The Ski Dubai at Mall of the Emirates will become the centre of focus for sports lovers in the UAE and beyond as it hosts one of the first snow sports competition in the world to be held with social distancing measures.
Being organised by Dubai Sports Council in cooperation with Ski Dubai, the two-day ‘DXB Snow Week’ will feature a novel ‘DXB Snow Run’ on Friday, where participants from more than 46 countries will run for 3km through the snow, in temperatures below -4C. The Run will start early, with the first group getting flagged off at 6.30am and the final group at 8.30am.
On August 15, day two of DXB Snow Week, participants will have the opportunity to take part in ski and snowboard competitions. Billed as the “Return to Safe Sport” competition, the ski and snowboard event is open to all competent racers, freestyle skiers and snowboarders, and competitions will take place in four disciplines – Slalom Skiing, Giant Slalom, Slopestyle and Big Air.
The ski and snowboard competition will be held in two sessions – from 10am to 2pm, and then from 4pm to 8pm – and a panel of freestyle judges will be adjudicating at the event.
His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, visited Ski Dubai on Thursday along with Mohammad El Etri, Director of Majid Al Futtaim Global Snow, and Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, to check on the preparations for the DXB Snow Run.
Ski Dubai is exceeding recommended health and safety guidelines for the event and has implemented an all-encompassing sanitisation and physical distancing plan to ensure that guests can enjoy a comfortable experience with added peace of mind.
No family and friends will be allowed inside Ski Dubai to watch the event, and once participants cross the finish line, they need to leave Ski Dubai and exit immediately from the venue. Of course, they are free to meet their and family at any other designated point inside Mall of the Emirates, if they want.
Dubai Sports Council have also released a number of videos on their social media channels, educating and informing DXB Snow Run participants about the arrangements in place at the Mall of the Emirates for race day and the gear they should be wearing for the Run.
The winter and snow sports sector is the third segment to be opened for competition by Dubai Sports Council following weeks of closure due to COVID-19 pandemic. The marine sports sector was the first to open for competition in Dubai with Dubai Offshore Sailing Club’s Summer Series taking place on June 19. The following weekend, Dubai International Marine Club organised a “Dubai Watersports Summer Week” in cooperation with Dubai Sports Council, and six different competitions were part of the event.
Last month, Dubai Sports Council opened the doors for beach sports with the “Beach Sports Week” at Kite Beach, which witnessed competition in five different tournaments involving four sports – FootVolley, Beach Volleyball, Beach Tennis and AirBadminton.
The Council has used these events to honour heroes who were at the frontline of Dubai’s fight against COVID-19, by presenting commemorative medals that celebrates their efforts to the winners and participants.
The medals pay homage to the selfless service of Dubai Police and Dubai Civil Defence through the COVID-19 crisis, alongside the staff of Dubai Health Authority, and the First Responders of Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services. Together, they were at the forefront of Dubai’s fight to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, alongside volunteers from different segments of Dubai’s diverse community.
