More than 1,000 Emirati rowers will thrash through the waters off the capital’s Corniche on Friday, January 6th,
in the Abu Dhabi Traditional Rowing Race. A total of four races are
scheduled at 20 minutes intervals between 3:30 and 4:30pm, with 16 or 17
all-wooden rowing boats allotted to each starting slot. The quartet of
races, which will be named ‘Red’, ‘Green’, ‘White’ and ‘Black’ in honour
of the UAE flag, will see 16 rowers and one non-rowing cox occupy the
40ft boats.
The 2.8km course runs from the stretch of public beach just
opposite Le Royal Meridien hotel to the Hiltonia Beach Club. The Abu
Dhabi Traditional Rowing Race is free to attend, with the best viewing
points found at the Corniche public beach, or the
Volvo Ocean Race Destination Village - which is open from 11am to midnight on weekends and daily from 11am to 11pm.