Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Chairman of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), the inaugural AlUla Camel Cup is set to kick off tomorrow. The four-day AlUla Camel Cup will bring together 40 of the region's finest racing camels to compete for the highest prize per round in camel racing history. Each day will feature a different type of race, testing the speed, strength, and endurance of these remarkable 'ships of the desert'. The inaugural AlUla Camel Cup will crown a 'Champion of Champions' complete with a grand prize pool of SAR 80 million. The festival offers camel-related fun for all ages, including craft workshops creating everything from camel rope tassels to camel hand puppets. The purpose-built trackside venue offers visitors plenty of space for leisure and relaxation, including restaurants and food stalls, a qafila-style retail experience, and grandstand seating close to the action. The AlUla Camel Cup will also host a variety of musical acts, including poets and artists showcasing their talents. The event's activities include 'Marathon' races, in which human jockeys will race a total of six rounds of four kilometres. All races for Days 2-4 will be with robot jockeys. The second day will feature two 'Heritage Races' – 'Hagayeg' at four kilometres and 'Lagaya' at five kilometres – each with two rounds. The activities will also feature two 'Heritage Races' – 'Jiza' at six kilometres and 'Thanaya' at eight kilometres – each with two rounds. Meanwhile, the fourth day will climax with two 'Elite Races' – 'Heil' and 'Zmoul' both eight kilometres long and each with one round. These races will have the highest prize money at SAR 7.5 million per round for the first-place winner.
