Doha, Qatar: Competitors will be tested through a series of physically demanding stages in a grueling 200-kilometre contest - the 2024 Samla Race from December 5 to 7, the organisers announced yesterday. Conducted by the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (DAAM) with the support of Ministry of Sports and Youth besides a plethora of top commercial entities of the country, the race – now in its sixth edition – will see the athletes engaging in swimming, kayaking, mountain biking, shooting, and running to complete the challenge in one of the region’s premier endurance events. With participation expected to reach record levels, the race will kick off with a three-kilometre swimming stage from the Al Ghariya area to Fuwairit Beach.
After the swim, participants will immediately enter the running stage, which covers 66 kilometers, passing through Al Zubarah area towards Umm Al Maa, where the participants will take a break. In the third stage, participants will kayak from Umm Al Maa to the opposite shore, covering a distance of six kilometers. Their endurance levels will be further tested in the fourth stage in a 75-kilometer cycling route from Umm Al Maa, passing through the Al Nasraniya area.
The fifth stage will test their air rifle shooting skills, where athletes will shoot five rounds at a target from 8 meters before the second camping break. The final stage is a 50-kilometer run from Al Nasraniya to the finish line in Umm Bab. The details were unveiled during a press conf.