On 13–14 December 2025, the Desert Falcon Dragon Boat Team proudly took part in the EDBF Euro Cup 2025 at Jewel of the Creek, Dubai. Instead of racing as a standalone crew, the Falcons joined forces with Aquaterra / DAMEN, showing strong sportsmanship and unity within the UAE dragon boat community.
This joint effort reflected what the Desert Falcons stand for teamwork, adaptability, and commitment, even when conditions are not ideal.
🌊 Racing Together at Jewel of the Creek
The EDBF Euro Cup is a major international dragon boat event that brings together teams from across the region and beyond. For the 2025 edition, Damen Aquaterra were short of paddlers, while the Desert Falcons were still without confirmed sponsorship to field a full independent team.
Rather than stepping away from the event, the Falcons stepped in to support. Paddlers from Desert Falcon filled critical seats, helping ensure that the joint team could race competitively.
This decision strengthened partnerships across teams and highlighted the cooperative spirit of the sport.
🦅 Desert Falcons Who Stepped Up
Falcon paddlers contributed across multiple categories and seating positions, adjusting quickly to a mixed-crew environment.
Women
- Intan
- Tonette
- JJ
- Gin
Men
- Mikko
- Mahmoud
- Steve
- Reagan
- Glenn
- Mahmoud
- Radhi
Adapting to new calls, timing, and crew dynamics in a competitive setting is never easy. Each Falcon showed professionalism and focus throughout the event.
🏁 Strong Results in Competitive Fields
Despite limited preparation time as a joint crew, the results were encouraging:
🥉 3rd Place – Community Cup
🥈 2nd Place – UAE Division (200m)
The UAE Division 200m final was tightly contested, with narrow margins between teams. The joint Damen/Aquaterra crew, supported by Desert Falcons, delivered a strong and disciplined race that earned a well-deserved podium finish.
These results reflected not just strength and speed, but trust and teamwork under pressure.
💪 More Than a Race Result
This event was about more than medals.
- Falcons raced without official sponsorship
- Paddlers represented multiple teams in one boat
- Community paddlers supported competitive divisions
- Teams worked together with mutual respect
The Desert Falcons may not have raced under their own banner this time, but their contribution was clear and impactful. This is what dragon boating is about — unity, support, and shared progress.
⏳ What’s Next for the Falcons
With the EDBF Euro Cup completed, the Desert Falcons are now on standby for upcoming races.
Most likely race windows include:
- Before Ramadan — late January or early February
- After Eid — participation in an IDBF-sanctioned event
As the Desert Falcons prepare for upcoming races including a potential IDBF event after Eid sponsorship support will play an important role in helping the team grow. From race entries and equipment to training and logistics, community and corporate backing allows the Falcons to compete with confidence.
If you or your organization would like to support the team’s journey, learn more about partnership opportunities here:
👉 https://desertfalcon.1hizz.com/sponsor
🦅 Falcon Spirit Moving Forward
The EDBF Euro Cup 2025 showed that even in challenging circumstances, the Desert Falcons rise to the occasion. Supporting fellow teams, racing with integrity, and earning podium finishes, all while planning the next step forward.
The paddles are ready.
The mindset is strong.
And the Falcons are preparing for what comes next.
Stay tuned.
