The Wind Blew With Al Gharbia Watersports Festival. Ten Days, 5,000 Participants, 60,000 Visitors, Aed Four Millions: It's Been Bigger Than Ever
Thousands took a trip from all corners of UAE this last weekend to the far western town of Mirfa for the enjoyable and full-packed schedule of Al Gharbia Watersports Festival. It was the last weekend of the 10 days festivaland organisers of the festival, the Abu Dhabi Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee (CPHFC) in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club, kept some of the very best for last.
Both the 60 feet Marawah Dhow Sailing Race and the 22 feet Jananah Dhow Sailing Race took place these last Friday and Saturday and the weather - and sea - conditions could not have actually been better.
"It was a great day and a fantastic race," stated Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Director of the festival and Director of the Heritage Competitions at CPHFC, after the last Jananah dhow boat crossed the finish line.
"We had great wind in the last 2 days, suitable for both the 60 feet race yesterday and the 22 feet one today, makinged the races much more exciting," he added.
This eighth edition of Al Gharbia Watersports Festival attracted thousands of individuals from 20 various citizenships, contending in all kind of water sports, from regional rowing race to different kind of standard boat sailing races, from stand up paddle browsing to the magnificent kite browsing competition.
Back on the beach, over 20,000 square meters of white sand there were beach ball and football competitions, along with a heritage village with 45 conventional souk huts, an outdoors museum, kids's play area and a phase for live evening programs.
A minimum of 60,000 individuals were approximated to have actually come to see the celebration this year.
"The Marawah Dhow Sailing Race, which is one of the highlights of the celebration, attracted 105 taking part boats this year, nearly double from in 2014's 68 boats. This shows us that the festival here in Mirfa is progressing known and ever more popular," said Al Mazrouei.
"Another of the festival's highlights, the kite surfing competition was likewise lucky with excellent wind. It too brought in a lot more individuals this year; the number of females individuals enhanced as well, and there were new names getting in the competitors too".
"The heritage village was extremely popular with visitors. The souk, the heritage exhibit, the kids' play zone, the food area were all hits, specifically the stage, which was extremely active this year with more, better programmes.".
"Year after year, with festivals such as this one, Al Gharbia is becoming an ever more popular destination, particularly for the heritage candidate," concluded Al Mazrouei.
The last competition to close the festival on Saturday afternoon was the Jananah dhow sailing race. With wind on their side, the several lots 22 feet long wooden boats stretched their sails, with boats number 60, 5 and 18 running a close fight till completion.
The winners, in addition to all other competitors winners were awarded with prize money, medals and trophies by Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday evening.
Completely, over AED 4 millions were granted to competitors winners, the biggest amount, AED 3.5 million offered to the leading three winners of the 60 feet Marawah Dhow Sailing Race.
"There were 22 people on the boat and the award cash will be shared amongst us, however it has actually never been about the cash. It's all about the competition itself, the hard work, all the physical effort you put in the race, understanding the waves and working with the wind the find the quickest way through and crossing that goal," said Naief Khalifa, one of the winners of the 60 Marawah race.
Some 3000 individuals in 105 boats competed over the 20 miles race last Friday. It is the only competitors in the festival that limits involvement to UAE and GCC nationals just.
