Price: 10 DHS
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Born to ride!
THE 2013 GULF BIKE WEEK
‘like’ us on Facebook.com/OutdoorUAE
Terrain test for the
NISSAN PATROL PICKUP Interview with endurance rider
HUSSAIN AL MARZOOQI RAK Half Marathon 2014
The fastest Half Marathon in the world
ADVENTURE TREK in Nepal
Plenty of
PRODUCTS TO CHECK OUT WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
Issue 35, November 2013
WHITE SAIL PEAK, INDIA MARCH 13, 2013 #SUMMITSERIES
INNOVATION FOR FIRSTS NE V E R
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SUMMIT SERIES ™ NEW SKI MOUNTAINEERING COLLECTION FUELS THE PURSUIT OF THE UNKNOWN
IF EXPLORING 6000m SUMMITS OF THE HIMACHAL PRADESH MOUNTAINS IN NORTHEASTERN INDIA IS THE TASK AT HAND, THE ALLOY JACKET AND ITS THERMO3D™ BODY-MAPPING TEMPERATURE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE. THE NEW FALL 2013 THE NORTH FACE ® SUMMIT SERIES COLLECTION AVAILABLE AT MIRDIF CITY CENTRE AND THE DUBAI MALL ALSO AVAILABLE AT SELECT SUN & SAND SPORTS STORES PHOTO: Chris Figenshau
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
On the cover: Nissan Patrol Pickup Photo by: Daniel Birkhofer Managing Editor Daniel Birkhofer Editors Glaiza Seguia, Tara Atkinson Designer Oybek Daniyarov Administration Jane Mesina Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries) Linda Turcerova Tel: 04-447 2030 Mobile: 055 9398915 linda@outdooruae.com Published by Outdoor UAE FZE In cooperation with D32 Events P.O. Box 215062 Dubai, U.A.E. Tel. 04-447 2030 contact@outdooruae.com www.outdooruae.com Distributor Tawzea, Abu Dhabi Media Company P.O. Box 40401, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Printed at Dubai Printing Press P.O. Box: 6820, Dubai, UAE Tel: 04-3370344
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
Loving the active lifestyle
It has been three months since I have joined this Looney Tunes happy gang and I must say, I fit here like a bum on a potty! The best part of this job is meeting a lot of you guys out there – the adventure seekers, outdoor enthusiasts and not to mention getting to know clients who are supporting the OutdoorUAE magazine and creating new ideas and experiences. Together, we look forward to beefing up our new Lifestyle section, which we have introduced in last month’s issue, by participating in the highly-anticipated Dubai International Motor Show this November and new The Life & Style Show in December. We are super psyched to take the action outdoors with the gorgeous weather setting in and we can’t wait to meet you while climbing in Ras Al Khaimah, scaling wadis in Oman or testing Arabian shores on surfs, kayaks and other boards. Stay tuned for upcoming competitions and new social happenings that we will announce in the following days on our Facebook page!
Linda
© 2013 Outdoor UAE FZE Issue 35 November 2013
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BETWEEN THE LINES
Daniel Birkhofer Founder and Editor in Chief daniel@outdooruae.com
Jane Mesina Administration jane@outdooruae.com
Linda Turcerova Sales and Marketing linda@outdooruae.com
Oybek Daniyarov Graphics & Programming oybek@outdooruae.com
Glaiza Seguia Editor glaiza@outdooruae.com
Tara Atkinson Travel Editor tara@outdooruae.com
Get to us on Facebook!
The information contained is for general use only. While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been obtained from reliable sources, however the publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in this magazine is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information. In no event will the publisher, its related affiliates or anyone else be responsible for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine.
Kit Belen Our fishing pro
Pete Aldwinckle Climber and all-round adventure seeker
Gordon T Smith Desert Diver and wannabe Marine Biologist
Mike Nott The 4x4 expert
John Basson Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker
Tori Leckie Writer, runner, blogger and adventurer.
Sandy Joy Rubin Pilates and yoga expert and general thrill seeking move-aholic
Darryl MacDonald Photographer, journalist, climbing and hiking junkie currently living in Oman.
Ian Ganderton Kayaker, climber, mountainbiker and snowboarder. Enthusiastic jack of all trades, master of none.
All contents are under copyrights and may not be reproduced in any kind without written permission. © 2013 Outdoor UAE FZE Reg. at Creative City Fujairah P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.
WHEN YOU’RE DONE READING, PLEASE RECYCLE!
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EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
CONTENTS 12 NASIMI WATERSPORTS FESTIVAL
22 DMX 2013
EVERY ISSUE 05 BEST SHOTS 06 EVENTS CALENDAR 28 LIFESTYLE 38 PRODUCTS 58 PEOPLE 67 DIRECTORY
59 INTERVIEW: HUSSAIN AL MARZOOQI
38 TRIED & TESTED: ENDURACOOL
EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS 14 GULF BIKE WEEK 2013 18 AL HAJAR MOUNTAINS 20 CROSSFIT
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE 24 OLD MAN OF HOY 25 NEPAL TREK
LIFESTYLE 28 CAR REVIEW: NISSAN PATROL PICKUP 34 THE CYCLE HUB BISTRO RECIPE
OUR EXPERTS 50 OMAN ODYSSEY – MIKE 52 JUST GAS IT FUN RIDE – JOHN 56 WHY WE FISH – KIT
TIPS + TRICKS 64 PARTNERS STRETCHES – SANDY 66 TRAINING TIPS 62 OMAN ESCAPE
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
BEST SHOTS WINNER!
Here are the best shots sent in by you for the
monthly “Want Fame?” photography competition! Thank you for all your entries, they were all great and it was hard selecting the best photos this month. Congratulations to the top 3 winners, who will each receive Buff headwear and five free copies of the magazine: Elisa Fini, Fabio Tomi and Sheridan Hollands. Well done! To submit your entries, simply email us at competitions@ outdooruae.com with the subject “Best Shots.” Attention shutterbugs and keen outdoorsmen! We’re about to launch our upcoming big photo competition with huge prizes and an opportunity to get your photos published. Watch out for the official announcement.
WINNER!
Elisa Fini
What a feeling! North Ari Atoll in Maldives.
WINNER!
Fabio Tomi In Masirah.
Sheridan Hollands
Sunset parachutists at Rahal Ranch in Abu Dhabi.
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
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EVENTS CALENDAR Stay up-to-date with the latest events
Dubai International Motor Show
Featured Event
November 5 to 9, 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Dubai World Trade Centre Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre, the largest motoring event in the Middle East will showcase 150 global automotive brands from 30 countries attracting thousands of enthusiasts and professionals alike. Visitors will enjoy dedicated halls for luxury cars, family saloons, tuning and customisation, motorbikes, spare parts and accessories, clubs and associations. There will also be thrilling test drives and stunt shows. OutdoorUAE will also be in this event, so see you there! For more information, visit www.dubaimotorshow.com.
The G-Shock and New Era Bowl-A-Rampa November 7, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Rage Shop, The Dubai Mall
This event is celebrating 30 years of collaboration between G-Shock and New Era. To celebrate this, G-Shock has created a limited edition watch with only 60 pieces up for sale at Rage shops in the UAE. Rage will be hosting a skate competition in the Rage Bowl located above the Rage shop. At the end of the end of the night, someone will be walking away with one of the limited edition G-Shock watches. For updates, visit www.facebook.com/Rageshoppage.
The Great Dubai Pulse Ride – Off-road November 8, 8:00 a.m., Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Riders are invited to a fun outdoor cycling on a 5km course for the family and the kids, and a 25km cross country course. A helmet and a bicycle are all you need. There are other activities too like the brunch BBQ, entertainment, bouncy castle, Friday market and more. To register for the ride, contact 044251111 or visit www.thecyclehub.com.
ZOGGS Aquathlon Series Race 1 of 3
November 9, 7:00 a.m., Mina A’Salam Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai This is the first of the three-part swim and run series organised by Super Sports Events. All races are open to juniors and seniors, and categories are divided into Super Sprint (200 or 375 swim and 2.5km run), Sprint (750m swim and 5km run) and Olympic (1,500 swim and 10km run). This is also part of the GO Sport Super Series of events wherein participants have a chance to win all-expenses paid trip to “Adventures in the Alps.” Information regarding the races can be found at www.supersportsdubai. com or contact Warren at warren@supersportsdubai.com.
Wadi Adventure Race 4
November 9, 9:15 a.m., Wadi Adventure, Al Ain The Wadi Adventure Race series is back! The fourth instalment follows the similar format of the previous series, but with more intensity as the obstacles get tougher. The racers will have to run, jump, climb, crawl, dodge, swim through 20 different obstacles over a distance of 10km. Details of the course will be released on the morning of the race. Each obstacle will test your physical and mental strength, but should provide both spectators and competitors with ample amounts of fun! For enquiries, contact race@wadiadventure.ae or 037818422.
Ignite Aquathlon Series Powered by Kellogg’s November 15, 6:45 a.m., The Shack, Kite Surfers Beach, Umm Suqeim
This is the fifth race of the series from one of the popular fitness and wellness clubs in the UAE. It is open to all categories including: junior (200m swim and 800m beach run), open (800m swim and 5km), sprint (400m swim and 2km beach run), and fun run (3km beach run only). Register before November 12th at www.premiermarathons.com or contact Ignite at 044487142.
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
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EVENTS CALENDAR Urban-Ultra Desert Stinker 2013
November 15, 7:30 p.m., Bab Al Shams Desert Camp
This two-stage desert adventure covering 10km or 20km distance is a no-frills camping and no shower race, so prepare to get a bit stinky! On Friday night, entrants will run their selected distance in the dark on a flat course, then return to camp for food and to prepare for the morning’s start gun to run over the dunes. A campsite area will be designated next to the start/finish, but all camping equipment like tent, sleeping bags, BBQ food, comfort items etc are the runners’ own responsibility. For enquiries, visit www.urbanultra.com.
ADNIC Yas Run 2013
November 22, 2:00 p.m., Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
Featured Event
One of the biggest events in the sporting calendar of the region is back and this year they have added a 5km run to the internationally certified 10km, 3km and 1km categories. They will also introduce the new inter-event competitions: the corporate, schools and clubs challenges, plus the UAE national challenge, which will reward the fastest male and female Emirati runner in every race category. For the second year running, Operation Smile UAE is the event’s official charity with 10% of every registration automatically pledged. For more information and registration, visit www.adnicyasrun.ae. OutdoorUAE is a media partner of this event, so be sure to visit us in our booth.
Dubai Creek SUP Race
November 22, 1:00 p.m., Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club Paddles at the ready! Stand Up Paddlers from across the UAE are invited to the first ever sprint and long distance race on the iconic Dubai Creek. As part of this year’s Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club Pre-Owned Boat Show, this event is an open race (6km) and sprint race (2km) for men and women, and sprint only for juniors (age 12-16). Please note that according to the new Emirates SUP and Surf Association (ESSA) regulations, all race participants will be required to wear a coiled leash. For more information, please contact donna@bespoke-wellness.com.
Ride Bike Shop Birthday
November 27, 5:00 p.m., Ride Bike Shop, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Come along and celebrate the first anniversary of Ride Bike Shop on Sheikh Zayed Road. Be part of the celebrations and check out the new range of 2014 Giant bicycles including the 27.5” mountain bike range and the Giant Propel. For more information, contact 800-RIDE or visit www.facebook. com/RideBikeShop.
ASICS 8km and 4km Run Series Race 2 of 5 November 29, 7:00 a.m., The Track Golf Clubhouse, Meydan, Dubai
A great corporate and family event for all ages and abilities held inside the private closed off roads of Meydan. Enter this race series and stand a chance of winning an all-expenses week long holiday in the French Alps with “Adventures in the Alps.” For more details, visit www.supersportsdubai. com or contact Warren at warren@supersportsdubai.com.
The Color Walk
November 29, 3:00 p.m., Zabeel Park Gate 1, Dubai Bring some colour to your life with this fun and non-competitive 5km walkathon. Wear a white shirt, get covered in different hues of blue, purple and orange, and arrive at the finish line as a colourful champion. The celebration continues after the walk with a musical festival. For more information and registration, visit www.thecolorwalk.com.
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
NEWS + COMMUNITY
The world’s fastest half marathon As for each of the previous seven editions, this coming edition of the RAK Half Marathon on the northern shores of the UAE on Friday, 14th February, promises fast times and fierce contests with the prospect of more records in both men’s and women’s competitions. All but one of the previous seven editions of the men’s race have been won in well under 60 minutes, with strong winds in 2012 being the cause of the only blip; and normal service resumed last year as both men’s and women’s fields recorded the second fastest course times ever. With the elite field for 2014 still being worked on, it’s anticipated the depth of the fields to come may make the next winners’ names harder than ever to predict. Whoever does top the men’s rostrum will join a relative Who’s Who of road racing legends; Sammy Wanjiru in 2007, Patrick Makau in 2008-09, Geoffrey Mutai in 2010, Deriba Merga in 2011, Dennis Koech in 2012 and the recently crowned Marathon World Record Holder Geoffrey Kipsang earlier this year. The astonishing women’s world record of 65:50 by Kenya’s Mary Keitany in the 2011 race, confirmed for all, what visiting elite already knew – that the RAK organisers can all but guarantee perfect road racing conditions when much of Europe and North America is still mired in winter mud and snows. As a result, the women’s field is also likely to be loaded with all eyes on both the World Record and the accompanying bonus of 100,000 USD on a course proven to provide the possibility. Whilst it is not unusual for a road race to lay claim to its chosen adage; being the most beautiful, the most historical, the friendliest
etc, statistically speaking the RAK Half Marathon really is the world’s fastest half marathon. With the average of the top ten fastest times for men at 59:15 (the top three fastest times this year are from RAK) and women at 1:06:27 (top three fastest times of all time are now from RAK) there simply is no better course to run fast on. Organisers have capitalised on this and for the eighth running of the race the slogan “World’s Fastest Half Marathon” has been firmly associated with the promotion of the event. The RAK Half Marathon is of course home to a lot more than just record breaking elite times; it’s also the favoured race among local and regional runners aiming to set a new Personal Best (PB) time and the only road race in the country that is run 100% on roads completely sealed off to public traffic (in both directions) making it fume free and super safe. The recent improvements in urban infrastruc-
ture in Ras Al Khaimah also serve to enhance the overall experience and gives runners from far and wide a chance to escape the cities and head north for some true RAK hospitality combined with great international running. Like the elite athletes, many of those more local runners competing in RAK 2014 will have spring marathon ambitions but the date (this coming edition on Valentine’s Day) is far enough ahead of the big 42km gatherings to generate sufficient interest as a build up race and with many half marathon specialists and Relay Runners in the mix, it is little wonder that registration has been steadily climbing since June this year! The total prize and bonus monies offered of over 1,000,000 AED don’t do any harm of course, but the RAK Half has never been and never will be a place for easy pickings and worthy champions on February 14th are one of the few certainties.
Past winners of the RAK Half Marathon: 2007
Sammy Wanjiru (KEN)
58:53
(WR)Birhan Adere (ETH)
1:10:58
2008
Patrick Makau (KEN)
59:35
Salina Kosgei (KEN)
1:12:29
2009
Patrick Makau (KEN)
58:52
Dire Tune (ETH)
1:07:18
2010
Geoffrey Mutai (KEN)
59:43
Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR)
1:07:07 (NR)
2011
Deriba Merga (ETH)
59:25
Mary Keitany (KEN)
1:05:50 (WR)
2012
Dennis Koech (KEN)
1:00:40
2013
Geoffrey Kipsang (KEN)
58:54
Mary Keitany (KEN)
1:06:42
Lucy Kabuu (KEN)
1:06:09
The RAK Half Marathon 2014 is presented by Saqr Port and together with the RAK Free Trade Zone Team Relay Challenge is supported by Saucony, UPS, RAK Hospital and Garmin. Registration is only available online at www.rakmarathon.org until 14th December.
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
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A behind-the-scenes look at the iconic
Dubai Creek Striders Half Marathon “A prestigious race for the community of Dubai,” is John Young’s description, and it is a succinct sound bite for the popular race circumnavigating the scenic Creek.
His comment is repeated by the twelve voluntary committee members, who are motivated by wishing to present a top quality race for the whole running community and not just for elite racers with the weekend runners catered as an afterthought. Behind every successful race there has to be a strong team managing the details and overcoming the inevitable challenges. Mo Farah and friends wouldn’t be so famous without the stunning platform provided by the London Olympics. One of the DCS goals is to create an atmosphere where all runners are made to feel extra-special. A series of conversations with the organising team revealed the work required behind-the-scenes to deliver the “perfect race.”
The goody bag
Once registered, the race begins with the competitor’s goody bag. Collecting your race number, the 2012 runner received a medium-sized sports bag containing a wicking t-shirt, water bottles, pasta, coupons and much more, totalling fifteen freebies from generous sponsors. Runners may not appreciate it, but a small army of DCS club members have spent numerous hours sourcing, collecting and then packing the goody bags in the weeks before the race.
Race day
Excited runners stream from the city centre
multi-storey car park towards the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, eager in anticipation for the 6.30 a.m. start of the annual Johnson Arabia half marathon. Race Director Terry courteously separates competitors safely from taxis bringing late-rising entrants. He has been there since 4:00 a.m. and the access road has long been closed as earlyarrivers claimed places abutting the athletes’ village. The runner is greeted in the floodlit athletes’ village by MC Keith pumping up the adrenaline with energetic music booming over the speakers. Time to get those muscles awake. Three funnels channel 2,000 nervous runners into estimated finish time groups. One hundred fifty runners took part in the seminal 2002 race. This year, that number had registered in the first hour that entries opened on the web, with a maximum of 2,000 expected for the race on 6th December, 2013.
Pacers
A club innovation is the use of pacers throughout the field. Several DCS members agree to run at a specific pace, so that runners can pace themselves and don’t over
The Color Run The “Happiest 5km on the Planet” is coming to Dubai The Color Run™ presented by Activelife, a unique five-kilometre fun run that gathers participants to run through showers of coloured powder in a celebration of health and happiness will debut at the Dubai Autodrome on 14th December. Dubbed the “Happiest 5km on the Planet,” the untimed event by the National Health Insurance Company - Daman and organised by IMG, is expected to attract thousands 10
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of entrants to take part in the experience. Dr Sven Rohte, Chief Commercial Officer of Daman, presenting sponsor of the event commented: “Whether you are a casual mall walker or an Olympic athlete, the 5km course will be the most memorable and colourful run of your life! We’re looking forward to seeing
stride/under stride/collapse but achieve their personal best. Particularly useful to newer runners as the race attracts 200+ first-timers drawn by the attractive route over the bridges, past the dhows and through the souks. People have run to successfully beat their diabetes or quit smoking. Some are motivated to run following a weightloss programme. First-time running mums accomplish their own personal challenge. Two romances began having met at the race, leading to a lovely “Striders Baby.” Other runners are very serious and look to beat their times from previous events or their adversaries.
Finish arena/prize giving
The finish straight is thronged with spectators cheering home their loved ones. Running under the finish arch each finisher is handed a specially-designed medal and a bottle of water. A quick jump in the showers and a slap-up brunch is served, whereupon the raffle is held with race numbers drawn to win numerous prizes from sponsors ranging from cycles to holidays, the top draw being two air tickets to South Africa. Fantastic value for what is basically a club event. the Dubai Autodrome come alive with color in December.” Exploding in popularity since its January 2012 launch, it has become the single largest event series in the United States and is gaining traction around the world. For 2013, there are more than one million entries registered for over 100 international events and the Amsterdam edition of The Color Run™ sold out within 18 minutes of tickets going on sale. The Color Run™ presented by Activelife celebrates healthiness, happiness, individuality and giving back to the community. Thousands of participants of all ages and abilities will unite, becoming a moving canvas as they make their way through four different coloured zones. The atmosphere will be alive with music pumping as runners are doused from head to toe in vibrant powder. The excitement continues at the finish line with a gigantic “Colour Festival,” using more colour to create a rainbow of photo opportunities and lasting memories. For more information, visit www.thecolorrun.ae, www.facebook.com/TheColorRunUAE or www.twitter.com/TheColorRunUAE.
