Hatta Running Championship To Showcase Sporting Vibe Of The Hatta Winter Initiative

The stage is set for yet another exciting iteration of the ever-popular Hatta Running Championship on January 4. Held under the patronage of Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Hatta Club, the event is being organised by the Hatta Sports, Cultural and Social Club, with the Dubai Sports Council(DSC) and the organising committee for the Hatta Winter Festival also closely involved.

More than 1,000 entries have so far been confirmed for the event, which has attracted a sizeable contingent of international participants.The championship is being held as part of the Hatta Winter initiative, with the DSC serving as one of the main partners of the initiative.

Diverse categories

The event features competition across eight categories, including the Emirati men’s category and an open category over a distance of 8 km, the Emirati women’s category and an open category over a distance of 5 km, the Emirati youth category and an open category for under-20-year-olds over a distance of 5 km, and the Emirati children’s category and an open category for under-16s over a distance of 3 km.Cutting across diverse nationalities and age brackets, more than 1,000 runners will be in action in various categories,with a prize pool of AED100,000spurring them to give their best.

The race routes have been carefully chosen to include sections that highlight some of Hatta’s most beautiful natural and tourist attractions while at the same time offering a challenging course physically. The picturesque Leem Lake area will mark the finishing point for all races.

The Hatta Running Championship is among the highlights of diverse sporting activities organisedas part of the Hatta Winter initiative, which is overseen by the Supreme Committee to Supervise the Development of Hatta, and is implemented by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, in partnership with various government and private entities.

Tourism and development boost

The Hatta Winter initiative serves to provide added impetus to the goals of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, especially in terms of enhancing tourism competitiveness, driving development activities with the participation of the private sector, supporting efforts to promote tourism and encourage entrepreneurs, as well as organising and hosting activities and sporting events that will help boost the number of visitors to the Hatta region.

The Hatta Running Championship also aligns with concerted efforts being made to enhance the region’s profile as a destination for sports tourism and diverse sporting activities, besides its capability to host major sporting events that directly benefit local communities and usher in significant economic benefits.

Among recent sporting events held in Hatta was the Hatta Winter Football Championship, which featured the participation of eight community teams, and the preliminary and exhibition phase of the Dubai International Rally events from November 29 to December 1. The Emirates Motor Sports Organization (EMSO) partnered with the Dubai Sports Council to organise the latter event. Another highlight was a walking competition organised by Hatta Adventures,with local farms and the area’s unique aflaj irrigation network providing a fascinating backdrop for the event.

The Hatta Winterinitiativehas also set the stage for mountain biking and kayaking races organised by Hatta Adventures and Hatta Kayak (January 11), and the Stand Up Paddling and Kayaking Challenge (January 25-26),besides sporting challenges with a family flavour on February 1.The Hatta Ramadan Tournament will keep the community engaged in sporting pursuits during the holy month while the Spartan Race is yet another event that promises to be a major draw for international participants as well as local communities.