Delma Island starts today to welcome the dhows participating in the fourth edition of the Delma Historical Festival Race, scheduled to take place on Wednesday. The island will host 102 sailing dhows that will undergo a comprehensive technical inspection over the next two days to ensure compliance with all specifications and technical measurements.
The fourth Delma Historical Race Festival is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the representative of the ruler in the Al Dhafra region, and is organized by the Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yachting Club in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Festivals and Cultural Programs Management Committee and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
A total of 102 sailing dhows from various parts of the country will participate in the competition, contending for cash prizes totaling 25 million dirhams and three cars, marking the highest prizes in the history of maritime heritage races. Additionally, this race is the longest in history, covering a distance of 125 kilometers and passing through seven islands from Delma to the Port City.
A press statement noted that the high organizing committee of the race, led by Ahmed Thani Murshid Al Rumaithi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yachting Club, has prepared for this historic event with a series of special arrangements, most notably the verification of COVID-19 tests. Each sailor and member of the crew in each dhow must register a negative test result 48 hours prior to the race and before arriving at Delma Island itself. No sailor will be allowed to participate or be present on the island without providing a negative test result.
Al Rumaithi confirmed that all dhows will undergo a thorough technical inspection to ensure they meet the technical specifications, emphasizing that any dhow not in compliance will be immediately disqualified.
