The Dragon Boat Challenge is returning to Dubai Festival City

The event, taking place towards the end of October, has introduced new safety regulations

Registrations for Dubai Festival City's Dragon Boat Race are now open. Supplied

Dubai residents looking for a group activity that blends exercise with fun can now sign up for the Dragon Boat Challenge.

Dubai Festival City has recently announced the return of the popular event, to be held on October 30 and 31. Registrations is now open.

The event will take place at the Marsa Plaza Creekside promenade. This year's Dragon Boat Challenge has introduced a number of new safety measures due to the pandemic.

Each participant must wear their own floatation device and use their own paddle; no equipment sharing will be allowed. All necessary equipment including the Dragon Boat, paddles and life jackets will be provided. Teams can only register online.

The beach will be divided into two bubbles with 15 teams of 10 members on each side and will have its own entrance and exit. The team management will ensure a staggered entry of all team members. In addition, all teams will receive temperature checks as they enter the venue and social distancing will be maintained at all times. The pre-competition safety briefing will take place online.

“The Dragon Boat Challenge is becoming a yearly tradition at Dubai Festival City, and we are glad to be able to host it once again. On behalf of Dubai Festival City, I would like to welcome aspiring racers to take part in this challenge and reassure them that we will take the necessary precautions to ensure a safe and smooth race for everyone,’’ says Abdallah Hageali, group director, mixed-use real estate at Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate.

Dragon boat races are believed to have originated in Southern China. The activity usually has about 10 to 20 paddlers working in perfect unison to power a long boat.

The last Dragon Boat race in the UAE was due to take place at Abu Dhabi's Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri on March 27 and 28 this year, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For more information, call 04 446 2030 or email [e-mail] to register