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
Freedom in therapeutic horse riding
responsibility and inspires one to achieve more and strive toward their goal in life. Riding is a hugely enjoyable activity for children. Exercising in the great outdoors at Desert Palm Resort and Hotel is something of a gift in life and cannot be assigned. Confidence is also gained by mastering a skill normally performed by able-bodied people. Psychological benefits are gained including improved social and emotional intelligence, better communication skills, development of patience, emotional control and self-discipline. RDAD is totally dependent on volunteers. Volunteers are the heart and spirit of the RDAD organisation.They come from all over the UAE to help, give time, energy and support so that young enthusiastic disabled equestrians can ride safely and enjoy the benefits from the therapeutic horse riding. RDAD dedicated volunteers offer strength, ideas and moral support. Volunteers are there on the hottest of days leading horses, walking next to rider, assisting with games and lending a hand with true sincere care and love. RDAD’S goal and vision is to provide a special therapeutic riding lesson. Where we come together to share one goal – to encourage our riders to be the best that they can be in life, by focusing on ability not disability. RDAD is a non-profit organisation and relies totally on generous assistance from individuals. UAEbased companies and volunteers help run the program. If you want more information about Riding for the Disabled Association of Dubai, would like to contribute or be directly involved with our programme, please contact the RDAD team on lesson@rdad.ae
Riding for the Disabled Association of Dubai In today’s world of horse riding, the Riding for the Disabled Association of Dubai (RDAD) offers far more than the average riding experience, but provides a unique therapy for disabled children and adults. The RDAD first began in 1998 when Her Highness Sheikha Hassa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the program by
donating three of her horses to be used for therapeutic riding. After a decade of offering therapeutic riding lessons, the RDAD now has 10 horses helping approximately 60 children and young adults from many different countries. Examples of riders’ disabilities include autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, cognitive developmental difficulties, deafness and learning disabilities. RDAD is known as a therapeutic riding or equine facilitated therapy and uses horses to achieve and inspire a variety of goals. Today, “hippo therapy,” the physical therapy on horse, has developed as an internationally recognised therapeutic modality. The gentle and rhythmic movement of the horse moves the rider’s body in a manner similar to the human gait, leading to improvements in flexibility, balance and muscle strength in children with physical disabilities. From the beginning, riders learn balance, coordination and self-assurance while receiving therapeutic muscle stimulation. The aim is to improve poise, posture, strength and flexibility and self confidence. The physical benefits come naturally as riding reaches deep muscles not accessible through conventional physical therapy and also increase the tolerance and motivation of the period of exercise and therapy. The ability to control a horse and gain more control of one’s own body dramatically changes the self-confidence and
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
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7 Emirates Run The 7 Emirates Run team is made up of seven experienced ultra-marathon runners based in the United Arab Emirates and is led by German Guinness World Record holder Wendelin Lauxen (category: fastest time to complete a marathon on each of the seven continents). They will cover 575km across all seven emirates in 12 days, culminating on 2nd December 2013, the 42nd National Day of the UAE. The money raised will be used to pay for lifechanging surgery and post-operative medical support for an 18-month old boy from Sharjah, Mohammed Ayoub, who suffers from deformities to both legs. Al Jalila Foundation, a global philanthropic organisation dedicated to transforming lives through medical education and research, has partnered with a group of the professional runners dedicated to helping children get back on their feet. This charitable initiative from 7 Emirates Run group is sponsored by Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), an internationally recognised centre of healthcare excellence and a leader in medical education. Wendelin Lauxen and his six fellow runners start running on 21 November 2013. Wendelin
The 7 Emirates Run team: (L-R) Doris Matlok, Aida Othman, Clemens Kastner, Deirdre O’Leary, Wendelin Lauxen, Servee Palmans and Ekhman Mahmud.
said: “I set up 7 Emirates Run to embrace a mission of running for help, health and fun. I strongly believe that this ethos will help create a healthier UAE community – getting people on their feet helps prevent obesity and its consequential diseases such as vascular diseases and diabetes, illnesses blighting our country. We are helping children get back on their feet by supporting the Al Jalila Foundation and to pay for life-changing surgery and post-operative medical support for a little boy who will soon be able to crawl and then walk.” “This initiative further demonstrates our long-standing commitment to the UAE. I tackled this 575km ultra-marathon successfully before in 2010 and I now look forward to being joined by six other like-minded and loyal friends of the UAE. I hope our love of combining and nurturing health, fun and philanthropy will lead to 77 runners in the 2014 edition of the 7 Emirates Run!” Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila
Nasimi watersports festival 2013
Photo By: Stu Williamson Photography Foundation, added: “We are delighted that 7 Emirates Run have chosen Al Jalila Foundation as its beneficiary. We see Mohammed’s operation as marking a key milestone in Dubai’s efforts to be at the forefront of medical innovation. Not only is the run demonstrating extraordinary feats of fitness and determination, but will also change this little boy’s life forever. I am continuously uplifted by these great efforts from people in our community and thank the 7 Emirates Run team for their compassion, generosity and tenacity.” The other brave runners who will be joining Wendelin are Aida Othman from New Zealand, Clemens Kastner from Germany, Deirdre O`Leary from Canada, Doris Matlok from Australia, Ekhman Mahmud from Malaysia and Servee Palmans from Netherlands. To support the 7 Emirates Run and Mohammed Ayoub’s life-transforming operation please visit www.7emiratesrun.com to make a contribution.
Winners: SUP KIDS RACE (1KM) 1. Spencer Jay Chapman 2. Mark Howes 3. Mari Foster SUP SPRINT MALE (3KM) 1. Scott Chambers 2. Nick Yates 3. Richard Howes SUP SPRINT FEMALE (3KM) 1. Jen Scully 2. Chantelle Howes 3. Nina Londei
The second Nasimi watersports festival has marked the start of a great outdoor season for watersports activities in The Palm Jumeirah, an initiative to get together watersports competitors from all nationalities in a one day event. The main watersports activities were Stand Up Paddle (SUP) and surfski, and a fun relay on SUP. The event day was a great success, for this time the weather conditions were amazing. Flat water during the morning on a sunny day was more than enough to get a crowd of 500 visitor
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that turned out to cheer on the competitors on a series of races. It began with SUP races kids, female and male, continuing with a relay race on SUP and finishing with surfski. The 70 competitors had a great time competing for the first positions on their respective categories. Besides the watersports competition, our special guest kitesurfing world champion Youri Zoon joined us on the festival to share his experience while chilling and mingling out with the kitesurfer community. As for chilling out, the event provided a setup of barbecue (mix platters) and a bar so that everybody could enjoy beverages and the BBQ while the competition was going on. Our closing ceremony took place after the last race, continuing with a raffle for all the visitors. The event gave away a total of +30k on prizes for all the competitors. With the support of Nasimi beach and our
SUP MALE RACE (6KM) 1. Daniel Van Dooren 2. Jakub Szczesny 3. Nick Yates SUP FUN COMPETITION Winning team: Jen Scully, Scott Chambers and Guy Welchman SURFSKI RACE 1. Doug Bitlon 2. Kenlea Murray 3. John Standley partners, things look promising for organising the third Nasimi watersports festival in January 2014 with the possibility of introducing more fun competitions for all the family. So there’s plenty time for everybody for keep on practicing and for us to prepare for our third edition.
Johnson Arabia Dubai Creek Striders Half Marathon 2013 Friday 6th December 2013 NSON ARABI H A JO a
I
DUBAI SPORTS COUNCIL
Experience the Dubai Creek like you have never seen it before...
The 12th Johnson Arabia Dubai Creek Sriders Half Marathon will take place starting at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. The 21km course will follow a senic route around, over and under Dubai Creek finishing at the start location.
Entry fee includes: goodie bag, Adidas T-Shirt, shower facilities and post race breakfast. All finishers will receive a medal and entry into a prize raffle. For more information or to register on line visit:
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
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EVENT REPORT
Bikes, bands and boys in black
Gulf Bike Week 2013 Words By: Glaiza Seguia
Gleaming bikes stopped traffic and spun heads in awe as they sped through the roads leading to Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. The distinct sounds of roaring engines and loud horns could be heard as tattooed men clad in leather, boots and sunglasses thundered their way to the largest motorcycle festival in the region, the Gulf Bike Week. With its new home in Media City and a new show format, the three-day event that has been running for five years showcased the latest innovations in sport bikes, urbanterrain vehicles, outdoor equipment and lifestyle products from global industry pioneers like Kawasaki, Harley Davidson, BMW, Honda, Ducati and more. The atmosphere was electrifying thanks to the 12 international artists including homegrown talent Juliana Down, The Boxtones, Maplejacks, Jay Wud and more, who dominated the musical stage. There were entertainment and street bike stunt shows from Red Bull’s Shadi Al Dhaheri and Jack Field along with other Flair Riders throughout the weekend. Artful engineering was on display at the Custom Build Bike Competition and taking home the prizes were Manjeet Kwatra from the UAE for the vintage class, Skull Cycles from the UAE for the Sportbike class and Ahmed Al Shaik from Saudi Arabia for the Three-wheeler class, just to name a few. Meanwhile, the kids made a beeline for the Adventure HQ stand to ride and skate on the bike pump track. The event wouldn’t be complete without
the hundreds of enthusiasts who came down to meet and mingle. Around 1,600 bikers joined the iconic Thunder Parade and different motorcycling clubs from all over the Middle East showed their support including Emirates Riders, Falcons Abu Dhabi, Oman Riders, Riyadh Riders and more. Another show-stopper is the custom-built golden plated and bejeweled motorbike
designed by Danish company Lauge Jensen. Founder Uffe Lauge Jensen, explained: “It took us five months to make this because the level of detail is so high. We opted to do gold leaf work as opposed to strictly gilding because it is much thicker. Every inch that is covered in gold leaf was placed there by a master jeweler.” His Excellency Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, Vice-President of the FIA and Chairman of the Institute for Sport Research in the UAE, along with Christopher Hudson, Managing Director of Clarions Events Middle East, inaugurated the event on October 24th and did a walking tour in the grassy venue. Hudson said: “We are happy to be back where Bike Week originally began, the new venue adds a true festival feel, with amazing talent from street stunt riders, 12 of the best regional bands entertaining the crowds, and plenty of food and beverage amongst a variety of other features. The festival provides a perfect platform to engage for bikers and families alike.”
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booth For the first time, OutdoorUAE participated in this popular event to interact with fellow petrolheads. Outdoor fans picked up complimentary copies of the magazine, checked out our t-shirt and book merchandise and had fun striking crazy poses in the photobooth sponsored by Kawasaki. Visitors young and old took turns riding the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R and got free photo souvenirs printed. The Liberty Automobiles Co has currently launched their 2014 models, and wants to share the feeling of riding a powerful machine with fellow bike buffs. The huge stand of Liberty Kawasaki at the Gulf Bike Week was packed with riders and customers viewing and asking about their newest range. “I love to ride and I have a Kawasaki bike myself, that’s why I always include the Gulf Bike Week to my calendar,” one of the visitors said. We can’t wait for next year’s event! Check out some of the best moments from the OutdoorUAE booth…
DJ Maryo Figo entertained the crowd around the OutdoorUAE booth on Saturday with his tunes.
OUTDOORUAE
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REPORT
Al Yousuf Motors – Accessories returns to the Gulf Bike Week One of the biggest regional brands in the industry, Al Yousuf Motors – Accessories, is also one of the busiest booths during the Gulf Bike Week. The Al Yousuf Motors – Accessories division, which has been a part of this event for more than five years, is the sole UAE distributor of Aplinestars, the worldclass technical apparel and footwear company for motorcycling.
In celebration of the bike fest, Al Yousuf launched the new line of Alpinestars during the show. Their booth attracted a big crowd of regular patrons and visitors who were keen to avail the special offer of 15% to 40% discount on a variety of products, plus flyers and sticker giveaways. Al Yousuf also showcased the original suits of Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo and Honda riders Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez flown in by Alpinestars straight from Italy. Meanwhile, fans had fun sticking out their heads and doing wacky faces at the wall cut-out of Spanish motorcycle hero Jorge Lorenzo. According to Al Yousuf Motors – Accessories General Manager Fara Jenabi, quality
Dubai Police Special Force wearing Al Yousuf Accessories products
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customer service is among their top priorities and they were happy to receive a lot of positive feedback at their Gulf Bike Week stand. “They realise that we are the only one in Emirates with a very wide range of technical products, all under one roof, all genuine brand names with very reasonable prices. We care about our customers and listen to
them. If what they want is not in inventory at a certain time, we airship the product for them within three weeks subject to availability with the supplier.” As for the future plans, Al Yousuf promises to “continue being the number one retailer for technical biking necessities.” Here are some best moments from the Al Yousuf Motors – Accessories stand...
Adventure HQ in Times Square Center in Dubai, Go Sport in The Dubai Mall and Bawabat Al Sharq Mall in Abu Dhabi, actionuae.com and blingmytruck.com Qatar: Go Sport in Villaggio Mall , Doha City Centre Mall
ACTIVITY REPORT
Wadis, dunes and mountain goats
Five days in the Oman’s al Hajar mountains Hillside villages Abandoned villages
Words + Photos By: Helen McClure from expatexplorers.org
I’m scrambling up a cliff face fol-
lowing two little mountain goats. But these goats don’t have four legs, only two. And they are my daughters aged six and four. I had reservations about attempting an adventurous walk with such young children, but they have put me to shame, and hailed this wander up the wadi the best part of the holiday. Surely that is the definition of success. We had just five days to tour around the Al Hajar Mountains in Oman, and we soon discovered that we could have taken weeks if we’d had the luxury of time. Starting in Dubai, we made our way to the border behind Al Ain and took the road to Ibri. Brown signs pointed the way to several forts and castles, but we had our sights set on the Saiq Plateau, accessed via Birkat Al-Mawz, east of Nizwa, where you pass a police checkpoint – no 4x4, no access. The roads have been upgraded, and although the way was steep, with switchbacks zigzagging all the way to the top, it was an
Visiting the turtles
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easy drive, with spectacular views. There is an easy walk (route W18b) from the Sahab Hotel that takes you down the valley, along the falajs (traditional water courses) and through groves of pomegranates and hillside villages. If you’re a guest of the hotel they will pick you up when you’ve had enough. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can keep walking to the deserted village of Wadi Bani Habib, which is worth a trip by car in any case. The crumbling stone and mud structures, abandoned in the wadi, are like gravestones marking a disappearing and isolated way of life. For our second night, we came down the mountain and headed for the Wahiba or Sharqiya Sands: rolling dunes of gold, which stretch for miles. We made ourselves at home at the Desert Nights Camp, 11km off road from Al Wasil. Our daughters were used to camping in the desert, but they were surprised to see beds and flushing toilets in a tent. Think “glamping,” more than camping. It’s a great way to spend a couple of nights. From here we took a day trip to Wadi Bani Khalid to scramble around and swim in the rock pools, and then made our way to the coastal town of Sur. We walked up to the spit of land at the mouth of the lagoon and flagged down a little boat, which ferried people back and forth the waterway. Mubarak, our ferryman, had lived in Sur all his life and gave us a little insight into the development of the town, which is a popular holiday destination for Omanis. He took us to the sandbars in the middle of the lagoon and then back up the water way to the opposite spit of land, where the village of Al Ayjah sits perched on the edge. Given its remote position, it remains largely
Splashing about in the wadis
untouched, but the traffic now thunders over the new bridge and a major road skims its edges. There is a lighthouse at the mouth of the lagoon, and pretty white low-rise buildings, broken periodically by mosque minarets. In the centre, a fort proudly stands, guarded by two cannons, and surrounded by frisky goats who jump on and off parked cars. Remind me not to park where goats roam. Our stop for the night was the Turtle Beach Resorts, at Ras Al-Hadd. The Resort arranges nightly trips to a nearby turtle beach. We followed a snake of cars, led by a local guide. I had anticipated the excitement of seeing these gentle giants in the wild, but I don’t think I really appreciated how big they are. The one we met, and eventually followed into the sea, was about a metre long; given that its babies are only about six centimetres, the circle of life can be a little strange. Our final adventure was at Wadi Ash Shab. Billed as one of the greatest walks in Oman, we were not disappointed. After crossing the wadi in a boat, the walk is easy going, passing several plantations and rock pools. The way gets steeper, and the rocks get bigger. At one point you walk along a ledge in the rock face, difficult but not impossible with children. The finale is, however, not suitable for young children or weak swimmers. At the last rock pool you have to swim 50m to a small gap in the rock face, which you either squeeze through or swim under, reappearing in a small cave with a waterfall flooded with light. It’s a fantastic reward. This is a trip I would return to, each time finding new paths to explore. And as for my mountain goats? They are already looking at maps in search of their next adventure.
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buffet on the veranda of the dhow restaurant, overlooking a calm bay, and despite being family-friendly, surprisingly peaceful. www. tbroman.com Day 5: Spend your final day and night in Muscat – visit the souq at Mutrah, fish market on the Corniche, trek from Riyam to Mutrah (path C38) along a historic path that used to serve as the only way to get to Muscat other than by sea.
Essential reading: Oman Trekking Oman Off-Road
Sketch map of route
Accommodation:
Day 1: Sahab Hotel on the Saiq Plateau. The view from here is worth the visit alone. This small but spacious hotel has 27 well appointed rooms, opening onto a fossil garden with a beautiful mountain top swimming pool. We stayed in a two room rustic suite, where the sofa double as a bed for the children. The restaurant offers an a la carte menu at lunch time and in the evening there is a buffet. There is also a buffet, with an egg and pancake station, at breakfast, which can be enjoyed on the veranda. The staff are welcoming and knowledgeable. www.sahab-hotel.com Day 2 and 3: The Desert Nights camp 11 km
Walking on falajs
from Al Wasil is a great oasis in the middle of the dunes. The permanent en-suite tents, with electricity and water, really ensure even people who don’t like roughing it will be comfortable. The site has 26 tents, a bar and a restaurant. Each evening and at daybreak you can watch the sun dancing along the dunes. There is a full range of extra activities from dune bashing to sightseeing. www.desertnightscamp.com Day 4: Turtle Beach Resorts at Ras Al-Hadd, hidden away down a dusty track and situated right on the beach, it is a quaint little place to stay, and the perfect location for trips to see the turtles. The rooms, made to look like Barasti huts, are basic, but clean, some with ensuites and air conditioning. There is an evening
Helen McClure is the journalist behind www.expatexplorers.org, a travel and expat website offering free independent insights, ideas and inspiration. Follow her on www.facebook.com/expatexplorers and www.twitter.com/expatexplorers. Her travelling experiences have included backpacking in South America and the Far East, touring Europe in a camper van, working in villages in Africa, travelling with the British Army in Kenya, Oman and Northern Ireland, working in Saudi Arabia, living in Kuwait, Chicago and the United Arab Emirates. She is known for being sport mad (all sports), running long distances (just mad) and being competitive (in everything).
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
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REPORT
FireStorm is coming! Words By: Candice Howe
CrossFit is all about general physical preparedness (GPP) – being ready for the unknown and the unknowable, and being able to say “yes!” to whatever life throws at you. The growth of CrossFit has been driven by community, it is about people getting together to improve their GPP, it is about friends encouraging and supporting each other through their workouts, it is about word of mouth, growth and development, and it is about individual affiliates and affiliate owner opening gyms because they believe in what CrossFit is all about and how it changes lives.
Seven years ago, on a family ranch in Aromas, CA, the CrossFit Games was born. Since then The CrossFit Games has grown to an entire sporting season, testing thousands of athletes around the world, culminating in a week-long test of the world’s fittest people at the Stub Hub Stadium in Carson, CA, in front of tens of thousands of spectators, and hundreds of thousands tuning in from around the world. The Sport of Fitness has well and truly arrived. As the CrossFit community grows, so is the desire to compete, and Dubai is no different. Building on the success of last year’s 2012 LifeSpark Team Challenge, as well as many other local “throwdowns” FireStorm is born! FireStorm, Reebok CrossFit LifeSpark’s now annual competition will be taking place on 22nd and 23rd November at their JLT facility. This Reebok supported event is a two-day, four-person team competition and is open to all. Teams will be made up of two men and two women. There will be scaled and RXD divisions, with spaces for a total of 12 teams per division. This is a competition that is going to fill fast and prove popular with the growing number of CrossFit affiliates and fitness-enthusiasts in the UAE.
How can you get involved? 1. Put a team together! Two men, two women 2. Select which division your team can enter (Scaled of RXD) based upon the movement requirements 3. Register with Reebok CrossFit LifeSpark 4. Start training in preparation for the competition 5. Not quite ready for the competitive side of things? There are also judging and volunteer opportunities CrossFit is all about community! Not only is every workout designed to challenge the athletes, it also makes for an exciting spectator sport. Spectators will have a great opportunity to witness some great feats of fitness, support their friends and see teamwork at its best. The “Sport of Fitness” element of CrossFit is inspiring, exciting and, for many, becomes their first introduction to CrossFit. So, for a slightly different “outdoor” experience, FireStorm offers options for athletes, volunteers and spectators – regardless of how you get involved, it promises to be a great day out!For more information you can contact Reebok CrossFit LifeSpark by email: CrossFit@LifeSparkCoaching. com, or check out their website www. ReebokCrossFitLifeSpark.com.
