The Abu Dhabi Media Office announced on October 30 that the ninth edition of the Dalma Historic Race Festival will run from October 30 to November 15 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region. The Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club are jointly organizing the festival which promotes UAE maritime heritage through traditional sailing and community events. The long-distance dhow race serves as the main attraction and has been provisionally scheduled for November 4 according to the official announcement.
The 60-foot dhow contest will start from Dalma Island and traverse roughly 68 nautical miles equivalent to 125 kilometers while navigating past eight historically significant islands before ending at Al Mugheirah Beach. The route passes Sir Bani Yas, Ghasha, Umm Al Kurkum, Al Fatayer, Al Bazm, Al Fiayi, Marawah and Janana islands in sequence as detailed in the Abu Dhabi Media Office release. This distance makes the competition the longest traditional marine race in the Arabian Gulf according to organizers.
Abu Dhabi Sports Council records from the eighth edition in 2025 show 110 dhows and more than 3,000 sailors took part with a total prize fund of 30 million AED. Earlier editions maintained similar scales with 122 dhows and around 3,000 participants in 2024 while 125 vessels competed in 2023 the council figures indicate. First place has gone to vessels such as Zurich owned by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and captained by Khalifa Muhair Saeed Al Mazrouei in multiple stagings.
The festival program extends to a traditional rowing race for 40-foot boats carrying a 2.4 million AED prize purse and the Dalma Shaari Fishing Championship as outlined by the Abu Dhabi Media Office. Additional sporting events will include cycling, swimming, running, padel, women’s badminton, beach football, beach volleyball and a falconry championship. The public can attend on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 6 to 15 while competitor activities begin immediately.
Organizers have structured the festival to engage both athletes and visitors in preserving maritime traditions that once supported pearling and trading voyages across the region the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority has stated in prior event summaries. Safety protocols and heritage compliance standards will govern all races with coordination among relevant authorities. Past editions have drawn increasing numbers of participants from across UAE emirates reflecting sustained interest in these cultural competitions.
Prize distribution for the dhow race will follow established patterns with the winner receiving 1.3 million AED and a vehicle followed by descending awards through the top 120 places according to Abu Dhabi Sports Council breakdowns from recent years. The provisional November 4 timing aligns with expected seasonal sailing conditions in the Gulf waters. The overall festival is projected to exceed previous participation levels based on growth trends documented in Abu Dhabi Sports Council assessments.