Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan approves October date for 35th edition of Al Gaffal Race

Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Al Nasr Sports Club, received a delegation from the Supreme Organising Committee for the 35th Edition of Al Gaffal Long Distance Race, which is held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

The meeting was held as part of coordination efforts to approve the date of the much-anticipated event, which is scheduled to take place in October 2026.

The meeting reaffirmed the keenness to stage the race at the most suitable time, ensuring the best organisational and technical conditions for owners, skippers (nakhudas), sailors and all participants, while reflecting the prominent standing the event enjoys on the calendar of traditional marine sports in the UAE and the wider region.

Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum praised the continued support and keen interest of the race’s patron, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which have contributed to the continuity of this major event, eagerly awaited by the marine sports community each year.

He emphasised that this support represents a fundamental pillar in strengthening Al Gaffal’s position as one of the UAE’s foremost sporting and heritage occasions, closely linked to the nation’s maritime identity.

Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum directed the Supreme Organising Committee delegation to facilitate the participation of competitors, overcome any challenges facing owners and sailors, and select the most appropriate date for staging the event in a manner befitting its stature. This will be carried out in coordination and cooperation with strategic partners, contributing to the delivery of a distinguished 35th edition that builds on the strong participation figures and records achieved by the race in previous seasons.

The Supreme Organising Committee delegation comprised Dr Ahmed Saeed Bin Meshar, Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee, along with committee members Khalid Khamis Bin Dasmal, Khalid Ali Al Blooshi and Mohammed Abdullah Harib Al Falahi.

During the meeting, the committee reviewed its plans and the preparations of Dubai International Marine Club to stage the event, in a manner that preserves the race’s organisational, audience and media achievements.

Al Gaffal is a prestigious traditional sporting and heritage carnival dedicated to 60ft local sailing dhows. It was launched in 1991 through the vision of its founder, the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may he rest in peace, as a message to be passed down through generations in celebration of the legacy of the forefathers.

Since its inception, the race has established itself as one of the UAE’s most important traditional marine events. It embodies the deep connection between the people of the UAE and the sea, recalls the return journeys from the pearl-diving season, and preserves the presence of local sailing dhows in the national memory through a sporting spectacle that combines competition, skill and pride in heritage.

For his part, Dr Ahmed Saeed Bin Meshar expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his interest, follow-up and continued support. He said Sheikh Rashid’s directives provide a strong incentive for the organising committee to intensify its efforts to ensure the success of the forthcoming edition and present it in a manner worthy of the race’s history and great value.

Bin Meshar said Al Gaffal holds a special place in the memory of UAE marine sports, as it is the result of the vision of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may he rest in peace, who launched this heritage event to preserve the legacy of the forefathers and commemorate the role of traditional Arabian sailing dhows, which formed an integral part of the history of seafaring communities in the UAE.

He added that the Supreme Organising Committee is proud to continue this journey under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and with the follow-up and interest of Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, further strengthening the race’s standing and ensuring its continuity as one of the region’s leading heritage and sporting carnivals.

Al Gaffal enjoys broad participation from the marine sports community, bringing together thousands of participants in the waters of the Arabian Gulf. The participating dhows cover a distance of more than 50 nautical miles to the finish line off the coast of Dubai.

The previous edition featured more than 110 dhows, with the crew of Zilzal 25, owned by Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and led by skipper Marwan Abdullah Al Marzouqi, claiming the title for the fourth time in their history.

The Supreme Organising Committee is continuing to complete arrangements for the 35th edition, further reinforcing the race’s status as a prominent national and heritage occasion and affirming its role in safeguarding the UAE’s maritime heritage and passing it on to future generations.