Camels will roar down sand dunes on table tops in the world’s first camel boarding race.

The landmark event will be held on a 100km track in the UAE on April 1, 2015 – exactly one year from now – and has already attracted the attention of the world’s top camel owners.

The weight and size of camels mean regular sandboards are not big enough to carry the animals. Therefore, a carpentry firm in Al Quoz has been commissioned to build massive sandboards out of dining tables. Each table – minus its legs – will be fitted with four leather straps to hold each of the camel’s hooves in place as they race down huge sand dunes at speeds of up to 110km per hour.

Each camel will wear a canvas cap to protect them from the sun’s rays, as well as dark goggles over their eyes to keep sand out and assist their vision. In a nod to the sport of surfing, from which sandboarding originated, each camel will also wear Hawaiian-style floral board shorts.

The owner of the winning camel will receive Dhs5 million and a two-metre high trophy of a titanium camel standing on a golden sandboard.

Race organiser, billionaire American businessman, John J. Oker, said . “Camels are strong and sturdy beasts, but what people don’t realise is how nimble and agile they are. People will be truly amazed when they see a sandboarding camel.” He added that one day he hopes camel boarding will be the flagship sport of the first ever Desert Olympics. “We have the summer Olympics and the winter Olympics – why can’t we have the Olympics in the desert?”

For tickets to the race go to whatson.ae/camelboarding

Find out more about the amazing array of board sports available in the UAE, including paddleboarding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing, kneeboarding, sandboarding, snowboarding, skateboarding, by visiting our complete guide.