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ASICS run series Four-hundred fifty athletes entered Race 1 of the Dubai Sports Council sanctioned Asics 8km and 4km Run Series that took place at The Track Golf Club at Meydan this October. A slightly humid morning allowed athletes to get in to their stride quickly and a fast pace was set in both legs of the race over the flat course. Paul Muturi powered his way to winning the 8km for men in 26 minutes and 38 seconds, 11 seconds quicker then Cathal Ruane and 21 seconds faster than third placed David Sappa. Anne-Mari Hyrylainen – Dubai Creek Striders – showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the field by winning the ladies 8km in a blistering time of 29:26. Dubai Creek Striders runners Tatiana Savelyeva was four minutes back in 33:25 and Lucy Woolacott finished in 34:38. The 4km for men saw young ABRaS prodigy Max Powell continue with his success from previous seasons races and clocked an impressive 14:58 to take the win. Rahul Raghuveer was second in 15:03 while Red-
ouane Bouchemale completed the podium in 15:54. On the ladies side, it was Latifa Essarokh home first in 14:58 followed by more ABRaS runners in Anna Knightley and Siena Girdon respectively in 15:45 and 16:23. “It was a great way to spend the morning and watch all these athletes run at Meydan – old and young and even some with their strollers,” commented The Track Clubhouse Manager Jens Macheledt. “We are looking forward to welcoming all back for the remainder of the races and hope to
improve on Race 1,” he added. This series of races is co-sponsored by GO Sport, The Track Golf Club, Meydan Hotel, IMAX, Sport 360, Wild Wadi, Sharbatly Fruit, Outdoor UAE and Barry Morgan Sports Photography. Race 2 is scheduled for Friday, 29th November 2013 with entries closing the Wednesday before race day. All information regarding the races can be found at www.supersportsdubai.com or contact event organiser Warren van der Merwe (0506575021 or at warren@supersportsdubai.com).
Photo: Stephen Whitesell
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DMX
Review is kindly sponsored and supported by
Free motorsports action at your doorstep Dubai Motocross season 2013 This November, thousands of spectators will again make their way down to the Yas Marina Circuit to catch some motorsports action and watch this year’s Formula One Grand Prix. With so many motorsports enthusiasts in the UAE it is quite surprising that the motocross race series is attracting only a handful of spectators despite the action and the friendly atmosphere. It certainly has nothing to do with what the race series offers and comes simply down to the point that not a lot of people know about it. At most of the races you will find only a few pure spectators and most of the crowd at the track are racers and their family and friends. The gates to the track are open on race days and anyone interested should not think twice to pass the gate – visitors and spectators are welcome. The races are free of charge for spectators and there is shaded seating at the grandstand available. Food and beverages can also be purchased. So if you are interested in motorsports you should come down to one of the race Fridays to catch some of the action. Races start usually around 9:30 a.m. with the last
race at 3:30 p.m. You can bring your own cooler with food and drinks or buy fresh and organic F&B from the Organic Foods & Cafe shop. Races are divided into 11 classes: Junior Classes: 50cc Quads and Cadets Senior Classes: 65cc, 85cc (150cc 4 stroke), 125cc Youth (250cc 4 stroke), MX1, MX2, Masters (above 38 years of age), Pro Quads, Clubman and Open The races are held on two tracks in Dubai and Umm Al Quwain, but most of the races are in Dubai. The Dubai Racetrack is easy to find, next to Jebel Ali Hotel if you take exit 13 from Sheikh Zayed Road directly after Jebel Ali Freezone. The race calendar is as follows for the season 2013/2014:
DMX Round 2 8th November 2013
DMX Round 6 24th January 2014
DMX Round 3
DMX Round 7 21st February 2014
22nd November 2013
DMX Round 4 6th December 2013
DMX Round 8 21st March 2014
DMX Round 5 10th January 2014
DMX Round 9 18th April 2014
IBN Battuta Mall
Int. 8 From Abu Dhabi
From Dubai
EXIT 13
Sheik Zayed Road Jebel Ali Ind. Port & Free Zone
GPS N 24° 58.870 E 055° 01.306
DMX JEBEL ALI GOLF RESORT
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If you need more information especially if your interest exceeds being a spectator and you want to get involved, please visit the updated DMX website: www.dubaimotocross.com
DMX Round 1 review
The first round of DMX was held on Friday 4th October 2013 on the race track in Jebel Ali. The 1.7km race track has a new design for this year and the event has also seen a bigger presence of sponsors all adding up to high expectations for the season 2013/2014. OutdoorUAE has introduced last month the racing team of Liberty Kawasaki and was invited to meet the team on the race track at their new race camp directly behind the main stand. With successful riders in the team, the expectations were high and excitement was in the air before the first even race started. It was a great start for the team in the MX1 class with all their three riders crossing the start and finish line first with Ross Runnalls (1), Jinan CD (50) and Sean Gaugian (12) chased by 13 eager
riders. But the riders couldn’t hold the pressure from the back especially by rider Sam Sunderland (83), who started his race from fifth position moving up to second position in the first round. In the second round, Jinan CD lost one more place to Ben Memzies (18) falling back on position five. In Round 3, Sam Sunderland managed to take over Ross Runnalls and leading the race until the finish. From Round 4 onwards, the riders kept their positions in the top five place until the checked flag.
The MX1 class was dominated by the Kawasaki riders making the race between themselves. Ross Runnalls (1) kept the leading position from the beginning and defended it until the end. Dale Jullien (2) started from the fifth position and only Runnalls rode past him. Also Sean Gaugian started his chase from the very last position until he was behind his teammate Jullien in Round 8, which was the order they keep until the end. Position No.
Name
Laps
Total time
Position
No.
Name
Laps
Total time
1
1
Ross Runnalls
12
21:50.521
1
83
Sam Sunderland
12
20:55.273
2
2
Dale Jullien
12
22:12.544
2
1
Ross Runnalls
12
22:01.238
3
12
Sean Gaugain
12
22:55.142
3
12
Sean G
12
22:21.213
4
23
Mohammed Jaffar
12
23:08.040
4
18
Ben Memzies
12
22:30.898
5
4
Ryan Wynn
12
23:25.921
5
50
Jinan CD
12
22:52.185
In the Clubman class, the racer Abdhullah Al Rhaih (11), made an impression when he crossed the start and finish line in 13th position but rolled up the field of the 15 racers from the back until he was behind Jarmo Mikaelelo who took on the lead from in the fifth round and finished the race as the winner followed by Abdullah Al Rwaih and Hamdan. Position No.
Laps
Total time
1
310 Jarmo Mikaelelo
Name
7
13:29.796
2
11
Abdullah Al Rwaih
7
14:02.446
3
28
Hamdan
7
14:10.471
4
51
Alex Malpass
7
14:53.961
5
174 Anwar A Nuaimi
7
14:55.327
In the 65ccm and 85ccm class, Nick Kefford (22) shined with a start finish victory while Eugenio Barbaglia (19) and Abdullah Al Nuaimi (174a) were fighting for the second place. As Abdullah finished third, Kawaski was proud to have one more of their sponsored riders on the podium. Position No.
Name
Laps
Total time
1
22
Nick Kefford
7
14:50.704
2
19
Eugenio Barbaglia
7
15:22.611
3
174a Abdullah Al Nuaimi
4
7
5
199
7
15:30.872
Samuel Porter
7
16:06.934
Harry Suddarels
7
16:36.958
In the 125ccm class, there was not much movement in positions after the first round and only Darren Berry (73) managed to win back one position in the second round and all positions between the five racers were kept until the finish with Erik Landgren (11) taking first place. Position No.
Name
Laps Total time
1
11
Erik Landgren
7
14:56.919
2
38
Keegan Banard
7
15:43.461
3
10
Dean Jullien
7
15:54.103
4
73
Darren Berry
7
15:58.365
5
22
Nicholas Kefford
7
16:10.380
The Masters race was held on Saturday, the 5th, and has seen the biggest field of racers with 16 classified and six unclassified competitors. Shannon O’ Connor (13) who could win the first race in the Masters class after starting from fourth position and taking the lead in Round 4 was followed after the checked flag by Nic Bac (6) and Corrado Meneghello. Position
No.
1
13
Shannon O’ Connor
8
15:24.893
2
6
Nic Bac
8
15:42.673
Corrado Meneghello
8
15:48.125
3
Name
Laps Total time
4
895
Brent Gregson
8
15:49.493
5
25
Duncan Crerar
8
15:59.631
*Race results source: www.dubaimotocross.com
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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
The Old Man of Hoy
Words + Photos By: Sean James
In the ancient language of Norse, Hoy is Haey and means “High Island.” The Old Man of Hoy is not the highest climb in the world, but its isolation and remoteness make it an icon of adventure rock climbing. The easiest route is achievable and stunning in its position and inaccessibility. The island of Hoy lies off the north coast of Scotland and you need to take two ferry journeys to reach it. It is not an easy place to get to. Being close to the Arctic Circle you also need to be lucky with the weather. Storms from the Atlantic and Artic can be vicious even in the summer. In the big passenger ferry from Thurso to Stromness, the passengers all rush to one side of the boat to see this geographical wonder. Against the 500m cliffs it looks minute and insignificant. It is a sea stack. Or almost. Years ago, the land fell away leaving a free standing column of rock. It is still possible to walk from the mainland to the start of the climb. This pinnacle is called the Old Man of Hoy. The Old Man of Hoy is red sandstone, 137m tall. Sea stacks are created by the sea and weather eroding the cliff surrounding them. The Old Man is less than 400 years old and changed dramatically in the 1800s when a powerful storm washed away one of the legs. The stack is now climbed around 20 – 50 times in an average year. A small visitor’s book is buried in a cairn on the summit for those dedicated enough. The Old Man has even had a BASE jump from the top. The Old Man was only first climbed 1966
Huddled together on the very small top
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Photogenic from any angle
by climbing superstars Chris Bonington, Rusty Baillie and Tom Patey over three days. In 1967 television cameras brought the climbers back and filmed a live ascent watched by 23 million people. At present there are about seven different routes to the top. We climbed the original route which is about E1 5b in grade and consists of four separate pitches. The abseil back down is equally part of the experience. In total there are approximately 300 sea stacks in the UK with over 250 alone in Scotland. Some like The Old Man of Stoer even require a swim, rubber dinghy or Tyrolean traverse before reaching the bottom of the climb. Further information is available on sea stack in the UK on this link: www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=25.
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Where to go when you have 9 days off? Words + Photos By: Guida Verschut
We decided to close the doors of the office during Eid, giving us time to take our first holiday since we started our business. Pete suggested Thailand, but I had something different in mind, a place not that far from here; this was my chance to get my “wish come true” – Nepal. We left the office around lunchtime to catch our flight from Sharjah airport and in only four hours we were in Kathmandu. With our forms already filled in, we smoothly got through customs where three clerks sitting side by side
registered us and issued our visas, all by pen and paper. We were picked up by Nima, the Nepalese end of Mountain Quests, Matt Farr’s Dubai-based boutique expedition company. They did all our legwork by arranging transport in the country, hotels, trekking permits and information for our six-day trek. A short but good night’s sleep was followed with a morning discussion with Nima to confirm our route, lodges to use, receive trekking map and local telephone (coverage would be sporadic and a comprehensive safety net was never a real option once we left Kathmandu). We planned to do the Helambu trek (Langtang Region) which would take us six days to complete. This gave us some slack in case we needed an extra day for our trip and of course we wanted to leave enough room to sniff out some Kathmandu culture. Our trek was described as moderate with daily walks between five and seven hours. Pete, who is not a newbie to Nepal, and did the Annapurna Sanctuary trek in three days
(Lonely Planet gives a six-day trek) said that if we leave early in the morning we would have the afternoons to explore the area near the lodge. I found out on day one that this measurement did not include tea and lunch breaks. I had also been advised that I should expect at least one day of diarrhoea, but
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suffering avoidance was possible with good hygiene awareness. So we took lots of antibacterial wipes with us as a substitute for flowing water in bathrooms. Raw food was off the menu, although in Kathmandu some restaurants mentioned that they soaked their veggies and salads in iodine water for 30 minutes. In reality, safe food is either cooked or fried and served really hot. Tap water is not safe to drink so in order to avoid contributing to the plastic bottle mountain we took an MSR water filter with us, this was really useful.
It was hot and we definitely found it challenging. I started thinking what I shouldn’t have brought with me – my fleece, shawl, binoculars? Many people passed us, a lot of them were on the way to visit family as it was Pachali Bhairab Jatra festival week. Around five in the afternoon, we were glad to have reached Chisapani at 2,165m, our destination for Day 1. We found a decent lodge with a great view over the valley, got a room with toilet and hot shower. All we could think of after dinner was straight to bed.
Day 1
We left at 8:00 after Nepali bread and fried egg. Studying the results of the GPS the day before, we noticed that we could gain time if we could cut down on teas and lunch breaks. We also became aware that the gross altitude gain was not a realistic measure of the day as for every ascent there appeared to be significant descents in the day as well. Consequently, we started to read the map with different eyes, we counted every high line looked for every detail and symbol, shades and valleys to anticipate how long it would take us. Life is on the street. Opposite every house along the path was a tap with flowing mountain water, this was the place were women do their dishes, wash their clothes, hair, meat and vegetables all on their squat. Houses were
sometimes less that a few metres of the path so you wondered how they maintain their privacy. Almost every house has a dog or two that seem to sleep all day. While the internet suggests to vaccinate against Rabies, I did not come across any angry dogs. Most houses have a toilet shed at the back that is flushed with a bucket of water. No seat but all standing ones, in a way this is the best solution as they have a different approach of keeping things clean. The food is delicious. It is fresh and made at the spot in a short time. I love curries and being a vegetarian was not a problem at all. Looking at the kitchen brings you back in time, it is very basic and everything gets prepared on a wood stove, you can often find bits of coal in the bottom of your tea cup which adds a nice flavour to it. We walked through small villages most of them had no more than 15 houses. We passed a lodge that stood out due to its colour and tidiness, outside we met the owner who was from Switzerland and married to a local. He mentioned that the weather forecast was heavy rains for the coming days. We looked at each other and frowned, this was supposed to be the dry time, the best period to visit Nepal. The last hill was a torture, Pete took some of my stuff in his rucksack as he became
A one-hour taxi ride from central Kathmandu and we were trekking by 10:00 from Sundarijal at 1,460m. While Pete managed to do a small nap during the ride, I was captured by what I saw and could not keep my eyes off the urban views. Sleeping dogs everywhere, a man without legs begging, people selling their goods near the road, the numerous little shops selling mainly cheap stuff, the potholes in the road, glossy saris, lots of dust and, just outside Kathmandu, people working the fields. We planned to be self-sufficient, travel light and carry our own pack. There is a basecamp GPS map of Asia available; with this and our trekking map, we felt confident we did not need a guide. I clicked my walking poles ready, swung my rucksack on my back and switched on my GPS, ready to go. My heart did a skip when I found out that Asian base map had not been loaded on my device; I blame it on a beginner’s error. A great moment for an argument, but I was glad it didn’t come. We walked past shops and teahouses along a sloped path rich in trees. After a short while, the path transformed into steps that never seemed to end. The young couple in front of us (she was wearing shoes with straps and pointy heels) were soon out of sight. We were overtaken by a mum with a four-year-old.
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Day 2
worried we might not reach our lodge before dark. We took the first lodge we saw, just before dark we arrived at Kutumsang at 2,470m after a 10-hour day.
Day 3
Today would be the hardest day as we would end at 3,690m in Thadepati Pass. It started with clouds and a few hours later the first small drops fell. We walked through a beautiful forest of small trees that gradually changed to high trees that at first glance appeared to be branchless and wrapped in moss. After lunchtime, the rain became more serious and the temperature dropped. In the pouring rain, we regularly felt off route but were reassured by fresh walking pole prints. We arrived at our destination in fading light, lashing rain and high winds; we were soaked, cold and in need of tea. The first hut we approached was full but luckily the next one had places. No hot shower; poor Pete, he was so cold that it took him hours to heat up. The hut was busy as many routes crossed at this desolate location.
Day 4
The next day, Pete felt too tired to get up, all he wanted was to stay in bed with tea. I convinced him to go to the dining room and sit near the wood stove. There he rolled up in a corner to have a nap. Two men approached us wondering what was wrong with him. One of them happened to be a doctor. A short consultation concluded that he was suffering from altitude sickness. An injection, some pills and instructions to descend followed. Amazingly, within one hour he was back on his feet ready to go. I was now the one who took some of his stuff in my rucksack to save his energy. We descended to the valley in the pouring rain and decided to stay in Melamchi Gaon 2,530m instead of a village further. To
our surprise, we found the couple we met the evening before in the same hut. Eva (the younger sister) lived in Nepal and worked for an organisation involved with women rights and Taj sets up green energy plants for a company located in the US. We had an interesting evening and came a lot to know about life in Nepal and how appalling the position of women are, how young children get lost as they get sold in order to earn money through charity.
it could sink his teeth in my flesh at any moment and I could not avoid screaming. In an attempt to get rid of it, I frantically waved my hand and was successful. But where did it go? We looked through all our stuff, there was no way I could sleep before we had found it, and eventually we noticed it crawling on the ceiling. Checking my waterproof, there were two more bloodthirsty leeches to be rid of. But I slept that night with the light on just in case.
Day 5
We got in touch with Nima, who arranged transport back to Kathmandu for us. We left the clouds behind us, the further we went the better it got. It took five hours of careful driving as the rain had washed out roads and left significant damage.
Rain and more rain, we had to walk through rivers and got lost at some point. Cold and wet, we reached Timbu 1,580m. With warm water buckets, we refreshed ourselves and tried to lay everything out to dry. While I hung up my waterproof, I felt something sticky on my thumb. By the light of my head-torch I saw this crawling thing – a leech! I believed
Day 6
Days 7, 8 and 9
The rest of the days we spent sightseeing Kathmandu, the immediate region and buying souvenirs in Thamel.
Places worth visiting: Kathesimbu Stupa in Jyatha area Durbar Square Pashupatinath Bodhnath Patan (Durbar square) My favourite place to have lunch: Nepalese Kitchen in Thamel Trip set up and fixes: Mountain Quest; made it very easy and saved a couple of days sleeping around ministries and bus stations.
LIFESTYLE
AN INDESTRUCTIBLE WORKHORSE Test driving the Nissan Patrol Pickup Words + Photos By: Daniel Birkhofer
After test driving some limousine and sedan cars, we finally have a real outdoor car to test drive. How do I define an outdoor car? It’s quite simple: leave all the fancy stuff which is not essential and that can potentially break under heavy use, and focus on features to get through the toughest conditions. The Nissan Patrol Pickup is certainly not a car you buy to drive to a seven-star hotel for dinner; it is a rugged purpose-built car which will take you to the end of the world and back. The Nissan Patrol Pickup has still the old shape from the Patrol Super Safari and didn’t change over the last years. Looking at the car’s body and interior, you directly know which breed it is – not a show horse, not race horse, but a pure-blooded workhorse. The Pickup has no alloy wheels or other eyecatchers added. The body lines are simple and clean. The loading platform is huge even though the wings don’t allow a fully flat
floor. The heavy-duty coil spring suspension, incorporating telescopic shock absorbers and a torsion bar, provides confident handling. Top-of-the-class wheel stroke makes easy work of rough roads and unexpected obstacles. The platform gate is made of metal and also has strong metal hooks on the side to tie up and secure any load. The interior is kept in neural grey with fabric seats. The only fancy extra is a centre armrest with a built-in cooler to have a cold drink
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always within reach while you and your car work hard. A basic radio with CD and AUX, as well as power windows and keyless entry system are also part of the basic package. Since there are not many extras added to the car and it is also only a single carbine two-seater (3 seats), the pickup weighs only 2378kg and you can load almost 700kg to it. The Patrol is powered by a 4.8L six-cylinder engine with 280HP. To drive the pickup on two wheel rear drive is great to save some litres of fuel while on the road. Off the road, the four wheel drive can be engaged in two modes, high and low, and an additional differential look for the back axle can be switched on if needed. Remote areas or long off-road drives are nothing to worry about with the Patrol Pickup since it has an additional fuel tank with 80L totalling to a fuel capacity of 175L. Driving the pickup on the road is great, you sit high with a good overview to the front. The view to the back is limited by the spare wheel on the loading platform to the rear window and also the B column of the chassis covers the view to the site generating a big blind spot. Adding some blind spot mirrors for 10 AED from the aftermarket would solve this little issue of convenience and overall overview. The big engine accelerates the car in a reasonable time for a 4x4.
don’t deflate the tyres for a little drive in the desert until I feel it is necessary to do so. For the test drive, the car wasn’t loaded which increased the performance due to the light weight, so it was not necessary to deflate the tyres for the little dune drive. Since the car performed so well, I also didn’t manage to put the car in a situation where the differential lock was needed. Compared to the 4x4 I’m usually driving, the lightweight pickup was great to drive in sand and I would wish to drive it for my next long desert trip. Blessed with the long Eid weekend, the next test was the loading capacity with big outdoor gear like paddle boards. Usually, I need to lift the board on the roof rack of my 4x4 which is 190cm up. Loading the boards on the pickup was so much more convenient and again the loading platform provided enough space for all the equipment. With all the sand in the region, it’s great that you can use the loading platform as a working platform away from the sand. Everyone who spent some time in the outdoors, would have had the experience of dropping things in the sand and never finding them again. Having such a huge working platform minimizes this risk.
