Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Steph attended the Nations Cup 120km event at the Dubai Endurance City
on thursday. She sent in images of the event which give a good view of
the facility and gives you a feel of what it will be like whenthe WEC
happens there in two weeks.

Pretty spiffy (and it sure LOOKS like a race track!)

http://www.endurance.net/2004wec/gallery/

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The story from the Khaleej Times for your reading enjoyment:)
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http://www.endurance.net/channels/2005/01/uae-2005-nations-cup-report.html

Mohammed and Mansour declared joint winners of National Day Cup
by Amith Passela ~ Khaleej Times
14 January 2005

DUBAI - General Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of
Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, and Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, created a history of sorts
when they were declared joint winners of the National Day Cup here at
the Dubai Endurance City yesterday.

General Shaikh Mohammed and Shaikh Mansour crossed the finish line
together in a bunch of six horses, covering the FEI-CEI Three Star
120km trip in five hours 20 minutes and 29 seconds.

The National Day Cup staged for the first time outside Abu Dhabi was
deemed as a dress rehearsal for the Dubai FEI Endurance World
Championship at the same venue on January 27.

The First Gulf Bank-sponsored race showcased the new state-of-the art
facilities to the foreign riders, crew and officials already in the
endurance village for the world event that returns to Dubai after the
1998 edition held for the first time outside Europe and the United
States.

Shaikh Mohammed astride 11-year-old Arabian gelding Al Naa?is and
Shaikh Mansour onboard the rangy eight-year-old bay Ro Saad, crossed
the finish line in one of the now familiar hands-held gesture in a
bunch of six that included Abdulla Khamis Ali Saeed, Yousef Ahmed Al
Bloushi, Hassan Abdulla Al Hammadi and Ahmed Jassim Al Hammadi.

Shaikh Mansour said the race was an excellent launch pad for the host
team. ?It was a fast run race and it showcased the readiness of the
UAE team?s title defence. We are thinking positively at the world
championship and I feel the UAE team will be the one that all have to
beat come January 27.?

Shaikh Mansour remained in the leading group and was third into the
final loop behind Al Reef Stables lead rider Abdulla Khamis Ali Saeed
on 12-year-old Arabian gelding Shiranna Bokhara and his stable mate
Yousef Ahmed Al Bloushi astride a former flat race horse 11-year-old
El Hadzin Deleyre.

Both Shaikh Mohammed and Shaikh Mansour are in the 12-member UAE?s
World Championship team.

Sultan Ahmed Sultan bin Sulayem finished 13th on nine-year-old Irex du
Mas whilst two more members of the UAE squad, Shaikh Hazza bin Sultan
Al Nahyan and his younger brother Shaikh Khalid, took 19th and 20th
spots respectively.

Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Shaikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al
Maktoum and his brothers Shaikh Hamdan, reigning world champion Shaikh
Ahmed and Shaikh Majed, Shaikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum and Ali Al
Muhairi, either retired or were eliminated. The race drew 120 entries
and was run over five loops.

Shaikh Mansour remained in the leading group throughout the race after
coming in second behind Mubarak Khalifa bin Shafya in the opening
loop.

Shaikh Mohammed worked his way up from 40th place to go into the final
loop in fourth with over eight minutes behind the leader Abdulla
Khamis. Shaikh Mansour was third behind Yousef Ahmed in the final
loop.

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