Dhow racing in Dubai. Image copyright DIMC.
by Sharon Allison
The final round of the Traditional 43ft Sailing Dhow Championships organised by Dubai International Marine Club will be held this Saturday 12th March. The three-heat championship will culminate with a fleet of over seventy magnificent racing dhows contesting for the overall top place and the honour to start next season as boat number 1.
The positions on the overall scoreboard are close at the top, after the two previous races Al Zeer, skippered by Mohammed Rashid Bin Shaheen has 4 points. Lying second is Al Adeed, with 5 points, skippered by Rashid Moh. Musabbeh Al Rumaithi. But only two points away are Dahees and Al Shared with 6 points.
Dhow racing in Dubai. Image copyright DIMC.
‘The first four boats have had consistently good scores for the last two races,’ said Marwan Al Tayer, from the organising committee and Officer of the Day. ‘The skippers will be watching the weather closely over the next few days to make sure they get the best advantage. It is our job to make sure the race is run fairly and safely. Our offshore operation involves around 40 people and 10 boats from DIMC, we also have boats from the police and coastguard and a medical team in support. With 14 crew on each dhow plus the dhows support boat with two to three crew onboard, it means we have well over 1000 people on the water during the race, which is a lot of responsibility.’
Dhow racing in Dubai. Image copyright DIMC.
Unsettled weather conditions are set to continue although the weekend is expected to be warmer with winds from the north making the course likely to finish at the Burj Al Arab with the boats mustering in the lee of the World Islands waiting before the start.
The race on Saturday will start at 14:30 and is expected to last for around two hours.
Dubai International Marine Club in Mina Seyahi (DIMC)
