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Saker falcons are known to reach 300, sometimes even more, kilometres per hour when they plunge from the sky and catch their prey, but in straight line, how fast can a falcon fly?
The answer is to be found at Al Dhafra Festival, where falcons have returned this year for yet another speed race.
Organised by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee - Abu Dhabi - the eight Al Dhafra Festival takes place in the desert surroundings of Madinat Zayed, in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi emirate this December 20 - January 1.
Once dedicated almost entirely to camel beauty competitions, the festival has become a gathering and celebration of Emirati desert traditions, this year boasting no less than 15 heritage related competitions. One of them is the falcon race.
According to a spokesperson of the Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, in charge of the competition, 1700 falcons were registered for the race so far, and more are expected.
Taking place for five days during December 20-24, the race is split into three categories - public own falcons, public professional falconers and sheikhs' falcons. The first two days the sheikhs falcons compete, the next two days are for the public and the final day the fastest 25 falcons from each the public and sheikhs will race in the Super Finals.
Top winner will be awarded a brand new Nissan Patrol and a Marshal radio telemeter used in training falcons. Altogether, there will be six cars and AED one million in prizes.
To win the Tilwah (speed) Race, all falcons have to do is fly 400 meters. Their speed is measured using some of the most technologically advanced equipment in the world, such as sensor lasers.
For the first time at Al Dhafra Festival, the racing falcons are also fitted with electronic rings, which was invented by the Abu Dhabi Falconers Club. The light, carbon-fibre ring, fitted with the smallest, 16 milimiter diameter electronic chip, wraps around the falcon's leg to provide an accurate reading on all data, such as speed, sprint and distance travelled.
So far in the competition, the fastest flight was done in 17.04 seconds. The UAE record, though, is 16.09 seconds.

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