a c t i v e
sport // focus on...
Blokarting
the rope (read: ‘mainsheet’ for you nautical types). It all seems a bit bland so far.
Wind Change
What happens when you strap a sail to a go-kart? Our intrepid staffer, Matt, finds out
A
drenaline sports thrive on pushing boundaries. Everything can go higher or faster or longer – even if it involves making something up from scratch. Without skiing there would be no snowboarding, without parachuting there would be no skydiving, and without bicycles there is no motocross. Attempting to navigate a course onto that distinguished list is the sailing-meets-karting sport – blokarting. Essentially using a threewheeled buggy with a 10ft sail attached, the rapidly growing sport of blokarting is similar to sailing but without any of that pesky water to worry about. The karts are simple to use, don’t take much effort to maintain and can crack speeds of up to 100km per hour on a gusty day. In other words, they have all the ingredients needed to appease the UAE’s adrenaline junkies.
on the wind, and so blokarting at Meydan is by appointment only, to ensure that you don’t show up on a day when the wind is dead. As we walk over to the kart, Mike hands me a crash helmet and pair of gloves, which he explains will prevent rope burn. Why does everything seem more serious when gloves are involved? We run through the basics of how to steer (move the handlebar left to go left, and right to go right), how to manage the sail, and the brace position to take if you crash… hold on a minute, no one mentioned anything about crashing before.
First Run After needing a push to start, I have a few slow-moving minutes to get to grips with the kart. As it is a crossover sport, most of what you need to know is a transferable skill – the kart
For keeps If you’ve caught the bug, then you can buy your own blokart, starting from Dhs1,200. Enact Group. Tel: (055) 6101841. blokartme.com steers like a bike, handles like a go-kart and, once you get the knack of positioning the sail, you are golden. An insider tip: if you want to go faster, hope for the wind to take hold, and tighten
the
Verdict
Suddenly, it’s all change. “How do I stop?” I yell out as the wind whips up and I start hurtling down the long straight of the Meydan’s designated blokarting area. The bluster of wind transforms a somewhat tame roll-around into a revved-up gokart with afterburners – minus the brakes. I can’t quite make out what Mike shouts back, but the cornering becomes harder, and while picking up some serious straight-line speed the blokart tips onto two-wheels filling me with that all-toofamiliar mixture of panic and adrenaline. After several laps rocketing around the track, it starts to grow on me. Maybe I should invest in a ramp? Meydan, Nad Al Sheba, Dhs120 for 30mins. Tel: (04) 3270000. Taxi: Meydan Hotel. meydan.ae
For resident adrenaline junkies looking to try out something a little different, blokarting is certainly worth adding to your list – just make sure you check the weather report first.
Getting Started One of the best spots to learn how to use a blokart is up at Meydan, a place that is quietly gaining a reputation as a topnotch sports destination – if you don’t mind a frustrating hour trying to navigate how to get there. As I arrive, Mike, the instructor, bounds over with a grin on his face. “You ready for some fun?” he asks enthusiastically. I look up at the lethargic flags lazily flapping in the wind with some doubt. Because there is no engine, a blokart is completely dependent 132_What’s On_11.2012
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10/28/12 9:23 PM