Dubai crown prince Sheikh Hamdan wins AlUla endurance race

ALULA: Dubai’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed claimed his second consecutive title during the running of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla on Saturday.

In a display of unity with Saudi Arabia, the Emirati prince donned the Kingdom’s flag on his shirt and a Saudi Arabia-UAE motif on his helmet.

The 120-kilometer race is commissioned by the Royal Commission for AlUla and the organizers of the Winter at Tantora festival in association with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation, and offers SAR15 million ($4 million) in prize money for the winning riders.

Sheikh Hamdan had strong family support during the event, with his father Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai in attendance.

Many people took to social media to congratulate Sheikh Hamdan on his win, including the President of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City Fahd Al-Rasheed who congratulated the crown prince in a tweet, saying: “The Saudi is an Emirati and the Emirati is a Saudi,” referring to the closeness of the two nations and their leadership.

He also praised Sheikh Hamdan for “representing the great Saudi Arabia.”

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup is regarded as one of the most important endurance events in the region — and one of the richest. Last year’s race saw 200 riders take part.

Over the same weekend, a number of other cultural and sporting events will take place as part of the Fursan Forum — also a part of the Winter at Tantora festival, which began on Dec. 19 and runs until March 7.