Hartland International School will be bringing their Dubai Fitness Challenge bid to a close with an ambitious rowing challenge on Wednesday, November 21.

Over 30 staff and members of the Hartland community will take on the arduous task of rowing continuously for 24 hours.

The tall order will come to a climax with a closing ceremony at 13:20 on Thursday, November 22.

“We hope that by completing this challenge, we can demonstrate to the students that with resilience and determination, a group of ordinary people can come together to achieve something extraordinary,” said Niall Statham, head of PE at the school.

“Each rower will do a minimum of 15 minutes with many doing a number of 15 minute slots throughout the night.”

PE teacher Adam Whitty added: “I am really looking forward to the challenge and I have trained hard in the run up to the event.”

Lynn Horwell and Katie James will be among the staff taking part, in addition to Statham and Whitty.

The Dubai Fitness Challenge started in 2017 as a citywide initiative of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council for Dubai Government.

The challenge encourages every resident and visitor to the city to exercise continuously for at least 30 minutes for 30 consecutive days, turning Dubai into the most active city in the world.

Nearly one million people from government, corporate, schools, universities and the public joined in the movement in the initiative’s first year and committed to getting their daily #Dubai30X30.

This year, the Dubai Fitness Challenge has returned to continue this commitment and to bring the fitness world to you. With an all-new Dubai Fitness app, an action-packed calendar of events and a host of free fitness activities all across the city, it’s all about igniting a movement.