Dubai: Nearly 50 boats will be in action on the Mina Seyahi waters off Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) for the opening round of the 30ft Dubai Traditional Rowing Race on Friday.
The course has been set over three nautical miles between the iconic Atlantis Hotel and Palm Jumeirah.
Organisers led by Hezaim Mohammad Al Gamzi, Acting CEO of DIMC, have been pleased with the way in which rowing has grown in popularity over the past few seasons.
“There used to be a time when we could barely get 20 to 25 boats confirming for races. But for the past few seasons the popularity of rowing has increased and we are pleased with the way this championship has caught the attention of our youth,” Al Gamzi told Gulf News.
“We have been paying a lot of extra attention to improving racing conditions for traditional water sports and allied activities and this has borne fruits, with so many of our young Emirati sailors showing an interest in rowing and sailing.”
The boats will be flagged off at 3pm from the edge of the western crescent on the Palm heading towards the Atlantis before turning in towards the finish line at DIMC. The presentation will be held immediately after the race.
The second round of the rowing series is scheduled for October 23 and the third and final round on November 27.
