15th RAK Half Marathon slotted for February 19

Ras Al Khaimah: The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has announced that the 15th edition of the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon will take place on February 19, 2021.

Officially known as the world’s fastest half-marathon, the race has consistently drawn international athletes and amateurs over the past few years.

Registration for the 2021 race, organised by RCS Sports and Events, will be thrown open to athletes in October. The event has proven highly popular both internationally and regionally, with over 5,000 participants registered for the previous edition, held earlier this year on Al Marjan Island.

Raki Phillips, CEO, RAKTDA, said: “Aligned with the strong upturn in the Emirate’s tourism and hospitality performance, we look forward to hosting a stellar line-up of elite athletes, as well as local families and enthusiasts to join in what is sure to be a memorable event.”

Ababel Yeshaneh from Ethiopia and Kibiwott Kandie from Kenya won the women’s and men’s races in 2020, with the Ethiopian breaking the world record with a new time of 64:31 mins.

Enrico Fili, CEO, RCS Sports and Events, was certain of a much better field for the event next year. “We witnessed fantastic results in 2020 with Yeshaneh smashing the women’s world record by 20 seconds. We now look forward to having another unforgettable elite line-up in 2021 that will ensure the event remains the fastest half marathon in the world,” he noted.

Further details may be obtained from www.therakhalfmarathon.com