The car has no traction control and putting the foot on the accelerator in rear two-wheel drive with no load on the rear axle lets the tyres spin easily, especially if there is some gravel or sand on the road. The seats do not have much side support but are very comfortable even for long drives. Inside the cabin there is only very limited loading space behind the seats but you have more than enough space on the loading platform. The car drives smooth and stable on the road. The nightmare for every 4x4 is soft sand on flat ground, which you find on beaches, but it was a piece of cake for the Patrol Pickup. With temperatures still around the 30s at night, I decided not to pitch the tent and sleep on the loading platform on my mattress. For everyone who hasn’t tried it before, sleeping on the back of your pickup on the loading platform provides you with a perfectly even floor ensuring a good night’s sleep with all the comfort you can find outdoors. Since I was travelling alone, I could even keep all my fishing gear and other stuff on the loading platform and found enough space for my outdoor bed. Therefore packing up in the morning was done in a record time of less than five minutes. After the good performance on the beach, I wanted to check the performance of the car in the desert. I’m generally lazy and
Verdict: The Nissan Patrol Pickup is a purpose-built car for famers, camel herders, etc, withstanding the toughest condition, keeping maintenance at a minimum and durability at a maximum. These are all great properties for an outdoor car. The downside is certainly the lack of comfort and fancy design or technical features which you will find in other pickups popular in the consumer market like the Ford F-150 or GMC Sierra. So the Nissan Patrol Pickup is definitely a car without compromises, an indestructible workhorse, a car which will still keep going even after hundreds of thousands of kilometres with offroad challenges. In-between all the fanciness and bling of the city, I enjoyed driving the Patrol Pickup very much on and off the road. No makeup, just pure off-road capability. It would be definitely within the handful of cars I would personally drive for all my outdoor needs.
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Yamaha 2014 Viking – Revs your heart To make your camping experience more fun, Yamaha introduces the all new 2014 Viking. In 2004, Yamaha dazzled the world with the introduction of the side-by-side ATV, Rhino. Now Yamaha has come up with the new Viking that will carry the same torch that its predecessor did. The major new feature in the Viking is the spacious three seats. The backrest of the centre seat is tilted five degrees farther than the driver and outside passenger backrests, creating an off-set seating position that allows all on board to comfortably fit without rubbing shoulders. The Viking also comes with all the wonderful features that the Rhino had, plus more. An engine with more power, more top speed and the reliability you expect from Yamaha. Combine it all with the best ergonomics and suspension in the business for the most capable side by side you’ve ever tried. Always wanted to go where few have been? Go there; with the new Viking. The new air intake system improves high RPM range output giving more top end power and easier servicing. It also comes with a steel cargo bed and dump latch with 600lb load capacity. You can also tilt the cargo bed with a simple unlock lever. For more information and to test drive the new Viking, visit any of our Al Yousuf Motors showrooms and speak to our sale team.
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SPECIFICATIONS: Engine
686cc, 4 cycle single liquid-cooled, SOHC 4 valve
Bore and Stroke
102mm X 84mm
Starting
Electric
Transmission
Yamaha ultramatic CVT, shaft
Drive train
On command 2WD, 4WD with Diff-lock
Suspension
Independent Double wishbone with anti-sway bar, 205mm of wheel travel
Brakes
Dual hydraulic disk/ shaft mounted parking brake
Wheelbase
2,135mm (84.1”)
Turning radius
4,500mm (177.7”)
Ground clearance
300mm (11.8”)
Fuel capacity
36.7 liters
Colors
Red, dark green, dark blue and realtree camouflage
CAMPING TIPS: As the days pass and as we delve deeper into the autumn season, the temperatures drop to a blissful low and we heave a sigh of relief for winter is just around the corner. Of course winter in the UAE, unlike other countries, is the ideal time for outdoor activities especially camping. Camping can be a wonderful excursion if planned well and can be a horrendous disaster if you neglect the little things. Therefore to make camping a pleasurable experience, we have put together few dos and don’ts: • Stay hydrated: it is very important to stay hydrated when camping. Of course don’t forget to grab some water for other uses such as washing, cooking and cleaning.
• Glow sticks: To keep track of your little ones (especially when the night falls), use glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets. Kids love them, they are always on them and they are easy to spot from a distance. Please keep in mind that this won’t prevent other incidents and minors should always be under adult supervision. • Warm clothes and blankets: temperatures in the desert can fall drastically as soon as the sun sets. Therefore it is advisable to be prepared for those low temperatures. • Tyre pump: if you plan to let out the air from your tires, it’s best to take an air pump along. The nearest petrol station might not be as close as you think and it’s best not to drive with a deflated tyre for long. • Charger: remember to pack your car phone charger. This will come in handy if you need to use the phone during your trip, but your loved ones could drain its power playing their beloved games.
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LIFESTYLE
The Life & Style Show UAE Everything you could ask for
The Life & Style Show UAE will be the largest and most exciting lifestyle event in the Middle East. Taking place on 5th to 7th December 2013 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC), this event will have everything you could ask for in a show. Comprising of six individual events – Gizmos, Gadgets & Tech, Toys, Hobbies & Games, Home & Living, Fashion & Beauty, Speed & Power and Sports & Leisure – The Life & Style Show UAE will not only be a shopper’s paradise, but also an opportunity to take part in the 17 fantastic features. Highlights will include watching Gary Rhodes and Chef Khulood Atiq cook up a scrumptious treat in the Celebrity Cooking Demonstration, make up and beauty advice from TV personality Joelle andthe SONY PlayStation Gaming Challenge where you can try out the latest gaming gadgets. The three-day show promises to be a funfilled, action-packed day out for the whole family with many exciting activities for children such as the KidZania Zone where kids can spend the day taking part in a number of fun activities, visiting Santa in his grotto and the Adventure HQ Climbing Wall where children can get active and experience what it’s like to scale the face of a mountain. Other features include the Pioneer DJ music stage, a showcase of the latest fashion trends at the catwalk or design tips from leading UAE designers in the full size Demo Home – the options are endless! And not only can you take part in all the 17 exciting features, but there is also an opportunity for you to shop till you drop with great brands participating in the show, including Andrew Martin, Poggenpohl, Mercedes, Sunseeker, Nestle and Natuzzi. Visitors to The Life & Style Show UAE will have access to all of the six individual events, including the feature areas, via one ticket. And what makes the day even better, is that there is free entry for children under 16! With access to six events, over 300 exhibitors and 17 exciting feature areas all for just one ticket, The Life & Style Show UAE really does have everything you could ask for. OutdoorUAE is a media partner of this event. For more information please visit www.thelifeandstyleshowuae.com.
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The Life & Style Show UAE – the largest lifestyle event in the Middle East! • Over 500 exhibitors • Celebrity Cooking Demos • Catwalk Shows • Gaming Stages • Football Tournament • KidZania Village • UAE’s Best Dressed Car • Full Size Demo Home • Live Makeovers • Santa’s Grotto • Fitness Classes • DJ Stage • Live Cooking Theatre Platinum Sponsor:
Book early and save money! Buy your tickets from: Gold Sponsor:
Official Newspapers:
Silver Sponsors:
Radio Partners:
Online Media Partner:
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Government Partners:
Media Sponsors:
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LIFESTYLE
Habitually healthy Living, cooking, eating Paleo and beyond
The other day, someone asked me, “Chef, how can I eat healthy every day?” I just had one simple response, “What do you eat each day that you think is un-healthy?” To which the person responded with a veritable list of stuff from soda, to coffee drinks, to a take-away lunch and dinner! After listening to this giant list of items, I told the person that he had already answered his own question! We all pretty much know how to be healthy, we just choose to eat things that make us feel good at first, then let us down in the end. With
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the removal of these items combined with some simple exercise, achieving total body health is actually pretty easy! Now don’t get me wrong, that is what’s called “theory.” I for one am not the perfect example of overall health. I work ridiculous hours, I hardly eat “regularly” and am at least 15kg overweight! So, why should you pay any attention to what I have to say? Because over the next 12 months, I am going to do this with you, not just speak at you. Each month I will put one of my very own recipes from my menu or specials board and I’m going to explain how to make it. On top of that, I will also exercise regularly and let you know how my progress goes. How’s that for open transparency! By the end of a year, I want to hear how you all did with your own progress. I want to hear about the dishes that you learned to prepare for yourself, your family, your friends and even some dishes that you yourself have created. Cooking should be as fun as the eating itself. I consider myself lucky to actually get paid to cook. So without further ramblings on, I give you my Paleo recipe for Baja Fish Tacos! 100% gluten, dairy and sugar free and 150% tasty! So I prefer to use a fresh fish personally. Nile Perch is typically flown in from Africa on a daily basis so it’s easy to find at your local market like Spinneys or Geant or Carrefour. This fish has a great ability to absorb flavours and spices while maintaining its texture and flakiness. Now step one, I suggest that you purchase the fish cleaned and bones removed. Cut your fish into strips and marinate with cumin powder, coriander powder and a little lime juice, black pepper and salt. Next, take some shredded red cabbage and marinate with a touch of lime juice, sea salt and a little black pepper, then just a small dollop of aioli. Next up, we are going to “blanch and shock” some Savoy Cabbage leaves. Also available in your local market, this versatile cabbage is loaded with vitamins and has a wonderfully strong leaf that works as an awesome substitute for a tortilla! Start some water boiling and add just a pinch of bicarbonate of soda or baking soda. Now that your water is boiling, drop in a couple leaves and cook till tender, then remove and place in ice water to stop the cooking process. Next, remove and pat dry. Now for the pico de gallo garnish, small dice some tomatoes after removing the
seeds. Mince some fresh coriander leaves, some onion and some green chili if you like it spicy. Now mix all together with a bit of lime juice, salt and pepper. Last but not least, time to cook your marinated fish. Heat a tablespoon or two of coconut oil in a steep-sided pan, carefully place your fish in once the pan is hot. Careful not to drop it and be sure to place in the pan away from you to avoid being splashed. Oil burns are excruciating! (It helps to keep an aloe plant around the kitchen like my nonna always did and my mother as well.) Now cook your fish like any other till it’s a bit crispy on the outside yet cooked all the way through, for the strips it should take approximately 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Now that your fish is cooked, drain on a bit of recycled paper towel to blot the excess oil!
Now that all your “mise en place” or everything is in its place, it’s time to build your Baja Fish Tacos! Place the leaves down on your plates, next put your cooked fish down, then add a good portion of the cabbage mix. Last up, put a spoonful of your pico de gallo and if you are like me, a dash of Cholula Hot Sauce! Ahora usted tiene tacos de pescado perfectos! For any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Chef@thecyclehub.com or stop by The Cycle Bistro in Dubai Motor City. GPS location: Latitude: N 25° 02.792 Longitude: E 055° 14.384 Phone: 04 425 6555
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LIFESTYLE
Beach Tennis in Dubai Words By: Bernard Auon
Imagine being on the beach while playing a competitive sport! Well, this is how it all started. We are avid beachgoers that enjoy the sun, sea and activities on the shores. We often use to play “palette,” which is played with two wooden rackets and a tennis ball. It was a challenge to find wooden rackets in Dubai, which prompted us to go buy the equipment from Lebanon at the time due its unavailability in the UAE and popularity in Lebanon. During one of our trips to Beirut, we stumbled on a very cool and trendy racket for the purpose of beach tennis. My partner and I started doing some research and realised that this was already a very popular sport in Europe! We were both disappointed and excited. Disappointed that we did not invent a new sport and excited because we immediately had the idea of bringing this exciting sport to the beaches of Dubai. Afterwards, we came to realise that there are some people already playing the sport on
the beach, but the equipment was nowhere to be found in Dubai. Few meetings later, and many addictive hours on the beach playing beach tennis, we were very passionate about the sport and wanted others to enjoy it as well. We decided that we need to officially introduce this sport to the country and this is when we decided to reach out to the top brands in the sports, all being Italian brands. Let us now introduce you to Beach Tennis. What is beach tennis? It is a fusion between beach volleyball and tennis and is accessible to a wide range of participants. It is played by all ages and all playing abilities. A perfect way to spend time with your friends and family under the sun • Court - Similar in size to a beach volleyball court, 16m long x 8m wide • Surface - Sand • Net - The net is 1.7m in height
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• Equipment - Paddle bats (no strings) and Stage 2 (low compression “orange”) balls are used; International Tennis Federation (ITF) approved Scoring Exactly the same scoring system is used as for regular tennis, except with the permanent use of no-advantage, after deuce. Plus there is no second service and no service let. Playing the game The game is predominantly played between doubles teams, singles can be played on a smaller court. Under and over arm serves are permitted and either member of the receiving team may return the service. A point is won if the ball hits the ground in the opposing court or if the opponents hit (or serve) the ball out or into the net. In 2008, the ITF assumes responsibility for the development of the Beach Tennis Tour around the globe. Where to play in Dubai? At the moment, we set up courts every weekend on Kite Surf Beach and JBR beach for everyone to come and try the sport. Soon, permanent courts will be available across Dubai. We also offer rackets to those who want to try/play. Shortly, beach tennis rackets and equipment will be available for sale in major retail outlets in the UAE. We invite you all to come join us at the beach every weekend and try Beach Tennis. To know more about beach tennis in the UAE, follow us on www.facebook.com/beachtennisme or contact us on beachtennisme@ ciarlagroup.com.
YAS ABU DHABI
Polaris Introduces a RZR® Beyond Compare New RZR XP 1000 is unmatched in power, suspension and agility.
Since the introduction of the RZR 800 for Model Year 2008, Polaris has defined and led the recreational side-by-side market. Since that first launch, the company has consistently introduced models with unmatched performance which are highly sought after by off-road enthusiasts. RZR side-by-sides are the gold standard in recreational vehicles due to their ultimate combination of power, suspension and agility for trail, high performance and multipassenger recreation. Now, Polaris announces the launch of a RZR beyond compare, the 2014 RZR XP 1000! The new RZR XP 1000 brings significant innovations to each of the hallmark aspects of RZR. Plus, the RZR XP 1000 adds an entirely new level of interior comfort and accessory customisation to give riders the premium features they deserve. Specifically built for the pinnacle of extreme performance, an all-new Polaris ProStar™ 1000 engine provides an industryleading 107 horsepower with a true 999ccs of displacement, making it the most powerful and largest engine in its class. For unmatched throttle response and acceleration, the ProStar 1000 was developed with dual 48mm throttle bodies with new long tip fuel injectors, ensuring each cylinder is supplied with the air and
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fuel it needs to produce unmatched power on demand. To deliver that power to the wheels, the RZR XP 1000 has an ultra-efficient driveline featuring a retuned, high performance PVT system to distribute the massive 107 horsepower from the engine to the transmission. Polaris also specifically geared the transmission to optimise the power of the ProStar engine. With greater than 80 percent of peak engine torque available from 3500 to redline, the RZR XP 1000 has huge torque on tap for the most aggressive dune and desert riding. To fully utilise the new-found power, the vehicle needs suspension and agility, and the RZR XP 1000 delivers in true RZR fashion. The unit boasts the most advanced suspension for the most control and smoothest ride at any speed. To float over bumps, the RZR XP 1000’s three-link trailing arm rear suspension features upgrades in both geometry and design offering 25 percent more ground clearance at the trailing arm and giving the vehicle a whopping 13.5in/34.3cm of ground clearance. The new three-link geometry allows surface-hugging grip as the vehicle pulls through corners from the use of optimised camber gain, and the increased length of the new trailing arm provides a better ride and additional strength. Up front, the RZR XP 1000 features an exclusive front suspension geometry that results in less steering effort for easy manoeuvrability. The RZR XP 1000 conquers whoops and soaks up chatter with its 90in/228.6cm long wheelbase and industry-exclusive 29in/73.7cm Maxxis Bighorn tyres on all new 14in/35.6cm cast rims. The larger tyre provides both better ride and higher resistance to pinch flats. For a near-bottomless feel, the RZR XP 1000 boasts industry-exclusive Walker Evans Position Sensitive Anti-Bottoming Needle Shocks on all four corners. These exclusive shocks feature
piggyback reservoirs up front and remote reservoirs in the rear that are 16-position compression adjustable with preload adjustability. These 2.5in/6.4cm diameter rear and 2in/5.1cm diameter front needle shocks are extreme performance shocks from one of the best in the business. Capable of handling high speeds and extremely rough terrain, the internal needles interact with specifically-positioned chambers allowing progressively more damping deep into shock travel to improve ride performance and increase bottoming resistance. The shocks are paired on all four corners with the dual rate/ dual spring coil-overs for 18in/45.7cm of rear travel and 16in/40.6cm of front travel to provide a comfortable ride in all terrains. The RZR XP 1000 is the most responsive to the terrain and driver providing unmatched agility under all conditions. To ensure the vehicle’s High Performance On-Demand All-Wheel-Drive system could handle the industry-leading power and provide the ultimate in responsiveness to the terrain, Polaris revamped the system for an 80 percent improvement in strength. The result is the most durable front drive system ever found on a RZR. The system features a brand-new, close ratio final drive to keep the front wheels pulling stronger and longer maximising power delivery to the ground in every condition. The system is seamlessly paired with standard Electronic Power Steering and nimble 18ft/5.5m turning radius to provide unmatched point-and-shoot handling making the vehicle very responsive to the driver. For even more control, the unit has quick, two-turn, lock-to-lock steering allowing the operator to showcase the point-and-shoot agility the vehicle has in response to all terrains. With industry leading acceleration and agility, the stopping feel and power must be precise.
No one has ever delivered braking balance and performance better than RZR, and the new RZR XP 1000 is no exception. With dual piston calipers and larger 248mm ventilated discs on all four corners, the operator has unequalled confidence around every turn. The news doesn’t stop there! All this performance rides on an all-new tubular chassis featuring substantial improvements in stiffness and durability. On top of the chassis, is an all new interior designed for a more responsive feel for the driver, refined comfort, and features unique to the RZR family. The newly-designed seats offer substantially improved bolstering and 100 percent more hip cushioning for a more secure feel, and feature a new thin-film technology under the cover for a drier ride in wet conditions. Both driver and passengers will appreciate new seat sliders for tool-less, on-the-ready seat adjustment along with additional leg room, and space-optimised dead pedals for both the driver and passenger. The driver will appreciate a new, stiffer steering wheel designed for comfort and a more responsive feel. The RZR XP 1000 features factory-installed quarter doors designed for more elbow room and extra protection from debris. A high-strength, easy-access latch allows one hand operation and no-look closing. For improved adjustability, the unit features a new, innovative, flow-through tongue seat belt design that is easier to adjust and retract. The sealed belt retractor housing ensures the belts will endure through the nastiest conditions. Inside the cockpit, RZR XP 1000 owners will enjoy LED floor lighting and a slick blue back-lighted instrument cluster, readable both in direct sunlight and at night. To accommodate the need to stay connected, the unit features sealed smartphone storage that provides visibility of the display while protecting it from the elements and a 50 percent larger glove box to take more stuff along. The RZR XP 1000 is easy to own and maintain as well. Sealed floor seams and equipment pass-throughs keep the occupants cleaner; while dual removable floor drains allow for easier clean out of the cabin. For faster access, the fully-sealed fuse/relay power centre is lo-
cated under the driver’s seat and will withstand the toughest elements. A bigger cargo box with more tie-down points enables more cargo capacity, while an integrated whip flag mount makes attachment easier. And, an all-new 9.5gal/36liter fuel tank that takes 87 Octane gives you 17 percent more range, which means more fun, longer! RZR enthusiasts love to accessorise their vehicles and the RZR XP 1000’s large charging system, integrated accessory mounting locations, hidden wire routing areas within the cab frame and more than 75 exclusive accessories, takes customisation to a new level. The purpose-built vehicle chassis is exclusively engineered for Polaris accessories. With integrated mounting points situated along the vehicle frame and pass-through areas for routing wires, accessories can be attached with minimal installation time. Additions, such as rock sliders and bumpers, easily attach and fit securely to the vehicle’s frame due to Polaris’ innovative Lock & Ride® Expanding Anchor, a revolutionary piece of hardware that expands as it is inserted into a mounting point. Lock & Ride® windshields, rear panels, roofs and doors work seamlessly with each other and install directly onto the vehicle frame’s designated mounting points, making installation simple, and providing superior fit and finish. To run an abundance of accessories for the ultimate riding experience, the RZR XP 1000’s battery features 575 cold cranking amps and 44 amp-hours of capacity. A keyed poweronly accessory feature also has been added to prevent draining the battery, and a threepost terminal under the hood allows for quick
and easy wiring of powered accessories such as lights or the new Polaris premium MTX® audio system. The system features two 60-watt overhead enclosures with four marine grade speakers and tweeters, a 300-watt subwoofer, Bluetooth connectivity, a full audio display and two fully-sealed dry storage lockers. Wires are routed through the cab frame and connect directly to the three-post terminal with a custom designed wiring harness, making installation easy and fully protecting wires from off-road hazards. Other Polaris Engineered Accessories such as the RZR XP 1000 overhead bag and side bag, and two new wheel and tyre options ensure the ultimate in customisation. The new cargo bags have weatherproof zippers to protect belongings from the elements and possessions are easily accessed while sitting inside the vehicle. Velcro® attachment rings allow for easy installation and removal of the storage bags. The durable, high-traction 15in/38.1cm Kanati Mongrel tyre is a true 30in/76.2cm tall featuring advanced radial construction for the best ride and superior traction. The 15in/38.1cm HEXLR 2-Piece Beadlock wheels are available in a machined matte black or titanium finish, and feature forged steel bolts and lock washers for aggressive riding. The beadlock rings are available in White, Indy Red or Orange Crush. The RZR XP 1000 will be offered in White Lightning and Titanium Matte Metallic, and are available at Polaris dealerships. More information about Polaris’ whole line of off-road vehicle offerings and Polaris Engineered Accessories can be found online at www.polaris.com.
