10 hurdles await Gov Games participants

dubai — New details about the obstacles that await more than 150 teams competing in the world’s first Gov Games this week have been revealed. Full course details, however, remain under wraps “to ensure a level playing field for competing teams” who are vying to win prizes worth Dh2 million.

The event will be held at the Kite Beach in Dubai on May 9-12.

More than 35 tonnes of fabricated steel have been welded and shaped to form the 10 obstacles that make up the 40,000 square metre course. More than 840,000 litres of water have been used for the obstacles.

Teams will collectively have to carry around 75,000kg of weight and travel more than 1 million metres, as well as climb heights exceeding 75,000 metres. The unique obstacle course will be a true test for teams’ mental and physical strength and agility.

Day one of the four-day competition will host the qualifying round for 66 women’s teams who must tackle seven obstacles to make it to the final. Days two and three will host the qualifying rounds for 89 men’s teams who will have to navigate nine obstacles.

The six top performing teams of the men’s and women’s qualifying rounds will progress to the final day, May 12, where they will face an obstacle called ‘Storm’. Here they will have to push themselves and their teammates to perform and achieve more than they ever thought possible — climbing to heights of over eight meters and travelling more than 1.5km together as a unified team in just part of the formidable final obstacle set-up.

“The Gov Games course has been created and designed to the highest global standards taking into account health and safety regulations,” organisers said.

The winning men’s and women’s team will each be presented with a special Gov Games cup and a team prize of Dh1 million, to be distributed equally between the participants.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com