Al Gharbia to host first water sports festival in Mirfa

The festival, the first of its kind in the region, is scheduled to start on Friday May 1 to end on Saturday May 9, 2009 and will be held in Mirfa in Al Gharbia, which is approximately 90 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport.

The main aim of the event is to encourage the social, cultural and sporting activities among residents of Al Gharbia and the UAE, and to support local athletes, especially the region's younger generation.

Commenting on the agreement, H.E. Mohamed Hamad Bin Azzan Al Mazrouei, Director General of WRDC, said:

"This MoU signifies a coming of age for Al Gharbia's development - positioning it as the tourism and leisure destination on the UAE's map and attracting fans of water sports to Mirfa's serene beach. We are pleased to initiate this new upbeat and unique festival and we hope it will encourage all UAE citizens and residents alike to attend and compete."

The event will hold a number of competitions including an international kiteboarding championship, surf ski kayak race, beach volleyball and beach football. The festival will also offer night camp activities accompanied with live music in addition to building a traditional market or 'souk'. For those interested in learning more about kiteboarding or kayaking, the festival will have professional trainers offering free training sessions on-ground during weekdays.

"We are pleased to enter this MoU with our fellow partners in Abu Dhabi and we are positive that pooling our experiences and knowledge together will ensure the success of the festival," said Abdullah Butti Al Qubaisi, General Manager of ADMC - the organizing party of the festival. "The event underscores our commitment to the emirate and provides us with an excellent opportunity to strengthen relations with our fellow Emiratis in Al Gharbia."

The parties will also leverage on ADIMSC's technical expertise in organising similar events. "The ADIMSC is always looking to support and organize any event that attracts marine sports fans and this festival will be a perfect embodiment of what we aim to promote. We are committed to provide the technical guidance, advice and direction and proud to be a part of this event," said Salem Rashid Al Rumaithi, Deputy General Manager of ADIMSC.

So far, the festival has managed to gain massive support and assistance from the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and many other organizations including the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and the Western Region Municipality (WRM) as additional technical partners.

"It is a great pleasure to word hand in hand and receive the support of these top government organisations," commented H.E. Al Mazrouei. "Their expertise and backgrounds are of significant importance for the success of the event and we are happy to have them on board."