T R &I E D
TESTED ODUC THIS PR
PROV T IS AP
OUTDOO ED BY
RUAE
Staying
cool
Words By: Vanda Turcerova Photos By: Ales Vyslouzil
Long distance and endurance running are very different from sprints or shorter runs. Once you pass the 5km mark of getting your heartbeat up and overall warm-up, settling into the run and your internal system leveling out to prepare for the endurance challenge, and from there it is all about managing the external and internal conditions for the most effortless and pleasant running experience. The obvious external source of discomfort and, ultimately, the biggest obstacle runners face here in the Middle East is the heat. While you can pick your time of day on short outings, on runs anywhere between 5km and 20+km, you can be easily looking at 5 to 8° increase in the temperatures when you start at dawn and two hours later you are still at it. Couple that with the increase in body temperature as you warm up and the amount of heat you produce at the point of finishing your run and it becomes imperative to keep that heat under control. You want to end your run on “runners’ high,” not dizzy and nauseous, baking in the midday sun. 38
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Running my first marathon in January 2013, I struggled with the temperature difference a lot; we started at around five in the morning and it was freezing; the first 10km was all about leveling out and finding my place in the race, my mind being far away from figuring out and managing increasing body temperature. That is when the heat started creeping in. On Jumeirah road, as picturesque as it is, the lack of high-rise buildings also meant no shade at all and as I was pushing through the last 10km back along the Downtown Boulevard, the late morning sun was taking its sweet time to bake me on the surface and ultimately, from the inside. The lessons you learn when it is your first time! I live in Discovery Gardens and once you find your way through the maze of identically looking courtyards spread over 15 or so streets
and 10sqkm, it is a pretty sweet running playground. Depending on the time I have, I usually get my run fix in about half an hour to an hour, and then finish off with resistance bands and light stretching. During shorter runs, I usually don’t focus on the heat until I stop running and only then I realise I need a bucket of water with ice to stick my head into to function. Looking for simple, wearand-go, no-hassles solution has led me to try out the EnduraCool products from Mission, designed for heat management in sports environment. A little bit of science goes a long way, and certainly Mission’s research and development team looked at heat management as a lab project and delivered EnduraCool technology to athletes. Sweat or wet + snap + wear = instant coolness. I had the cap (also good as helmet liner for other sports), arm coolers and towel around my neck to keep my body refreshed throughout my workout. The sensation of constant steady coolness all along my arms and my neck was very different and it took a while for my conditioning core to work out what to do. About 10 minutes into my run, all systems adjusted themselves and off I ran; my arms comfortably cool as I passed through shaded areas in-between courtyards and into the sunny patches over the lavish green carpets. The towel around my neck really hit the spot: my run gradually became more of “a stroll in a park” than a “slow descent into barely shuffling pretense of running.” I could run for hours if not for work (always getting in a way of fun stuff!). Twenty minutes later and finished with running, I found a shaded spot with trees that provided me with solid poles to fasten my resistance bands around and I did 10 minutes of chest, back and arms workout. At this point, I would usually sweat like crazy, but I was well equipped to deal with that; the sweat I produced while running has re-
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freshed the dampness of my sleeves and towel which turned my protectors cool again and I had no trouble finishing my sets and actually felt refreshed after the complete test experience. The great addition? These products are rated to at least UV 45 protection (cap for up to UV 50), which is another thing you need to watch out for as a runner or any outdoor athlete; protect your skin from early aging and potential diseases from sun overexposure. Both arm coolers and cool cap come in one size that fits most and in black colour. Towels come in one size as well, in pink and black variety. These will definitely be on my list of essentials for the upcoming ADNIC Yas run on November 22nd! Visit www.missionathletecare.com for more information and tips to get the best out these products. The EnduraCool towel is priced at 70 AED, the arm sleeve at 195 AED and helmet liner at 65 AED. Products are available at Go Sport The Dubai Mall, City Centre Doha and Villaggio, Doha.
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PRODUCTS A round-up of quality products available right here in the UAE
Waeco Portable Compressor Fridge Freezer For outdoor, car and home use - CFX- 50 3,899 AED
Available at Ace Hardware Stores, Jumbo House (Bur Dubai), Adventure HQ (Times Square Center) Bunky Diving & Fishing Equipment (Al Satwa) Plug n Point (Sharjah), Al Dafra Falcons (Abu Dhabi) This new WAECO CFX fridge/freezer range model provides extreme cooling performance and energy efficiency. The CFX-50 takes the internal temperature to an unbelievable -22 degrees and comes with a capacity of approx. 46L, combined with substantial insulation thickness all round. It is equipped with rugged features: strong latches and sturdy hinges, reversible and detachable lid, drop down handles and innovative technology such as the new genuine WAECO compressor and ergonomic control panel. What’s amazing is that this super special cooler comes with a USB charging outlet for charging mobile phones, tablets, etc when plugged in. These new coolers are a must have for every camper and outdoor enthusiast, make sure you buy one for this camping season from any of the mentioned stores. • Strong drop down handles. Factory fitted, spring loaded handles with glass filled nylon ends. Fit flush against cabinet when not in use. Ideal for use as tie down points. • 10mm wide lid seal gasket with air pocket for added insulation. • Ergonomic control panel. User friendly angle, blue LED display
for clarity even in sunlight. Control panel at opposite end from power entry for practical arrangement in 4WD vehicles. • Power entry with cord organiser. Practical arrangement at opposite end from control panel. Ideal for use in 4WDs with slide. Features 240 volt AC mains and 12/24 volt DC vehicle connections and leads. • Practical storage and easy cleaning. Basket with removable divider included. Flush mounted evaporator plate and drain plug makes for easy cleaning.
Polaris RZR XP 1000 90,999 AED
Available at SSE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Mussafah), Al Masaood Showroom (Al Ain, Bada Zayed) Polaris announces the launch of a RZR beyond compare, the 2014 RZR XP 1000! The new RZR XP 1000 brings significant innovations to each of the hallmark power, suspension and agility aspects of RZR. Plus, the RZR XP 1000 adds an entirely new level of interior comfort and accessory customisation to give riders the premium features they deserve. Specifically built for the pinnacle of extreme performance, an all-new Polaris ProStar™ 1000 engine provides an industry-leading 107 horsepower with a true 999ccs of displacement, making it the most powerful and largest engine in its class. For unmatched throttle response and acceleration, the ProStar 1000 was developed with dual 48mm throttle bodies with new long tip fuel injectors, ensuring each cylinder is supplied with the air and fuel it needs to produce unmatched power on demand. • The RZR XP 1000 conquers whoops and soaks up chatter with its 90 in/228.6cm long wheelbase and industry-exclusive 29in/73.7cm Maxxis Bighorn tyres on all new 14in/35.6cm cast rims. • With dual piston calipers and larger 248mm ventilated discs on all four corners, the operator has unequaled confidence around every turn. • A bigger cargo box with more tie-down points enables more cargo capacity, while an integrated whip flag mount makes attachment easier. And, an all-new 9.5gal/36L fuel tank that takes 87 Octane gives you 17 percent more range, which means more fun, longer!
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Melanie Brandstätter Photo: MirjaGeh
ALLROUND 11’2”x30” The length in combination with 30” width guarantees stability and directional traction whilst paddling in a straight line. The smooth bottom curve provides good glide and, in combination with the increasing tail kick, easy turning for wave action. A great shape that suits all riding styles in most conditions.
JP Australia
ALLROUND SUP boards Board prices start from 4,578 AED and paddles from 500 AED Available at Adventure HQ and Go Sport Dubai Mall, JP Australia Middle East Facebook group or contact Richard Howes at 0529820988 The range of use of these longboard style SUPs is simply amazing. They work great for SUP beginners, flat water cruisers, first-time wave SUPers and for wave experts. They are super easy to ride and turn, surprisingly fast and work in pretty much any condition. A concave nose based on longboard designs, creates more lift when touching the water and avoids nose diving. Very round rails and tuck, like surfboards. When standing in the middle of the board, the relatively flat deck curve makes it easy to keep the balance during paddling. Based on classic longboard designs, it is the perfect combination of easy paddling, stability and maneuverability. The narrow tail, in combination with increased V, makes them very loose and responsive.
ALLROUND 11’8”x31” Very stable and versatile, making it the perfect beginner board! Because of its long waterline it is an excellent glider for open ocean, rivers, inner city waterways or lakes. The 31” width and the slightly fuller rails make it so stable that catching a wave is child‘s play. Despite its large size, this board is very maneuverable. A smooth rocker allows the board to turn tightly enough to carve out a wave face. A sharper tuck line in the tail area gives the board enough traction to be used as a windsurfer! Just rig up and cruise around. This is the ideal all-round board for resorts and windsurf centers. Fun to use with or without wind; whether paddling or sailing, the whole family can get on and play. ALLROUND 12’0”x32.5” We took the 12’0” to the next level of big. It has same maneuverable features of its smaller ALLROUND brothers with the bonus of generous 217 litres of volume. The additional width also plays a big role in the overall stability. Whether it is a first stroke of a beginner’s paddle, a longboard style surf session for a bigger guy or a fun downwind tour – it does it all.
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PRODUCTS Suunto Ambit2 S (White) 1,950 AED
Available at Adventure HQ, Go Sport, Sun and Sand Sports, Stadium, Dubai Duty Free, Jumbo and other stores around UAE Suunto has introduced a stylish white edition of the Ambit2 S, the GPS watch comes with a soft, elastic silicone strap for improved comfort and fit for female athletes. The Ambit2 S GPS watch is the perfect partner for your sporting activities, whether you want to go cycling, running, swimming – or take part in other outdoor sports. Its GPS provides accurate pace, route navigation and tracking, while the heart rate monitor lets you train within your ideal zone.
Salomon XR Mission CS (Climashield) 525 AED (men and women)
Available at the newly launched Shop in Shop concept in Stadium Dubai Mall, Adventure HQ in Times Square and Go Sport in Mall of the Emirates. Other outlets: Trespass, Go Sport, Stadium, Studio R and other stores within the UAE If you run trails in road shoes, this should be your next shoe! Light, highly cushioned, and grippy on all surfaces. The Climashield™ version adds protection for running in muddy, cold, or wet conditions. Door to trail is what most trail runners really do on a daily basis. You run out the door, down the street, to a path that leads to a trail. It’s the daily workout and the daily escape. You want the cushioning and feel of road shoes on the way to the trail, and the grip and protection of trail shoes once you’re on it. Salomon’s “DOOR TO TRAIL” collection runs great on pavement, but protects your feet and provides great grip on trails. So no matter where you find yourself, you have the right shoe. • Weight: Men - 350g (Size UK 8.5) / Women - 300g (Size UK 5.5) • Midsole height: 20mm/9mm • Technologies: Climashield™; Sensifit™; Quicklace™;Contagrip LT; • OS Tendon; Molded EVA; OrthoLite®; Light Weight Muscle & more • Women version features specific design and ride technology developed for women
Endura Masai Glasses 335 AED
Available at Adventure HQ in Times Square Center • Two-piece light reactive (photochromic) lenses adjust to a super wide range of changing light conditions • Vented lenses with anti-fog finish resists misting • Lightweight TR90 frame • Rubber touch temple tips for improved comfort and grip • Soft rubber touch moulded nose piece • Supplied complete with hardcase and soft wipe microfibre carry pouch • In Shiny Black, Matt Gunmetal and Light Silver
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Rahal Camper Trailer Available at Rahal Outdoor next to Coca Cola Rashidiya; GPS Coordinate: 25.217599,55.374763; Tel/Fax: 043448407; Mobile: 0505005547; Working Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. www.rahaloutdoor.com Camping cannot be more fun with the New Camper Trailer from Rahal. Just hook it to your car and take the first exit to the desert. Don’t worry about getting stuck, just worry about your gas tank if it will make it to the deepest point in the desert, away from everyone. With fast setup and packing system, the hassle of camping has become fun. Rahal not only provides a huge range of tents and furniture, we also provide the largest choice in canvas pop top camper trailers in Dubai. Our affordable products and choice across the range provides you, the end consumer, with the ability to find the right camper tent for your family camping holiday. • It can retro fit to your trailer or you can buy it as a tow away unit on one of our quality trailers • It incorporates the benefits of canvas but it goes up quicker and easier than a traditional canvas tent • Because the tent unit sits on top of the trailer, you have loads of storage for all your other camping gear • Comfy and well insulated bed, so the best sleep possible! • Puncture resistant heavy weight PVC floors • Large sunrooms
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PRODUCTS Mission EnduraCool Instant Cooling Towel 70 AED
Available at (UAE) The Dubai Mall, (Qatar) City Centre Doha and Villaggio Mall The Mission EnduraCool™ Instant Cooling Towel is made from a proprietary performance fabric that instantly cools when soaked with water, wrung out and then snapped in the air to activate the cooling properties. The patented technology, Powered by Coolcore™, works by absorbing moisture and perspiration into the fabric core where the unique radiator-like fibre construction circulates water molecules and regulates the rate of evaporation to create a prolonged cooling effect.
Alpinestars GP-R Leather Jacket 1,900 AED (special price)
Available at Al Yousuf Motors Showrooms The Alpinestars GP-R Leather Jacket is perforated for maximised airflow and made of high quality leather for durability. With integrated stretch areas sewn in to allow optimal mobility, this perforated leather also has protective armor inserts that can be removed for cleaning and replacement. GP-R Jackets are CE rated for safety and offer abrasion resistance for injury prevention all while being a breathable, dependable jacket for everyday riding protection and comfort. Add the Alpinestars attachable leather pants to complete your look and increase your protection level! • 1.3mm full-grain leather provides the optimum combination of durability, comfort and abrasion resistance • Removable and adjustable CE certified Bio Armor protectors in the elbows and shoulders • Chest and back pad compartments with PE protective padding (Alpinestars CE certified Bio Armor back protector insert and Bionic Chest Guards available as accessory upgrade) • Snap connection system allows integration with optional Alpinestars’ CE level 2 certified Bionic Race Back Protector • Integrated Aramidic stretch panels in the shoulders allow full range of movement for extra comfort and control while riding • Internal waist connection zipper allows attachment to selected Alpinestars leather and textile pants
Maxifuel Recovermax
220 AED 750g, 10 servings Available at Decathlon, GO Sport, Adventure HQ, Intersport, ProBike, Wolfi’s Bike Shop, Sports direct and 800 Sport A unique post-exercise recovery drink, formulated to help you refuel and support muscle recovery after exercise. • Replenishing: 14.5g BioMAX Whey protein to help rebuild muscles. • Refuelling: Each 75g serving contains an ideal 55g carbohydrate fuel supply. • Supporting: Each serving contains additional supporting nutrients such as electrolytes, glutamine and carnitine.
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Maxifuel Viper Active Gel 11 AED per 70g gel
Available at Decathlon, GO Sport, Adventure HQ, Intersport, ProBike, Wolfi’s Bike Shop, Sports direct and 800 Sport
MAXIFUEL Fuelling you all the way
The unique power of Maxifuel brings you two sports nutrition systems to help you mentally focus, fuel your body and support your muscle recovery after intense exercise so you can be at your best.
Performance system
An elite range of bars, powders and gels. Scientifically formulated blends of carbohydrates (Maxcarb and Quadcarb) to fuel your performance, electrolytes to replace what you lose in sweat and caffeine to boost focus and mental drive.
Recovery system
Science-driven recovery formulas, designed to help support refuelling and muscle recovery so you can perform quality training again next time.
Offering a winning combination of on-the-go convenience and research-proven fuel. With an easy to swallow, fluid like gel consistency, they provide a refreshing fuel fix to support your training session, game or event. • Fuelling: 25g carbohydrate in our unique Quadcarb blend per 70g gel for convenient fuel provision. • Replenishing: Replacing some of the sodium that is lost in sweat during intense exercise.
Maxifuel Viper Active Powder 120 AED 750g, 21 servings
Available at Decathlon, GO Sport, Adventure HQ, Intersport, ProBike, Wolfi’s Bike Shop, Sports direct and 800 Sport A scientific sports drink, designed to provide fuel and aid effective hydration. • Fuelling: 29.2g Maxcarb maltodextrin and dextrose blend per 35g serving, research proven to fuel your performance. • Hydrating: A unique blend of six electrolyes, which together with the carbs, help to aid hydration. • Containing branched chain amino acids (BCAA) of Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine in every serving.
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PRODUCTS The North Face Thunder Micro Jacket 995 AED
Available at The North Face Stores in The Dubai Mall and Mirdif City Centre. Also available at all major Sun and Sand Sports Stores in Deira City Centre, Ibn Battuta Mall, Mirdif City Centre, Dubai Festival City Mall and Marina Mall Abu Dhabi An update to a classic; this lighter-weight, technical down jacket features slimmer down chambers with deep baffles to capture and maintain warmth when it counts. Added FlashDry™ technology embedded into the fabric’s fibres dramatically improve dry time and breathability that wicks moisture and sweat away from your skin in a revolutionary way. Alpine fit silhouette hugs the body for a sweater-like fit. • 800 fill Eastern European down offers superior warmth yet remains extremely compressible • Fabric: Body: 20D 100% nylon micro ripstop with FlashDry™ fiber 40 g/m² (1.16 oz/yd²) • Average weight: 14oz (395g)
KTM Flux Pants 13 990 AED
Available at KTM Middle East Al Shafar, Sheikh Zayed Road Premium motocross pants with particularly flexible, elasticated panels in the calf area for a better fit with knee brace. It’s made from 900D polyester with perforated, sturdy panels for increased cooling and a better racing position. It has partial perforation for optimum ventilation and spandura accordion stretch zones on knee. It features heat-resistant and abrasion-proof leather knee reinforcement with Kevlar® seams. • Lightweight TPR knee shell insert • Strategically placed thigh TPRs with integrated ventilation panels • Four-way elasticated panels in the seat area • Perforated Ride-Lite lining with spandex panels on the hips • Width adjustment with quick release on waistband • Made exclusively for KTM by Thor
Vango Ultralite 350 Sleeping Bag 465 AED
Available at Adventure HQ Times Square Mall, Go Sports Dubai Mall, and Bawabat Mall in Abu Dhabi, Doha City Centre Mall and Villagio Mall in Doha; www.actionuae.com; www.blingmytruck.com Designed for long distance backpackers and expeditioners the Ultralite lives up to its name; lightweight with a small pack size without compromising on warmth. The off-set double construction keeps cold spots at bay to ensure a peaceful night’s sleep. The ideal lightweight sleeping bag for the region. • Insulite® Superfine Insulation • Lightweight 3D hood with multi-cord closure for ease of use in the dark and insulated Zip Baffle, Omega Shaping • Engineered to provide better heat retention and provide warmth where needed most
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Polar RC3 GPS 1,450 AED
Available at Go Sport, Adventure HQ, Intersport, SportsDirect, City Sports, MegaSport, Saucony, SportOne and Jumbo The new Polar RC3 GPS listens to your body and tracks your speed, distance and route in one compact package. Integrated GPS combined with unique Polar Smart Coaching features analyse every run to guide your training to the next level. • Built-in GPS to track your speed, distance, and route in a slim, lightweight design • Motivating feedback straight after training • Share your route and distance via polarpersonaltrainer.com
2XU Compression Socks 195 AED
Available at Go Sport, Adventure HQ, Intersport, City Sports, MegaSport and Saucony Powerful compression wraps muscles for reduced fatigue through less muscle oscillation, reduced muscle soreness and reduced long-term overuse injuries. Graduated fit to increase blood circulation for faster muscular warm up pre-exercise, greater power output and greater oxidation of blood for faster recovery. Heightened proprioception for greater muscle awareness for reduced injuries and faster reaction time.
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INNOVATION
FOR FIRSTS
The North Face® Summit Series™ Collection
If your destination is outdoors and your mission is adventure, you need all the preparation and gear to get you there. OutdoorUAE takes a look at the new The North Face® Summit Series™ Collection. The Summit Series™ represents the pinnacle of technical outerwear and for Fall 2013. It offers the ultimate ski mountaineering kit in a collection of best-in-class technologies to provide the ideal combination of warmth, weight and physiologic regulation designed to meet the unique needs of men and women specifically. The Summit Series collection is available at The North Face Stores in The Dubai Mall and Mirdif City Centre. You can also purchase The North Face products at all major Sun and Sand Sports stores (Sun and Sand Sports is the exclusive distributor of The North Face across the G.C.C).
