Dust will fly at the Al Marmoom racetrack this weekend when the Gulf’s fastest camels compete in the grand finals of the camel race season.
Sheikhs, tribesmen and some 14,000 race camels are expected to compete at the 38th annual Al Marmoom Heritage Festival in Dubai, which begins Saturday, April 6 and ends Thursday, April 18.
The festival is one of the largest events on the Gulf camel racing calendar and marks the end of the season, which runs from September to April.
Camel owners race alongside the track to watch and cheer for their camel. But for visitors hesitant to join the throng of honking vehicles, a free public bus will run alongside the track during races so all visitors can follow the action.
After the races, the public can visit the market and watch folk art performances at the racetrack’s Heritage Village. It will be open from 6pm until 10pm.
Victorious camels will have their heads covered in saffron and owners will take home trophies, daggers, rifles, swords, saddle seats, luxury vehicles and cash prizes. Last year’s prizes exceeded Dh153 million.
There will be a total of 378 races this year, with 132 dedicated to camels owned by sheikhs and 246 for those entered by tribesmen.
Events will begin with camels under age three racing 4km at 7am on Saturday. As the days pass, the maturity and speed of the camels will increase, culminating in the 8-km race for hool and zumool camels, which are female and male camels age six and above.
The first place winners of this category will take home the prestigious Emirates Sword.
The festival is an important event for Omani camel breeders, who travel to the Emirates to sell pedigree racers on the sidelines. UAE breeders can see fortunes rise through the sale of a proven racer. Some spectators drive thousands of kilometres to for the races.
Last year's stars included the camels Baynounah and Meyasa, who helped Saleh Bin Nassra of Al Ain emerge as one of the top victors during the championship rounds.
Races run from 7am until 10.30am and between 2.30 to 5.30pm at Al Marmoom camel racetrack on the Dubai-Al Ain road. There are no races on Friday, April 12, and there will be no morning session on Thursday, April 18.
The event is free.
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Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
RESULTS
Manchester United 2
Anthony Martial 30'
Scott McTominay 90 6'
Manchester City 0
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them
