DUBAI // Participants of a watersports race raised Dh10,000 for an environment charity yesterday.
The Battle of the Paddle 3 event, on Kite Beach in Dubai, involved about 200 paddle boarders, kayakers, surf-skiers, outriggers and dragon-boat racers.
The races were 1.2 kilometres long, with surf skiers on a longer course of 5km.
"It's a fun day out, not only for the participants but also for their families," said Mari De Villiers, marketing manager for the event's organiser, Surf Shop Arabia.
This was the third event this year, with the last one in June on World Environment Day.
"At the last event we melted," Ms De Villiers said. "It's a lot cooler now, so people are more willing to come out and spend the morning on the beach."
Entry for the races was about Dh100, with the money going to the Paddle for the Planet charity, an organisation that raises money for marine conservation.
The charity organises a Global Paddling Relay once a year in June, but raising cash for the cause throughout the year is welcome, said Nick Hando, regional director of the charity.
"We started off our campaign as an annual event supporting World Environment Day, but now it's grown organically to be involved in events like this one, which is just great in terms of creating awareness about the plight of our environment," he said.