Thunder Micro Jacket 995 AED
Updated with slimmer down chambers featuring water-resistant ProDown™, this cool-weather classic retains warmth in cold, wet winter conditions. Underarm panels featuring FlashDry™ technology to dramatically improve drying time and breathability where it counts. Alpine fit silhouette hugs the body for a sweater-like fit. ProDown™ is a natural down insulation enhanced with a hydrophobic finish to improve warmth by drying faster than untreated down and repels moisture up to 10 times longer. • 800-fill water-resistant ProDown retains loft longer than untreated down • FlashDry™ panels under arms enhance comfort • Slimmer down chambers with deep baffles capture and maintain more warmth • Zip hand warmer pockets are generous and easy to access • Stuffs into its own hand pocket
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Orion Pant 545 AED
A slimmer lower leg fitting weather resistant pant ideal for ice climbing and mountaineering. Made from TNF™ Apex with a nylon and elastane mix for a tough yet supple and slightly stretchy performance. The fabric is lightly brushed inside for soft, next to skin comfort. Articulated knees promote ease of movement. Kick patches help fend off damage from crampon points and ski edges. Comfortable, elasticated waistband. The pant has two front pockets and a back pocket. • TNF Apex fabric/articulated knees • 2 front pockets • Right back pocket/elastic waistband • Keprotec kickpatches
Radium Hi-Loft Jacket 795 AED
Whether you’re in the Alps or the Himalayas, battling frigid temperatures during stop-and-go activity can be as challenging as the terrain. This lightweight midlayer is constructed of Polartec® Thermal Pro® high-loft fleece developed exclusively for The North Face® to provide efficient thermal insulation in the coldest conditions. An innovative open-stitch mesh construction between the 1.5” fleece baffles effectively traps body heat and improves the overall warmth-to-weight ratio. Smooth, four-way stretch fleece panels are placed down the sides to maximize mobility on the mountain
•
• Highest warmth-to-weight ratio of any The North Face® high-loft fleece • Exclusive Polartec® low-density knit fabric minimises weight and maximises compressibility • Harness and pack-friendly hand warmer pockets Bluesign® approved fabric
Prophet 40 Pack
Redpoint Optimus Glove
Light, sleek and uncompromising – perfect for an epic day on the mountain. New Summit Series™ technical pack made with indestructible Bombastic™ fabric that’s traditionally used for car airbags.
New winter approach glove constructed for the in-between period after base camp and before the summit. Constructed with technical and durable materials, this insulated glove features synthetic suede at the palm to aid with durability while handling ropes. 5 Dimensional™ Fit construction keeps the hand at a naturally curved position when at rest, where the hand is at its warmest.
945 AED
• Simple, supportive, lightweight tubular stay • SuperFabric® reinforced toolattachment zones • Generous new hood design with zippered stash pocket • Double-layered, reinforced pack bottom • E-VAP™ foam-molded back panel and hip belt
275 AED
• 5 Dimensional Fit™ uses five hand measurements to build gloves from the inside out to ensure a consistent size Fit™ • Leather-reinforced palm • Comfy stretch cuff gasket • Needled palm insulation for maximum dexterity
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Oman Odyssey 2013 Words By: Mike Nott Photos By: Ian Huggins, Ricardo Perez Albores and Marina Bruce
This was my fourth, annual, week-long, Eid al Adha off-road driving pilgrimage to Oman. Uniquely, this time I was not alone. Over the course of sending out my plans to friends, hoping that at least one of them could come, I ended up with five cars tagging along for the week: Marina and Neil Bruce in two cars, Ian Huggins, Ricardo Perez Albores and Mike Galvin in a car each. After the necessary pretrip flurry of emails, detailing spares, timings, routes, etc, we crossed the border at Mezyad before the Eid rush on Thursday 10th October. At this point it is worth describing the “plan.” Last year, I was thwarted in proving an off-road route starting from the coast, near Haytum then paralleling the Al Huqf escarpment and finishing across the wadi and gravel plains at a point about 20km East of Adam. I had been intercepted in the oryx reserve and asked, very politely, to leave. This year, I was more determined to make sure that any chance of being intercepted was minimised and that we could traverse that particular area unimpeded. Planning the route involved several hours staring at Google Earth and plotting the positions of fence gaps, wadi lines, possible tracks and guessing suitable waypoints on the general line of the route. I had received a great track for a part of the route from David and Theresa Wernery of Bling My Truck, with a key point identified for getting off the Al Huqf escarpment. With the route now plotted, I aimed to do it from North to South. We drove from Mezyad straight to the start point, arriving in the dark at about 10:00
Oasis pond
p.m. We were all carrying 80L of fuel because there were no petrol garages en-route, the “guestimated” distance was at least 450km and the driving conditions were not known; in soft sand our fuel consumption could drop to half what it is on the road. Having arrived in the dark we didn’t know what our surroundings looked like. The next morning we found ourselves on a flat gravel plain with some distant hills lying on our intended route. We set off across the plain and followed the line of sand and gravel wadis. The scenery was stark with only the lines of vegetation breaking up the flatness. We picked up a good line only to find ourselves staring at warning signs telling us we were about to enter a military training area and not to pick up anything we might find; we steered away and paralleled this area at a safer distance. We were making good progress and so we diverted to a nearby feature that I’d noticed from Google Earth. It turned out to be a small lake with camels and Duck Rock
other wildlife drinking, and fish swimming in its waters; a true oasis. We now approached the main line of the major wadi I’d chosen, heading South, and started to encounter more and more areas of soft sand and gravel, a graveyard and the first hint that we were heading to the Al Huqf escarpment; a wall of friable limestone under which we took some shade. Soon after that we started to hit thin but long dune tongues, through which we crossed and then we descended from the low escarpment into the heart of this route. The huge sand plains in the shadow of the Al Huqf escarpment lay before us. We stopped at the well known “Duck Rock” and set off across the plains with the Al Huqf escarpment on our right exposing all of its striking beauty. This area must be a geologist’s dream. By 4:00 p.m. we started to look for a campsite and found a strange tuning fork shape amongst the hills and hid ourselves within it. We’d driven 230km and, with only a flat tyre to deal with along the way, we thought we’d done reasonably well. The meat of the “route proving” was to be encountered the next day. More sand plains followed but which were interspersed with frequent, low lying rocky hills through which we had to weave our way. When I say “plain” I really do mean a totally flat surface with no hint of a bump. This stretched to our left and to beyond the horizon, while the escarpment kept us company on our right. The going through the plains was
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Wind erosion
Oil drum marker
good; helped by previous tracks, but where no tracks existed, we had to plough our own lines though soft sand and shockingly bumpy vegetated terrain. The rocky outcrops were something of a relief, provided the surface was smooth. Eventually, after following the escarpment for about 70km, we climbed up through a maze of limestone outcrops to gain the plateau above. The contrast was stark. The plateau was, in parts, billiard table flat, occasionally broken up by smooth rolling ridges and the going was very good. My secret fear was that too much soft sand and soft gravel driving would deplete our fuel supplies to the point where we may need to divert to one of several petrol garages. This would have been a miserable alternative to have to cope with. The key now was to hit the oil drum marker that David Wernery had said was a vital waypoint from where to descend from the escarpment. We made rapid progress and hit the oil drum dead on, helped by the trail of tracks that necessarily lead to it. We descended along this track and then broke off right to again follow the line of the Al Huqf escarpment southwards. The scenery continued to be stunning and the going varied from soft sand to compact gravel tracks to stints of rock climbing. My shared fear was that we would soon be entering the area of the oryx reserve and may find our way barred. Where tracks existed, we would follow them, and picked up one that led us into the reserve, but there was no fence and no indication that we were inside. We spotted a huge, precariously balancing boulder and stopped for a good break and a welcome lunch in its shade. Continuing on, we found our way through this amazing landscape, visiting Wadi Baw and the huge graveyard site on the high ground at its entrance. Our next potential obstacle
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was the existing oryx reserve fence line to our South, through which we needed to pass. Google Earth had indicated a possible breach and we headed to it and were relieved to find the gap open and evidently much used by local camel and goat herders. We made it though before dark and now needed to find a campsite in a less controversial area. We did, and perched ourselves on a small flat plateau where we were visited by several Omanis keen to know where we’d come from, where we were going and when, and if our Arabic had been good enough. We’d done just over 180km and I knew we’d be able to knock off the route the following day. The third and last day of the route is to traverse the gravel plains South of Al Ajaiz, which was easily done before ending up at the petrol garage at the small community of Haytum. This was my intended end of the route, but the consensus amongst the group was that the near beach was a better finish point and they were right! After refilling, we drove the short distance to the beach, parked up and enjoyed a cooling and cleansing swim. This classic, expeditionary, off-road route turned out to be just over 530km. We were now only three days into the week-long break, which meant that we had the chance to redo some of the routes and areas I’d driven the previous year (published in OutodoorUAE December 2012). We headed to Ash Shuwaymiyah, restocked on essentials and headed to a campsite, just off the new road that has one of the most spectacular views in the region. The following four days saw us explore the wadi and mountains around Jebel Samhan (discovering a plethora of frankincense trees and more stunning views), driving through the herds of nodding donkeys around Marmul before heading to
Boulder stop
near Barbazum to repeat a route from last year. This route heads South, through serpentine and glorious wadis before traversing the mountain tops to the edge of the Dhofar escarpment overlooking Mirbat and, in my view, the best campsite view in the region. The last day included a visit to the largest Baobab tree I’ve ever seen, a pilgrimage to the fort at Mirbat and then we took the rough, off-road coastal route from there that hugs the shoreline and wadis to Sadh, to find a beachside camping site for our last night together. We’d driven together for a week, had had no vehicle problems, we’d driven through some rough and very remote terrain and had, despite only one encounter with military personnel, who proved to be very amenable, achieved everything we’d set out to do unhindered. It had been a remarkable trip with about 900km of hugely enjoyable off-road driving. It is a truism that the worst part of finishing in southern Oman is the drive home. We left Marina and Neil on the beach and headed home on the 1,400km road journey back to Dubai, envious that they had another fortnight of more of the same.
Camp 1
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Just Gas It’s first fun ride
John
Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker
I met Shadi (co-owner [with Bradley] of Just Gas It) during a camping weekend earlier this year (see May addition for article). This was when he discussed his new business, Just Gas It, with me. He had just started a bike rental/touring business in Dubai and wanted some inputs and possible recommendations.
As there were already several others doing the same thing, and only a limited amount of potential customers, I was not sure if this was a venture that I would have started. Shadi was aware of this but also knew that competition could be a healthy thing and this young Jordanian was determined to make a success of Just Gas It. Then in mid-summer, I received a call from Just Gas It asking my help and inputs to do a fun ride, like the ones I held in Al Ain. They wanted to open the new season with a bang and get their new business’ name out there with all the riders and potential customers. Well they succeeded in their mission by hosting a hugely successful and exciting fun ride on the 4th of October!
Here is my story:
The teams were limited to four max five riders and we received the GPS coordinates of the three-lap circle route only days before the event. (This limited the chance of some guys scouting the route). I immediately went to Google Earth and plotted the route. Looking at the terrain, I realised that due to the amount of shrubs and bushes the route was definitely more suited for a bike than a quad. I called Oliver and he concurred that we should take our bikes rather than the quads. This however meant that Tiennie and his son Craig (rest of my team) would be on quads and us on the bikes. It was then agreed
that I would lead rather than Tiennie as I might just be faster on the bike. Surely you can start reading between the lines that my intention/main focus in this fun ride was maybe not just to have fun but also to win. The fun ride idea originated with the intention to have a competition, that in theory is not a competition, but in practice it is. Confusing? Let me explain: hosting an official race could have many complications in the event of a possible accident or incident. As this is not a race, and there are no prizes involved, this fun ride does not constitute as “competitive.” It is just for fun! Legally you cannot hold the event organiser accountable if you decided to race rather than have fun. However during my fun rides in Al Ain, I was the organiser and only watched the other riders “have fun.” This time I was part of the fun and had my own mission. Shock and amazement was bestowed upon my face as we turned of the main road and entered the Just Gas It facilities at 6:15 Friday morning. I was surprised to see how many riders had joined the fun. Also there were a lot more bikes than I thought there might be! Looking at all the bikes and seeing some familiar faces, I commented to Oliver that my intentions of winning just moved to second or maybe third place, as some of these guys were good riders and many were also on bikes! We offloaded our bikes, met up with Tiennie and Craig and registered our team. Then we were all summoned to the briefing. Rob, JGI’s riding instructor, did a great job of welcoming and giving us all a good run-down of the event, the emergency numbers and more. He also announced that the first team to finish would have the bragging rights of “winning” the first ever Just Gas It fun ride. The route was three 25km laps with seven cones, each with a stack of numbered cards. The teams were all allocated a number for lap one and if the team handed in the seven numbers from all the cones they were allocated a new number for lap two and so on. There was also fuel placed at the starting point, as most off-road bikes cannot do 75km on one tank. We were the second team to pull away, one minute after the first team, and I was sure that I would not be able to catch the group in front of us. I had made peace that we would not be
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Graig
John
Olivier
Tienie
winning the event and was hoping for third or second place. The first cone was 2.8km from the start and when we arrived, the first team was still getting their number. I was sure that it was only because they probably got lost as it would be very difficult to gain almost one minute in less than three kilometers of riding. By the time we got our number and set the next point on the GPS the first team was long gone. The next leg was only about 4km and shortly after departing the first cone I could see the gap between us and them was getting closer. We got to the second cone only seconds before them and then I realised that maybe we could win this “fun ride.” What followed was an aggressive challenge
as our two teams, (seven bikes and two quads) were now riding “amongst” each other. We were all virtually on the same level and now both teams were exerting pressure on the other. Up to cone number six we managed to get to the cones first, but only with seconds to spare. Then riding towards cone seven, I saw the other team diverging more and more to the right. Not sure who was wrong, I pressed on hoping that they were on the wrong track! As we arrived at cone seven, I knew that they somehow had missed cone seven. Maybe in all the excitement their leader set the wrong point? This meant that they would not be able to get a new number for lap two, unless they returned and collected cone seven’s card. This virtually ensured first place if we were able to
keep up our pace. As I had no idea how far the team behind us were, and knew that we might still encounter a possible delay for whatever reason, and I kept the pace. As Rob stated: “The winning team obtains bragging rights.” Well until the next event these rights belongs to Oliver, Tiennie, Craig and me! Congratulations to Tiennie and Craig for riding like crazy on their quads. How the heck you managed to stay with Oliver and me on the bikes, amongst all those shrubs and bushes, I don’t know! To the team of Just Gas It, congratulations on a very successful and well-organised event. As can be seen from the overwhelming response (almost 70 riders) and all the positive feedback on your Facebook page, we all loved it, and soon you will have to host the second one! (Just please give us a month or three to brag, then you can host the next one. Anyway, who says winning isn’t fun?) Looking at the amount of “likes” on their Facebook page and the turn-up of their first “big event” Just Gas It is here to stay and I am sure we will be hearing a lot more from them in the near future. For the full story and some great photos, go to www.justgasit.net and follow the Facebook links. PS: For those who are looking for more serious competition, don’t forget that the second round of the UAE Baja is on November 15th and this event is for the more serious competitors, not just fun-ride types! You can contact Stuart for more details: stuartinuae@hotmail.com Ride safe and go for gold,
John
ZX-10r
WE’RE Rolling oUT nEW 2014 PRodUcTs 800 LIBERTY kawasaki@liberty.ae
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e r u t n e v i Ch ck Ad ature
dn seeks wildlife annning SA in stu
Tori
runner, writer, blogger & adventurer PS. My email address is tori@fitchicksandfastwomen. com for thoughts, ideas, and suggestions… or just to say hello!
There is no shortage of Saffas in Dubai and indeed no shortage of Dubai peeps heading to South Africa for races, Comrades, Two Oceans, Ironman South Africa and Cape Epic in particular. But what about making this stunning land an awesome backdrop for a training visit... a trip to explore and adventure without a start and a finish line... a chance to discover the magnificent nature reserves scattered throughout the country?
Daily direct flights to three cities from Dubai make South Africa a quick and easy destination, particularly during our hotter months when cooler climes beckon the outdoor lovers amongst us. This past month, Adventure Chick has been enjoying escapades aplenty in and around Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. It didn’t take long to see why this part of the country is a top destination for running, biking, hiking and wildlife. From a training point of view, mixing it up and enjoying new challenges is, as we all know, a prerequisite for improvement, a necessity to avoid reaching a plateau and seeing progress come to a stark standstill. Technical trails, steep inclines, dense forest and great big coastal rocks have been wonderfully refreshing to play on, as have the suburbs of Durban itself where the lay of the land is reminiscent of San Fran with its never-ending hills. (My driving on these, in a manual car I might add, has caused no end of disruption to the neighbourhood traf-
fic so perhaps being on my two feet is best for all concerned!) Our first great adventure was a visit to Highover Wildlife Sanctuary (www. highover.co.za), an eco-adventure destination with incredible trails, river rapids, rock-hopping opportunities aplenty and a huge amount of wildlife. The place eludes simplicity. No phone, no TV, no internet, no bright lights, no city nights… and in their place, wandering animals, a meandering river, lush landscapes and total peace. There are few things in life as recharging and invigorating than taking a step away from our digitallydriven days and just enjoying nature, the present moment and the beauty that lies around us. On our next city escape, we headed down the south coast to Clearwater (www.clearwatertrails.co.za), where a huge network of trails is just crying out for exploration! Predominately a mountain biking destination, we took to the land on two feet and had a ball discovering super steep descents into
the river gorge, with stunning views of the Indian Ocean beyond. Needless to say, we had moments of getting lost but as a very wise Henry Thoreau once said, “only when we are lost, are we found.” A scary encounter with some baboons intent on marking their territory made for a dramatic end to the weekend, presenting opportunity for plenty of stories on our return. Within Durban itself, there are hill training
opportunities galore. With our flat desert terrain here in the UAE, it’s hard to emulate steep ascents and descents, within the city limits anyway. Stair climbing in our sky scrapers is a great compromise and certainly gets the blood pumping and the lungs thumping but still, no comparison to being in the true outdoors, both physically and mentally. Even within Durban, there are a handful of nature reserves. We had a great run one evening at Stainbank, getting up close and personal with a dazzle of zebra and a visit to Kranzkloof proved an incredible adventure through dense forest, rich vegetation and an abundance of wildlife, birdlife and fauna. In a quest to feel totally in touch with the earth, I’ve been wearing Vivobarefoot shoes, which are zero drop and have a minimalist sole. After years of being so taken by the comfort of my Adidas cushion response, I expected to feel them harsh underfoot, but no. They are an absolute joy to wear and the best part is that the company is on an eco survival and sustainability mission with shoes that are 100% vegan and soles made of recycled rubber. They look fabulous too with that prerequisite flash of pink to bring together an entire outfit! The outdoor sports community in South Africa is huge with a massive calendar of
events all year round, attracting everyone from weekend warriors to seasoned athletes. Major races attract visiting competitors from the world over and now, following my past few weeks, I’d recommend a visit for an activity-filled holiday full stop, with or without a specific race on the cards. A question raised during a walk one day is how easy it would be, given a series of pictures featuring different natural landscapes taken in different countries, to identify their location. We decided that without specific clues that it would be hard. But then again, perhaps not always… South Africa is ranked sixth out of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries with more than 20,000 different plant species and nearly 900 species of birds. I think this alone, puts this stunning country in a pretty special category. So whilst I’ll be back home in the desert by the time this issue hits the shelves, it will only be a matter of weeks before I return once more, this time for the Salomon Skyrun, (www.skyrun.co.za), an epic race in the Witteberg mountain range and the country’s toughest trail race.
Love Tori x OUTDOORUAE
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OUR EXPERTS
Our fishing pro who shares his experiences and expertise with OutdoorUAE through his regular column. thefishingkit@gmail.com
Why we fish
Men have an innate need to go hunting; it’s our natural programming, the urge to hunt and test our skills against the wild, the elements and the unknown. We take what lessons we’ve learned in the last weekend and apply it to the next one. It is a never-ending cycle of learning and application. Each week, we wake up to an alarm clock, which we would normally want to put on snooze the second we hear it go off. In the weekends, they become our best friends. We all have our reasons to go fishing, we risk driving to remote places to find better spots, driving half asleep yet eager to start the day before the party animals go home to roost. We are anglers. How many times have you gone home fishless, frustrated and even more determined to catch whatever fish you were chasing. We are the few that look at the moon, the tides, the barometric pressure, the air and water temperatures, wind, swell, water depth and go so far to get all the electronics like a fish finder, plotter and GPS to help us get the best spots, then go home without anything in the cooler, yet have the best time in the world without catching anything. We have seen more spectacular sunrises than a typical person would see in a lifetime and see the same number of sunsets that even the best cameras can’t capture. We wake up in darkness and excitedly drive to our fishing holes even with the uncertainty of the day, even with the string of fishless days, weeks or months, we still go out each time we can knowing that the odds are against us. We still go, because we are anglers. Have you ever found yourself “shadow casting” while walking around in the mall? While others walk around in that concrete structure, in our minds we are transported somewhere else, in the shallows casting a soft plastic grub to a cruising fish or trolling for that monster near the deep-water ledges. Fly fishermen would be transported to a remote flat with tailing fish happily grubbing along the bottom.
