonel Ali Abdullah Al Naqbi from Dubai Police Port Station presenting the honors.

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Ahmed Rashid Juma Al Suwaidi, captain and owner of Atlas 12, expressed his happiness in winning the first round of the Dubai Traditional Dhow Sailing Race (60ft). He highlighted that this victory marks a promising start to the season, fueling hopes for more successes in the remaining rounds. 

Al Suwaidi also praised the Dubai International Marine Club and its organizing committee for their efforts, commending the selection of a suitable course and the favorable conditions that enabled all participants to finish the race safely.

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Mohammed Saif Al Marri, Director of the Sports Affairs Department at the Dubai International Marine Club, extended his gratitude to the strategic partners and supporting entities for their role in ensuring the event's success. He also thanked the captains, owners, and sailors for their full cooperation and adherence to the instructions, which contributed to the safe completion of the race. 

With over 70 dhows participating, Al Marri remarked that the first round set a positive tone for a busy and successful season. He expressed hope that the same spirit will continue as the dhows prepare to sail again in the second round later this month, followed by the third round in early November.

Results:

1.  Atlas 12
2. Al Tabr 55
3. Zayurikh120
4. Al Dhafra 125
5. Barq 183
6. Shaheen 57
7.  Zilzal 25
8. Toofan 21
9. Namran 211
10. Ghazi 103

Dubai International Marine Club has set next Saturday (02 November 2024) as the new date for organizing the second round of the 60ft Dubai Traditional Dhow Sailing Race, which was recently postponed due to weather conditions.

The club announced that registration for participation in the anticipated race will remain open for boat owners and captains until Friday, prior to announcing the entry list.

Mohammed Al Marri, Director of the Sports Affairs Department at Dubai International Marine Club, said that the race organizing committee is closely monitoring the weather reports and the expected sea conditions, stressing that the marine forecast shows suitable conditions for the race.

Al Marri extended his sincere thanks to the club's partners from government departments and national institutions that always contribute to the success of the races, including the Dubai Police, represented by the Ports Police Station, and Dubai Media Incorporated, represented by Dubai Sports TV.

This race represents the second leg of the Dubai Championship, which includes four rounds that started in the middle of this month with the first round and will conclude with the Al Gaffal Long Distance Race from Sir Bu Nair Island to Dubai Shore next year.

The anticipated race on Saturday is the 97th in a series of races organized by the Dubai International Marine Club since the announcement of the 60ft dhow sailing category in the 1992-1993 season, where it made its first appearance in the third edition of the Al Gaffal Race alongside the 43ft dhow sailing boat in a joint race before it was officially adopted as a category for the Al Gaffal Race from the fourth edition in the 1993-1994 season onwards.