Region’s Leading Dragon Boat Team Secures Top Ranking In 500 Metres Race At The First Annual Dragon Boat Festival In Abu Dhabi
The Dubai Flying Dragons, the region’s leading Dragon Boat team delivered yet another impressive performance recently, winning first place in the premier division 500 metre finals, at the Abu Dhabi Dragon Boat festival. Following the team’s success at the World Championships in Penang, Malaysia in July, the victory marks the Dubai Flying Dragons as still the strongest team in the Middle East.
Sponsored by the Shangri-la hotel Abu Dhabi and Radio 2, 99.3FM, the first annual Abu Dhabi Dragon Boat Festival saw 50 corporate, education and competitive teams participate in the competition, racing head on head in various heats to the finish line.
Ben Hughes, Team Manager of Dubai Flying Dragons said: “I’m very proud of the team’s achievement. We have trained hard to win this competition and I am sure we will continue to improve as the year goes on in the coming local regattas and international competitions. With the team’s commitment and enthusiasm to Dragon Boating, we hope our results will motivate others in the region to take an active interest in the team sport.”
Held at the Public Park in Abu Dhabi for the first time ever, the Abu Dhabi Dragon Boat Festival attracted a large crowd of spectators and over 1000 competitors who battled it out on the water over the two day event.
While the Blue Bay Dragons won the gold medal in the premier division 200 metres final, first place was awarded to the Shangri-la hotel team in the Corporate Challenge final. Medals, trophies and prizes were given at the closing award ceremony.
The Dubai Flying Dragons was founded in December 2006 with goals to promote the sport and build a team to compete in international regattas. Since then, the team has rapidly grown to become the strongest team in the country winning first place in many of the domestic competitions while rising up the international ranks.
The team will be competing at the next Dragon Boat festival in Dubai to be held on 30th January, 2009.
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