A ‘Champion of Champions’ will be crowned at the AlUla Camel Cup
- AlUla Camel Racing Field lauded as a venue ‘befitting a tournament of this magnitude’
- Fashion guidelines, retail and dining outlets confirmed
- Single day tickets for AlUla Camel Cup, priced at SAR50, are available at https://tickets.experiencealula.com/en/experiences/alula-camel-cup-pass
ALULA-: The countdown is on for the inaugural AlUla Camel Cup, the pinnacle of camel racing, as details of the revamped AlUla Camel Racing Field are unveiled along with the fashion guide, retail offering and dining outlets.
Held under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Chairman of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), over 40 of the region’s finest racing camels have qualified for the tournament.
Organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) as part of the AlUla Moments calendar in collaboration with the Saudi Camel Racing Federation (SCRF), a ‘Champion of Champions’ will be crowned at the refurbished, state-of-the-art AlUla Camel Racing Field.
The AlUla Camel Racing Field now has a total area of approximately 20km², with a capacity of 900 patrons. While the Main Track is 6km² in size, the length of the racetrack is 8,140 meters and the width is variable from 20 to 38 meters – an excellent size for top-level camel racing. There are also five turns at the AlUla Camel Racing Field, and two sides of balustrade running for a total length of 16km.
Advanced technology has been used to ensure the safety and efficiency of all races at the AlUla Camel Cup, while still preserving the sport’s cultural and traditional values.
The AlUla Camel Cup, however, is more than only the sport. The four-day event will offer a Heritage Village featuring a range of local Saudi fashion, jewelry, and homewares. There is also the Madrasat Addeera store selling handmade crafts and jewelry from local artisans.
The Al Qafila market offers an eclectic mix of locally made souvenirs and handicrafts. Immersive experiences such as watching live camels and learning about their incredible feats and attributes, painting camel monuments, henna, calligraphy, and sand art areas are also just some of the activities available.
For dining, a diversity of choices from burgers to traditional Saudi food and snacks such as popcorn, ice cream, kunafa are on offer in the wonderful setting of the village.
Embracing AlUla’s distinctive desert-glam style, the AlUla Camel Cup will also be an opportunity for fashionistas to showcase their individual style befitting of the warm days and cool evenings of winter in AlUla. Inspired by a destination that combines ancient roots with modern-day thinking, the first-ever AlUla Camel Cup invites guests to celebrate in style and have fun with fashion. The traditional dress of the nomadic tribes combined simplicity with decoration.
All these exciting activities follow on from a camel parade held on Saturday featuring 15 camels and a group of performers dressed in traditional Saudi attire. One of the performers in the parade showcased Alheda’a, the oral tradition of calling camel flocks. The ancient art is inscribed in the UNESCO list of Intangible Heritage of Saudi Arabia. The camel parade was part of showcasing how the AlUla Camel Cup is bringing together all of ancient and modern, sport and culture, elemental and opulent in a highlight of the Kingdom’s sporting calendar.
Phillip Jones, Chief Tourism Officer, Royal Commission for AlUla, said: “Much time and effort has been spent ensuring that the AlUla Camel Cup has a venue showcasing the stunning backdrop of AlUla in which the pinnacle of camel racing will be held.
“As a place that helped enhance and expand Saudi Arabia’s traditional pastime of camel racing across the region, the AlUla Camel Racing Field is an important venue in the history of the sport. The AlUla Camel Cup now marks another milestone moment in both the AlUla Camel Racing Field and camel racing’s glorious journey.
“We look forward immensely to Tuesday for the beginning of what will be a major highlight in Saudi Arabia’s sporting calendar.”
Eng. Mahmoud Suleiman Albalawi, Executive Director of the Saudi Camel Racing Federation, said: “The revamped AlUla Camel Racing Field, a venue of historical significance in our illustrious sport, is truly befitting a tournament of the magnitude of the AlUla Camel Cup.
“Colleagues and camel owners have been fulsome in their praise of the work that has been achieved here and we all await what will undoubtedly be an action-packed four days of world-class camel racing.
“As well as being the pinnacle for the elite of camel racing, the AlUla Camel Cup helps us introduce our sport to a wider audience – ensuring that our revered national pastime remains attractive and exciting to new generations.”
AlUla Camel Cup is one of the flagship sports events of the AlUla Moments 2023 calendar of events and festivals, which includes five major festivals and six marque events. This year has seen ‘The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla 2023’ (March 4), ‘AlUla Trail Race’ (February 23 and 24), and the ‘Saudi Tour’ (January 30 – February 3) all successfully hosted in AlUla.