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How many times have you lost track of time because you were too busy concentrating on getting a bite, waiting patiently, almost willing the fish to take your baited hook, but they don’t, fishing isn’t like that and you know it. When they eventually bite, you miss the hook set and curse the high heavens, then restraining yourself because you know that if you make too much noise, you scare the fish away… then you ask yourself, what would mom say if she heard me swear like that. You put more bait on your hook and cast again… because this is what an angler does. It takes you half an hour to drive to the mall, choose a pair of pants, drive back home then go online and spend two hours on tackledirect.com, cabelas.com, basspro. com and ebay.com (all on different tabs) to check out the newest stuff for your type of fishing and spend double that time going through the tackle shop you visit almost every other day yet you know they get their stocks every two months. We are those who travel half way around the world to catch something we normally don’t in our local waters. It doesn’t matter if it’s a monster or just something a bit more challenging. We will travel by land, sea and air, just to have a chance in catching it, if successful, we are more than happy to let it slip back into its home, wiser and no doubt a bit more challenging when we return to catch it. Even when unsuccessful, we just want to catch a glimpse of whatever we are after, be happy to walk away wiser and already planning for the next visit. We are those who wear suits and uniforms when we’re between fishing trips, then happily shed them for our comfortable fishing wear when the weekend comes, we wake up earlier than we normally do in those days of work, yet not a single grumble can be heard. Without a single shred of hesitation, we leave the comforts of our home for a sandy bank, a wet boat or a kayak. We endure heat from the sun in the summers and the biting cold of the winter dawns. Our trips are remembered not by the number of fish we’ve caught, but the memories forged with the company we keep. Some people will wonder how a few absolute strangers from different countries could become good friends for life after going on a single fishing trip together.
We are accused of being obsessed with fishing by some around us and we feel sad that they don’t get to experience what we live each time we go out. We are blessed with this passion; we are a group of people with differing ideas and methods united only by a single drive – to outwit the fish, yet with that single commonality, we forge bonds that grows stronger as time passes. Fishing empties my thoughts and makes me feel I exist in this world. Wherever I may be, it transports me to place of serenity and tranquility that exists only when I fish. Where all the thoughts in my mind grinds to a standstill and I have nothing else in mind but the act – the fish comes as a bonus. Fishing is my escape from the manmade reality we all live in, to commune with my peace. It gives me an inner sense of my existence not just for myself but for my family, it makes me appreciate everything around me even more. It makes me appreciate nature not because I think it’s grand and pretty, but because of how it can influence an individual like myself to want to protect its wonders and generosity and preserve it for my daughter and her generation. To show her the same things I’ve experience and hopefully, hopefully, they would also get to experience the kind of peace and tranquility that I experience now. I often ask people what their version of “my fishing” is – most draw a blank, not having the faintest clue of what the question really means. Even if they try to answer the question with something they are passionate about, I know deep down they don’t have the faintest idea. Maybe I should just keep it a secret so people don’t really get into it and find out. But then again, fishing is also about sharing and showing others its vast greatness… so here we are now. For those of you that can relate to this, I didn’t have to commit a few pages of my words for it. For those that are just getting into fishing and those that are just reading this just because it’s in the magazine, let me ask you this – what is your version of “my fishing?” Email me your answers; I would love to hear them. Till next tide change,
Kit
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Tie-down points. Integrated into handle base moulding for superior strength.
Carry strap for WCI-13 & WCI-22.
Strong, ergonomically designed polyethylene handles. (WCI-42 and up). Full unobstructed hand grip action for easier carrying whether by one or two people.
Fully integrated hinges with stainless steel rods. For superior strength and smooth unobtrusive lines
Strong nylon latches with stainless steel fixing screws. Over-centre action enables single hand operation.
WAECO Cool-Ice iceboxes If you love those long weekends on the boat and a cool drink at your destination, then the WAECO Cool-Ice iceboxes are ideal for you. These practical iceboxes are rotomoulded, i.e. moulded in one piece, so there are no seams to allow heat to enter. This also makes them extremely strong, durable and very easy to clean. They can keep ice for up to 10 days, due to the thick, refrigeration grade foam insulation, like in your fridge at home, and the “Labyrinth Seal Design” feature. This unique sealing design holds the cold air inside the box and keeps the warm
air outside the box from entering.This feature also keeps dust from entering and will keep your supplies dry and fresh, if you are using it as a storage container. WAECO Cool-Ice iceboxes are lightweight and easy to carry. Whilst the two smallest models come with carry straps, the rest of the range are equipped with ergonomic handles, which make the iceboxes easy to carry without hitting your knuckles. Underneath the handles are practical tie down points, which are great for when you’re packing your car or boat, as well as the square shape which fits easily into any space. The hinges are recessed and made of stainless steel, which make them strong. The steel pins in the front latches are also stainless steel and the latches, which are made of durable nylon, can be replaced. The WAECO Cool-Ice range is available in seven sizes, and features a one year warranty. The Products are available at all Ace Hardware Stores & Adventure HQ Outlet at Times Square. Price starts from 259 AED.
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PEOPLE
Enrico Malingri di Bagnolo Occupation: RAK Sailing Academy founder, CEO and entrepreneur Nationality: Italian Age: 51
The seasoned sailor found his way to the shores of Ras Al Khaimah and he is now at the helm of the new RAK Sailing Academy (www.raksailingacademy.com) to impart years of experience and knowledge to the new generation of mariners. How did you get into sailing?
I come from a family of sailors. My father and uncle participated in the first world race, the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, now called the Volvo Ocean Race. I got into sailing at the age of six when my father bought his first sailing boat back in 1968 with two friends. I started racing at the age of 15 on a catamaran similar to the Hobie Cat 16. I fancy more the long offshore races than the short buoy races. I have participated at the circuit of offshore races in the Mediterranean for many years.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
Sailing around the world with my family for
two years at a young age is one of them. Sailing for me is not about winning races, but about sailed miles, experience and making other people love sailing too. One memorable race though was the 1996 Quebec-St. Malò Atlantic crossing race, where we had on board a young girl from the UK. My brother and I taught her the first rudiment of handling an Open 60 racing boat. She’s Ellen McArthur, who later became one of the most distinguished solo long-distance sailors.
What is your goal and vision for the RAK Sailing Academy (RSA)?
What we aim to do here is to share our sailing experience in any type of boats. We bring the reality, the adventure and the ocean survival spirit. We teach our students how to sail, to survive and to solve problems on the water. A part of our mission is to introduce more Emiratis to the sport; the traditional dhow race is really nice and I think this perfectly blends with what we’re doing here in RSA.
Apart from love of the sea, what do you think are the qualities that make a great sailor?
You have to prepare yourself and your boat for any possible situation; you have to know how to forecast them; you have to care for the other people with you. You need all the qualities of a commander, who has leadership and planning capability as well as attitude at dealing with people and with nature.
What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve faced while at sea?
In my life, I have been through seven hurricanes and they’ve not been easy, but with planning and choosing the right spot to shelter the boat, we overcame them. I’ve passed other severe storms at sea and the prepara-
tion of the boat and the rough sea handling experiences which have accumulated over the years certainly paid off.
What do you enjoy most about this sport?
To go faster you need to make the best of every puff of wind and every wind shift. The tactics in the race field are very intriguing and it keeps your focus and attention up 100%. Last but not least, when you are out there sailing and your mind is set to make the best out of the sail and the boat, you tend to forget about the land and the thousands of problems that sometimes it represents. It’s like being out of the battlefield for a little while and taking a rest. I love looking at the shore from sea; it gives you a very good positive point of view.
What is your advice for those who want to get into sailing?
Sailing is fun and relaxing. It is also challenging to sail with other people who also share your same love of the sea. Obviously, winning is not bad and keeps you motivated, but to get there, you need to work hard. Your most important asset in this sport is your brain not your muscle, so it makes an all-gender and an all-age sport.
What’s next for the RSA?
This year we started with the Sailing Arabia. We have already found half of the budget and it’s easier to find the other half, so for next year we might be joining. The condition here in the emirate is very good; we are actually spoilt because you can go to the water all year round. In this weather, you can train an Olympic champion. We’re also pushing for international events here and we try to link with the different sailing clubs in the UAE.
PEOPLE
Trailblazer:
Hussain Al Marzooqi lot. This is also theirs in a way and they can come and enjoy it. That’s why it’s comfortable and it doesn’t feel like a club.
How long have you been riding?
Words By: Glaiza Seguia Photos By: Daniel Birkhofer
Just off the road to Bab Al Shams, next to the Dubai International Endurance City and surrounded by golden sand is the quaint Al Jiyad Stables. As we walked towards the entrance, the scent of horses, soil and grass mixed with the fresh air, and for a moment, you kind of forget you’re still in the city. Owner and endurance rider Ali Al Marzooqi has been running this stable and horse equipment shop for 24 years now and it has become a family affair. A gracious host and a laid-back man, Ali announced that the inspiration for his business and life in general is deeply rooted in his love for horses. His children – Mohammed, Hussain and Alia – are all following the same path. We talked to his second son Hussain, who is an internationally accomplished endurance rider and trainer, to know more about this traditional sport. Hussain practically grew up with horses and, at age 13, had won the 2003 President’s Cup riding for Al Khamda Stable, and broke the world record for 26.3km/h. In 2009, riding for Fazza Stable, he placed first at the World Endurance Championship for Junior and Young Riders in Hungary. Even though he’s currently studying in Australia, Hussain is still fully devoted to training more riders and despite his many achievements, the 23-year-old remains content with the simple life. “I’m not making millions of dollars or driving a Ferrari, but I have Hussain with his favourite horse, Fury. “He’s my birth horse, that’s the first horse my dad ever birthed actually, so we are the same age,” he said.
nice horses, I’ve got my truck, got my camels and the desert. I’m very happy,” he elated. Like the “cowboy” that he is, Hussain eagerly strapped on the saddle after our interview, reined his horse and brought us to the dunes for a taste of real desert riding.
You and your dad seem to be really close, how is it working with him?
We are best friends. Out of my family, he and I are the closest. We have a balance in the stables. We sometimes work together very well, but sometimes we work in opposite directions [laughs]. My dad likes to do it more cowboy style and straight to the point. I like to take it step-by-step, to experiment and try anything new; my dad doesn’t. And I think when it comes to patience we both don’t have it. But with the horses, you need to have patience.
What’s it like working in Al Jiyad?
The members and even the non-members quickly become friends here. Yes, it is our business and it is how we make our living, but we never treated it extremely professional. We didn’t want to make it cold. Members get very involved here, like Anna Bensalah who helps a
I have pictures of me riding with diapers on [laughs]. I always wanted to go along with my dad and if he rode, he’d carry me with him. I’m very attached with my father. Wherever he would go, I would be the pain in the a** that always went with him. When it came to endurance, he started me off with the buying of horses and meeting with the endurance people. But the best way he taught me was when I was 12, he gave me the horse and saddle and said, “This is what you need, train it and if you want to do endurance, do it.” He said that if I wanted to know something, I should ask anybody and I think he preferred it that way so I would learn from more people. I do the same with my students now, I teach Hussain’s dad, Ali, also competes in local and international endurance races.
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The crew
Al Jiyad Stables provides endurance ride training, equestrian equipment, horse and camel rides and stable leasing.
them what I know, but at the end of the day, I ask them to do it themselves, try, read a book, ask another trainer and that’s how you learn. I rode my first endurance race when I was seven years old. I think I was the youngest rider doing endurance in the country and I was riding with adults. Until 2001, there weren’t any rules that stopped it. I won my first race in 2003. That was the President’s Cup and it was also a world record. I also rode for my father’s friends. Riding for different people helped me learn a lot and my dad was always happy to find me a ride with somebody else.
For those of us not really familiar with endurance riding, how would you describe it?
It is a competitive long-distance riding over a gruelling 100km or so trail. It’s like the rally driving for equine sports; it’s rough. It’s part of the culture and part of our history. The best endurance horses in the world are Arab horses, so in order to keep Arab horses valuable, endurance racing has to stay alive. It teaches us a lot, especially in the times we are living now where everything is easy. We live in a very privileged lifestyle here and we got soft. It’s good to go out there, put yourself in the heat and challenge yourself; get that out of your system.
What’s the atmosphere like during an endurance race?
Most races happen in arid places, like the desert. So you go there, take your horse with you and spend the whole day there with other clubs and other 200 horses. There is competition and it gets very rough. You camp and
spend the night. At five in the morning, you wake up. The sun is just about to rise and you see the line; you hear all these horses neighing and you see all the other camps’ people starting to wake up. You sit in front of the fire, put your little cup in the pot, tuck up your horse and you stand in front of the starting line. Horses snorting, neighing, kicking, people yelling out. Then the moment they start the countdown, everybody is quiet. Everyone is facing east and just waiting for the sun to come up and when it does – bam! From there, it’s all tactics, it’s all adventure, it’s all about you knowing your horse. What kind of horse do you have: is it a horse with a strong finish or a horse that has a consistent performance? Is your horse scared or hotblooded? What you can contribute on the day of the race is only 20%, and 80% of the race results you contribute during the six months of training.
How do local races compare to races abroad?
They are more valuable here in money, but many races outside have more value to me. Going to the world championships you’re not just riding against the people from your country, you’re competing against everybody. Some races I rode in England are very nice, but the UAE endurance league is kind of like the football in Argentina. Most of the endurance riders in the world dream to ride endurance horses in Dubai. It’s very competitive and there are always world records being broken here. I think the Emiratis have more passion for the sport and Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum really supports it.
How do you select your horse?
We have standards in endurance: body size, bones, breeding, colour, mentality of the horse, etc. You need a horse that is willing to cooperate. Personally, I take very big joy in picking up horses people didn’t like and then get them to win. That gives me big fulfilment inside. It has worked a couple of times and sometimes it doesn’t. Don’t get me wrong if I get a champion I’m not going to say no to it, but I also like giving horses a second chance.
You’re currently studying in Australia, do you get a lot of practice there?
I get to be involved with horses a lot – over the phone or over the internet, buying and selling horses. I go training there, sometimes giving advice and learning from my friends. I get to ride, but not as much as I do here. I’m there to study veterinary science, so it’s more of a weekend thing, but here it’s a job and I like to take it full on.
Why veterinary science?
I want to learn about the horse. I know a lot about training and their breeding, but I just want to know them inside out. I’m that addicted to horses and I want to be the most competitive when it comes to horse riding that I’m willing to spend seven years of my life to study.
Besides horses, what are your other passions?
Falcons and camels. I like falconry, goat and sheep herding. My dad loves that stuff too, the nice thing is he never forced me and always gave me the choice on what I want to do. But going back to horses, I also like getting people addicted to them and into endurance, which I do through the riding school. Endurance in the UAE is a community. As much as there is rivalry here, when we go to another country, we’re very tight and we’re very willing to help each other.
How are you preparing for this season?
I spend 16 to 17 hours a day training and for each horse you need to spend at least an hour in the morning. Today, we are going for threehour training. We didn’t win anything last year – that was the first season in seven years that we haven’t placed. So we’re looking for sweet revenge this year [laughs]! But in a nice, very sportsmanlike way, of course.
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Why do you think you didn’t place last year?
What have you learned from this sport?
They were better than us. A lot of stables who weren’t at their full potential came to their full potential and they surprised us. I think it was underestimating everybody else and getting too confident. So this year, we will be less confident and watch out for them.
This is a big year for you then...
It’s a very difficult year. We’re working very hard and pushing ourselves to the limit. Because I don’t have much time to work with the horses in Australia, when I come back, I try to compensate and work overtime.
What are your plans for Al Jiyad?
As you can see you, we’re nothing near fancy [laughs]. Al Jiyad used to have two stables – we had one here and another in Nad Al Sheba, and we used to cater to more people. I think our next step is to try to do that again. To start having more stables in the emirates like up north, because we know there are not a lot of big facilities in RAK and Fujairah for riding schools that are affordable and professional. Another thing I always like to mention is that without Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hamdan, Al Jiyad wouldn’t be what it is today. We got a lot of support and encouragement from them. Plenty of good riders who graduated here went forward and rode for His Highness or his son. That is a certain way of encouraging our riders that they are needed and if they can work hard enough, they have future as good endurance riders. There is also the financial support from your
Highness when it comes to prizes and he helps all the stables.
The news about the doping incident has put the UAE equestrian community under the spotlight, what are your thoughts on that? It was just one incident with one trainer. Godolphin stable is a celebrity, so for the media, it was a really big story.
What don’t you like about this sport?
I don’t like the people that come to endurance just to put on Facebook or just to show off. I don’t like those who come and ride the horse to death just because they want to make the headlines of the newspaper, and it happens in every sport. Sheikh Mohammed and the Crown Prince enjoy the sport; I’ve never seen them ride a horse that has been put down or killed because it had a bad injury. They never push the horses. A lot of people will act like that; let’s call them the “wannabe endurance celebrities” and they come with all these cars and their photographers, the girls with their full make up like they are going to a wedding. Sure, you match your helmets and you match your clothes, but don’t overdo it! For some people, that’s what they all care about. I’ve spoken about it a lot to the International Equestrian Federation and they are trying to make endurance riders more qualified. But they don’t want to make it a snobby sport; they also want to make it more accessible at the same time professional.
Patience. You have to be diplomatic with horses – you can’t tell them, you have to ask them. They are 600kg and when they get pissed, they will not do anything. We have an old saying in Arabic, “the relationship between a rider and his horse is like a man and his love. She forgives his mistakes and he forgives her if she can’t do enough for him.” You have to give and take with your horse, you have to be open-minded, you can’t be stubborn, you can’t be hardheaded because you are never going to win. Either you’re going to break your horse or the horse is going to break you. You never stop learning with them. I know this will sound very controversial to a lot of people, mostly greenies, but horse riding does make your heart softer, make you a more sentimental and caring person. Because if you like horses, you cannot not care about them. Horses are not pets, so you can’t treat them as such, it’s not that easy. You have to be patient and horses are very proud animals, but when you do get a relationship, it teaches you to be very sentimental, to care about things and be closer to nature.
What’s your advice to people who want to get into endurance?
Always start with the right people. In everything you do, your first impression of it will have a very big effect on you. So if you were taught the wrong thing, you start wrong. It’s very hard to change it or you can hate it and never do it again. Again, have patience and persevere.
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LOCATIONS
OMAN escapes Words By: Darryl MacDonald
A few weeks ago, my wife and I headed out to Wadi As Suwayh with a group of friends looking for some adventure to fill our weekend. I had previously been to this wadi but was given some misinformation about the direction to take upon arrival which, unfortunately, led to me dragging my mother through a muddy swamp for two hours before I had realised the mistake. Looking back, we did manage to have a look in the correct direction but were too exhausted to thoroughly explore the area. Needless to say, that wasn’t the highlight of my mother’s vacation! During my second attempt, our entourage consisted of several people who had been to the area many times in the past and therefore knew it quite well. As I’ve learned time and time again, better planning always makes for a better experience.
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The town of Suwayh is only a short drive from Muscat, the entire journey taking about an hour and a half. Heading past Quriyat down the coastal road, we turned off just before the town of Dibab. From there, we drove the winding gravel paths leading through several small villages, past the town of Firq and finally up to Suwayh. As we neared the village, the road angled up to the right as the wadi dropped below us out of sight to our left. Coming over the top of the hill, we came to a large bright red sign complete with skull and crossbones
on either side of a no swimming logo that read “Drowning Accidents Are Now Popular.” Looking down over the cliff below revealed a massive pool complete with a waterfall at the head, several metres in height. Dozens of children were jumping off the cliff walls plummeting into the pool below and Omani families dotted the banks as far as we could see back down the wadi. Places like this are popular with the locals especially with the summer temperatures. We started our trek on the opposing
side of the wadi from where we left the vehicles. Passing the village on our left, we headed to the right and up onto the falaj. We followed the meandering trails through the local gardens for nearly 40 minutes, passing under the date palm, mango and banana trees. Eventually, the trail led us back out into the wadi where it took a mix of scrambling, swimming and hiking to get to our final destination. The total trip time to our final destination was about two and a half hours. The final pool was large, deep and emerald green with a 30m waterfall feeding it; absolutely stunning and well worth the hike. We stopped here for a well-deserved break having lunch and taking time to cool off under the waterfall. One member in our group, Khalid, having previously bolted this waterfall brought a rope and a few harnesses out with him. So, just for a little extra excitement, we ascended the opposing cliff to abseil down the waterfall into the pool below. On the way back, due to the mid afternoon temperatures, we decided to stay in the water for as much of the route as possible. This added to the duration of our return making it slightly less than three hours but also made the trip more interesting by taking an altered route back. The entire journey involved around six hours of trekking (swimming, hiking and bouldering) which made for a challenging day with the high temperatures. It was explained to me by some of the others in the group that a wetsuit is required in the winter months, when you are a bit more inclined to avoid entering the water as much as possible because of the cold temperatures. Wadi As Suwayh is certainly a trip I would recom-
mend. It offers stunning examples of the local falaj systems, a beautiful section of slot canyon and some of the nicer waterfalls in the area. Please keep in mind that this trip requires that you be in good physical condition and are comfortable both in the water and scrambling at heights. Don’t forget to bring the proper gear because, you not only require equipment for five to six hours of hiking, swimming and climbing, but also require extra supplies in case of an emergency such as:
First aid kit GSM or satellite phone Extra water GPS Extra food Small climbing rope
You can never be over prepared. Should you attempt to undertake this weekend adventure, more information can be found in the Oman Off-road and Adventure Trekking books. Tours are also available through local guides and can be found online. So remember to stay safe and as we like to say in Canada, get out there, have fun and “keep your stick on the ice.”
