Al Badayer Desert will host 2nd edition of Sharjah Sports Desert Festival next week.

Organised by Sharjah Sports TV, an affiliate of Sharjah Media Corporation (SMC), the festival is being held under theme ‘Become a Desert Hero,’ and will take place on Friday, 12th January.

It is one of the most highly-anticipated desert sporting events in the UAE, where many past and present champions from around the region will take part. They will compete in the preliminary endurance races, with 15 participants qualifying for the white-knuckle ‘Time Challenge’ races in each category, including Motor Cross 1 (MX1), Motor Cross 2 (MX2), Desert All-terrain Vehicles (ATV) and Utility Task Vehicles (UTV), also known as Side by Side (SxS).

"Sharjah Media Corporation launched the Sharjah Desert Sports Festival in line with the vision of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to enhance Sharjah’s position as a global tourist destination, including hosting world-class sporting competitions. With mass media coverage from around the world, it is also an ideal opportunity to promote the emirate’s areas of outstanding natural beauty and attract desert sports enthusiasts at local, regional and international levels," said Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Media Council.

Rashid Al Obad, Director of Sharjah Sports TV, said, "As part of its media strategy, Sharjah Sports TV is dedicated to highlighting a series of the most popular sports in the UAE. We have seen enormous interest for desert sports from across the world given the emirate’s natural environment."

To register in the races, competitors can log onto the festival’s website. The festival features a wide range of activities and hospitality services for spectators – as well as the food trucks, which are positioned across the venue, the festival also has kids zones and an array of competitions and prizes for people of all age groups.