Darryl
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
TIPS & TRICKS
PARTNER stretches
This month we take a look at some inversion exercises which are really great for reversing the blood flow in your body and stimulating the upper half of the body. Any time the head is below the heart this is an inversion. Here we look at fun ways to work together to get some great benefits.
Dolphin
From the downward facing dog position, bend both elbows simultaneously to lower your forearms to the floor. Again the back should be straight so you may need to bend your knees. Pull the shoulders away form the ears.
Dolphin one leg
Handstand progression 3
Extend one leg up toward the sky and try to keep the hips square. Excellent stretch for the calves.
Now the partner who is holding your ankle straightens their arm to lift you higher. Reverse step by step to come out. Note – never hold both your partner’s feet when they are coming into a handstand as it can result in their face on the floor!
Handstand walkover 1
Downward facing dog
Place your hands on the floor near to the back of your partner’s ankles. Kick up into a handstand and place your feet on your partner’s shoulders (it’s best to work with a third partner here to guide the feet in to ensure no one gets a foot to head!).
Place your hands on the floor and walk your feet back until your spine is straight and in the shape of a mountain. There should be one straight line from your hands to your sitting bones. You may need to keep your knees quite bent and your heels lifted to achieve this if the backs of your legs are tight.
Handstand progression 1 Down dog partner stretch
As the partner giving the stretch, come into a lunge position and place your hands onto the back of your partner’s hips. Press your body weight into them to allow a deeper stretch down the back of their legs.
Downward facing dog push-ups
As the partner in downward facing dog, walk your feet in towards your hands about a third of the way. The partner standing behind holds the hip bones of their partner as they bend the elbows wide to try to touch their nose down between their hands. As the supporting partner, you may need to help to lift them up to straight arms again, this one is tough!
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Being upside down is a lot of fun, especially with a little help from your friends. Place your hands on the floor and make sure your ears are between your arms and your upper body is curled in. Lift on leg up and place it onto your partner’s shoulder. If you are not very flexible your partner can bend their knees to help.
Handstand progression 2
From here, lift your other leg up to the sky and keep your arms and ears together.
Handstand walkover 2
As the partner standing, hold onto your partner’s ankles and then lean your hips forward slowly.
Handstand walkover 3
The partner on top will tuck their head in and place their feet down on the floor to stand up. You can continue like this one after the other.
Sandy Joy
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
TIPS & TRICKS
, n a D the Desert Gardener
loves
Bougainvillea I always think Bougainvillea is a plant with two personalities. On one hand, the bracts are the most delicate and exquisite and if you hold the petals in your fingers you would believe that they are made of tissue paper and could easily tear if you applied pressure and yet Bougainvillea is known as one of the hardiest, toughest plants in the world and
can easily survive in our climate. Bougainvillea not only comes in a multitude of colours such as pink, purple, red, orange, white or yellow but with clever hybrid crosses you can now buy one plant which has many different coloured bracts on it. There are over three hundred species in the world today. When planting Bougainvillea in your garden you need to be aware of their thorny, wooden branches so make sure they are away from the paths of young children. It can be grown along fence lines, on walls, up a trellis or arch, in containers and hanging baskets, as a hedge or as a standard. It is such a versatile plant. Salt and drought tolerant, they grow their best in dry soil with very bright full sun and once established they require very little water, in fact they will not flourish if overwatered. So remember if you are planting them in a pot or container there must be drainage otherwise they will die from root rot. They will be green all year round and if you do fertilize them and prune them they will also flower for most of the year. Bougainvillea is native to South America and is known by different names in each South American country but to most of us here in the UAE this beautiful and hardy plant that we see everywhere is Bougainvillea. Philibert Commercon, a Filipino botanist, was the first person to describe this plant and he named it after Louis Antoine de Bougainville, the French Navy Admiral and Explorer whom he was sailing around the world with in 1766. Bougainvillea is a must to have in your garden and will always be at the Dubai Garden Centre.
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Why train with a coach when you can do it yourself? Words By: Trace Rogers
I have made the mistakes so that you don’t need to. At the onset, triathlon is exciting and you will have a mass of information thrown at you and then you will need to make choices. Very often bad choices cost either in money or time in a race. From bad fitting bikes to leaky swim goggles, I have made all the mistakes and made sure I only made them once and that means you don’t need to. As a coach, I will advise you on equipment, nutrition and anything else you may not be sure about. Quality training or junk miles? Is that mid-June 100km bike ride and that weekly as-fast-as-you-can-go 5km run doing your fitness and speed any good or are you regressing and getting injured? Time is precious and so is knocking time off our race results. A coach will ensure that whatever session you are doing, it counts for something. Group training but not herd mentality. Some of your sessions may be with other athletes. This is very motivational and makes training a lot more fun. Group training goes horribly wrong though if you just become one of the herd. Coached group training sessions are set up in such a way that although you train as part of a group, your personal training objectives are never out of focus. This is the best of both worlds, really. Technique is everything. We’ve been told that practice makes perfect. What if practice is just reinforcement of poor technique? This is the reason pounding out 2km swim after 2km swim has not made you faster or pounding your legs on the tar for 15km has not made you a better runner. Good technique (in any discipline) means performance gains. A coach will watch you and help you make the corrections needed so that you can achieve the results that you are looking for. Having a coach means always having someone in your corner. A coach will monitor your progress, ask questions and change what needs to change, when it needs to change. This will give you the peace of mind that you are on the right track.
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DIRECTORY General Sports Equipment Megastores
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +97142839392 Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +97143253595; Ibn Battuta Mall: +9714368 5344; Mall of the Emirates: +9714341 3251; Mirdif City Centre: +97142843034 InterSport, Dubai, Times Square Centre and Dubai Festival City, +97142066587, www.intersport.ae Sun and Sand Sports, most shopping centres, +97143504444, www.sunandsandsports.com
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Air
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Boating & Sailing
Manufacturer Al Fajer Marine, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143235181, www.alfajermarine.com Al Shaali Marine, Ajman, +97167436443, www.alshaalimarine.com Alyousuf Industrial, LLC, +97143474111, www.aym.ae yamboats@alyousuf.com Gulf Craft, Ajman, +97167406060, www.gulfcraftinc.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK border Musandam, +97172682333/+971504873185, www. aljeerport.ae Distributors and Dealers Art Marine, Dubai, +97143388955, www.artmarine.net Azure Marine, Dubai, +97143404343, www.azuremarine.net Leisure Marine Beach Street, Dubai, The Walk JBR, +97144243191 Luxury Sea Boats, Dubai, +971505589319, www.luxuryseaboats.com Macky Marine LLC, Dubai, +971505518317, www.mackymarine.com Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +97165576818, www.nautilusyachts.com UAE Boats 4 Sale, Dubai Marina, +97144471501, www.uaeboats4sale.com Western Marine, Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +97143039744 The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143405152, www.theboathouse.ae Equipment Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Deira, Dubai, +97142263220 C Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143468000, www.masaoodmarine.com M Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143808616/+971553899995, info@ Y bluewatersmarine.com, CM www.bluewatersmarine.com Extreme Marine, Dubai, +97143992995, MY www.extrememarine-me.com Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +97155 9299111, CY +97142828255, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co CMY Rineh Emirates Trading LLC, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143391512, www.rinehemiratesme.com K Repairs and Maintenance Extreme Marine, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +97143992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1, Al Quoz, +97143391512, info@rinehemiratesme.com, www.rinehemirates.com SNS Marine, JAFZA Techno Park, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971501405058, info@snsmarine.ae, www.snsmarine.ae The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143405152, www.theboathouse.ae Cruise Operators 4 Yacht Arabia, Shop No. 5, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, 800 92248, www.4yachtarabia.ae Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi, +97126665491, www.marinaalbateenresort.com Al Marsa Travel & Tourism, Dibba, Musandam, +96826836550, +97165441232 Leisure Marine Beach Street, Dubai, TheWalk JBR, +97144243191
Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite the British Embassy, +97143994994 Bristol Middle East, Dubai Marina, +97144309941, www.bristol-middleeast.com Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, +97126507175, www.captaintonys.ae Delma Industrial Supply and Marine Services, Al Bateen Jetty, Abu Dhabi, +97126668153, www.delmamarine.net Eden Yachting, Dubai Marina, +971504586171, www.edenyachting.com Emirates Yachting, Dubai, +97142826683 El Mundo, Dubai, +971505517406, www.elmundodubai.com Four Star Travel and Tourism, Dubai, +9714 2737779, www.fourstartravels.net Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +97192449888, www.rotana.com Ghantoot Marina & Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971529933153, www.ghantootmarina.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971558961276, +971503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com JPS Yachts and Charter, Room 225, Emarat Atrium building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143437734, www.jpsyachts.com Khasab Divers, Oman, +97156 7255889, khasab.diver2@gmail.com Khour Shem Tourism, Oman, +96826731919, www.khourshemtours.com LY Catamaran, Dubai, +971505869746, +971566506683, www.lycatamaran.com Marine Concept, Dubai, +971559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Nautica1992, Dubai, +971504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +97126503600, www.noukhada.ae RAK Marine LLC, Ras Al Khaimah Cycle Hub_proof new.pdf City Hilton Marina, +971504912696, +97172066410 Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats
Marinas Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, Abu Dhabi, Breakwater, +97126815566, www.adimsc.com Abu Dhabi Marina, Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area, +97126440300 Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam +971 7 2682333 or +971 50 4873185 www.aljeerport.ae Al Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman, +968 9423 9777, www.mourjanmarinas.com Dubai Creek Marina, Deira, Dubai, 1 2:43 PM +971 45/2/13 380 1234, www.dubaigolf.com Dubai International Marine Sports Club, Dubai Marina, +97143995777, www.dimc.ae
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Rental, Dubai Marina, +97142951011 Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Smoke Dragon Of London Yacht, Abu Dhabi International Marine & Sports Club, +971507011958/+971504546617 Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +97142573084 The Club, Abu Dhabi, +97126731111, www.the-club.com The Yellow Boats LLC, Dubai Marina Walk – opposite Spinneys, Intercontinental Hotel Marina, +8008044, www.theyellowboats.com
+971 50 552 8872 sam@thecyclehub.com www.thecyclehub.com
Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +97143627900, www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com Dubai Maritime City Harbour Marina, Dubai, +97143455545 Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai, +97143941669, www.dosc.ae Emirates Palace Marina, Abu Dhabi, +97143388955 Festival Marina, Dubai, Festival City, +97144498400, www.igy-festivalmarina.com Festival Marina, Dubai, Festival City, +97142085100, www.mourjanmarinas.com
OUTDOORUAE
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar, +97444948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com Fujairah International Marine Club, Fujairah, +97192221166, www.fimc.ae Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Marina, Al Bateen, Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +97126666888, www.intercontinental.com Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Marina, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +9714814 5555/5029, www.jebelali-international.com Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar, +9745584 3282, www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman, +96824737286 (ext 215), www.marinaoman.net Pavilion Marina, Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +97144068800 The Pearl–Qatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar, +9744965801, www.ronauticame.com Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club, Umm Al Quwaim, +97167666644, www.uaqmarineclub.com Dragon Boat Groups Dubai Dawn Patrol Dragon Boating, Dubai+971508795645 (Michael), www.dubaidawnpatrol.org Dubai Diggers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, pier next to 360, Dubai, +971501547175 (Nick Hando), www.dubai-diggers.com UAE Dragon Boat Association, +971507634008 (Jason), www.dubaidragonboat.com
Camping & Hiking
Equipment Blingmytruck.com, +971505548255, www.blingmytruck.com Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +97142840228; Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi +97124437802 Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143951113 Tresspass, The Dubai Mall, 2nd floor above ice rink, +97143398801 Tour Operators Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +97143459900, www.adventure.ae Libra, +971559228362, www.libra-uae.com Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +97143480214, www.mountainhighme.com Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba, +97150336046, www.sheesabeach.com Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +97142959428, www.arabiatours.com
Caving
Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +96824543002, www.holiday-in-oman.com Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +97143480214, www.mountainhighme.com Oman World Tourism, Oman, +96899431333, www.omanworldtourism.com
Climbing
Equipment Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +97148829361, www.globalclimbing.com Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +97143466558, www.barracudadubai.com Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +97142840228; Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi +97124437802 Services Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +97143459900, www.adventure.ae Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +97126429995, www.alshaheenme.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Dorell Sports Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, +97143065061, www.climbingdubai.com E-Sports UAE, Dubai, +97142824540,
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OUTDOORUAE
www.esportsuae.com The Club, Abu Dhabi, +97126731111, www.the-club.com Information UAE Climbing, +971506456491, www.uaeclimbing.com
Mountain Biking & Cycling
Equipment/Dealers Cycle Sports, Shop No. 1, Al Waleed Bldg., Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +97143415415, www.cyclesportsuae.com Fun Ride Sports, 301, 3rd floor, Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi, Rm. 4, Mezzanine floor, C-13 Bldg., Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi, info@funridesports.com, www.funridesports.com Micah’s Bike Shop, Warehouse no.4 6th st. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +97143805228 Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1, +97143255705, www.probike.ae Rage Shop, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Festival City, +97143369007, www.rage-shop.com Ride Bike Shop, Dubai Mall, Festival City, Oasis Centre, Mirdif City Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143750231, www.ridebikeshop.com Revolution Cycles, Shop G05, Apex Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, +97143697441, www.rcdxb.com Sportz Unlimited, Sheikh Zayed Road & Jebel Ali, Dubai, + 97143388644 Tamreen Sports LLC, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi, +97126222525, www.tamreensports.com The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Dubai, +971505528872, www.thecyclehub.com Trikke uPT, Dubai, +971 4 508 1202, +971 55 609 6757, www.trikkeme.net, info@trikkeme.net Trek Bicycle Store, Seih Al Salam, Al Qudra Road, Dubai, +97148327377, www.trekbikes.ae Fun Ride Sports, Rm no. 4, Mezzanine flr, C-13 bldg. Khalifa A City, Abu Dhabi, +97125566113, www.funridesports.com Peak Performance, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, Dubai, +97143413056/+97143308023 Wolfi’s Bike Shop, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143394453, www.wbs.ae Operator Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +97143459900, +971506259165, www.adventure.ae, info@adventure.ae Clubs Abu Dhabi Tri Club, www.abudhabitriclub.com Cycle Safe Dubai, Dubai Autodrome www.cyclechallenge.ae Dubai Roadsters, www.dubairoadsters.com
Diving
Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, +97142894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Blue Waters Marine, +97142232189, Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi, +97126710017, www.gulfmarinesports.com Premiers for Equipment, Abu Dhabi, Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, +97126665226, www.premiers-uae.com Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +9714 3444468 Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +97192388477, www.scuba-2000.com Scuba Dubai, Al Barsha, Al Khail Road, Dubai, +97143414940, info@scubadubai.com Diving Centres 7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan, +97192387400, www.7seasdivers.com Al Boom Diving (equipment), Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, + 97143422993, www.alboomdiving.com
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam, +97172682333, www.aljeerport.ae Al Mahara Dive Center, near Muroor St across from main bus terminal, +97126437377, info@divemahara.com, www.divemahara.com Al Marsa Musandam, Dibba Harbour, Musandam, Oman, +968 26 836550, www.almarsamusandam.com Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al Khaimah, +97172226628, +971502428128 www.arabiandiver.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Coastal Technical Divers, glenn@coastaltechnicaldivers.com, www.coastaltechnicaldivers.com Deep Blue Sea Diving, Dubai, International City, +97144308246, www.diveindubai.com Desert Islands, Sir Bani YAs Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE, +97128015400, www.divemahara.com Divers Down, Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah Hotel Resort & Spa, +97192370299, www.diversdown-uae.com Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi, near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444, www.edc-ad.ae Euro-Divers Oman, Muscat, Oman, +96895035815, www.euro-divers.com Extra Divers Ziggy Bay, Oman, Musandam, +96826735555, www.extradivers.info Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Freestyle Divers, Dubai, Al Wasl & Dibba, Royal Beach Hotel, +97143944275, www.freestyledivers.com Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa - Al Aqah Beach, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +97192449888, www.rotana.com Global Scuba Dive Center, Civil Aviation Club, Oman, +96899317518, www.global-scuba.com Khasab Divers, Oman, www.khasabdiver.com Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +97192449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Moonlight Dive Center, Madinat Qaboos, Oman, +968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +97150 3289642, www.holiday-in-oman.com Neptune Diving, +97150 4347902, www.neptunedivingcentre.com Nomad Ocean Adventures, www.discovernomad.com, +971508853238, Dibba, Oman Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman,
+96824284240, www.omadivecenter.com Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai, +97144068828 Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +97192388477, www.scuba-2000.com Scuba Oman, Oman, +96899558488, www.scubaoman.com Scuba UAE.com, +971502053922, www.scubauae.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +97150 784 0830, www.bsac406.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Sky &Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +97143999005, www.watersportsdubai.com The Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai, +97144068828 The Dive Shop, 34G, European Center, Green Community, Dubai, UAE, +97148135474, www.thediveshopdubai.com Clubs Atlantis Underwater Photography Club, Dubai, +97144263000 Desert Sports Diving Club, Dubai, www.desertsportsdivingclub.net Emirates Diving Association, Diving Village, Al Shindagha, Dubai, +97143939390, www.emiratesdiving.com Filipino SCUBA Divers Club (FSDC), Dubai, UAE, +971 56 6952421, www.thefilipinoscubadivers.com Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +971507840830, www.bsac406.com
Fishing & Kayaking
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Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +97142894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +9714 3444468 Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143808616/+971553899995, info@ bluewatersmarine.com, www.bluewatersmarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +97143466558, www.barracudadubai.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +97148829361, www.globalclimbing.com Leisure Marine Beach Hut, Dubai,
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General Sports Equipment Distributors
kawasaki@liberty.ae The Walk JBR, +97144243191, www.leisuremarine-me.com Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971502898713, www.oceanactive.com Operators Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah, +97143422993 Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +97143459900, www.adventure.ae Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, +97172434540, www.alhamramarina.com Al Mahara Dive Center, Downtown Abu Dhabi, +971501118125, www.divemahara.com Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +97126429995, www.alshaheenme.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing (Al Wasl Passenger Yachts and Boats Rental LLC), Airport Road, Al Owais Building, Dubai, +97142394761, www.cruiseindubai.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, +971506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Barracuda Diving Centre, Fujairah International Marine Club, +9719222558 Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi,+97126594144 Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, +97126507175, www.captaintonys.ae Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai, +97153244550, www.funbeachsports.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971558961276, +971503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +97126811900 Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +97192449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Nautica 1992, Dubai, +971504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +97126503600, www.noukhada.ae Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971502898713, www.oceanactive.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +97142573084, www.summertimemarine.com Soolyman Sports Fishing, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971508866227, www.soolymansportsfishing.com Xclusive Yachts, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +97144327233, www.xclusiveyachts.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Camping, Fishing & Kayaking Club, mohamed.almahrouky@gmail.com Dubai Surfski & Kayak Club, Kitesurfers’ Beach, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai,
800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai +971 4 346 7751 www.800sport.ae Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Flip Flop Arabia, flipme@flipfloparabia.com, www.flipfloparabia.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai +97148829361, www.globalclimbing.com Goal Zero, +971509128353, www.goalzero.ae Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +97142840228; Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi +97144437802 Ocean Sports FZE, +971559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Sakeen General Trading, +97147094224, www.sakeen.ae Sport in Life Distribution, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Khor, Dubai, UAE, +97142896001, +97142896002, info@ sportinlife.ae, www.sportinlife.ae Tresspass, The Dubai Mall 2nd floor above ice rink, +971 4 339 8801
Horse Riding
Equipment Al Asifa Horse Equestrian & Requisites Trading, Al Khawaneej 1, Dubai, +971554733110, www.asifa.ae Black Horse LLC, Abu Dhabi, +97126422237, www.blackhorseuae.com Bonjour Equestrian Supplies, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Kho, Dubai, UAE, +97142896001, +97142896002, info@bonjourequestrian.com, www.bonjourequestrian.com Cavalos Equine Care and Supplies, 16th Street, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi, +9172 2222433, www.cavalosuae.com Emirta Horse Requirement Centre, Sheik Zayed Rd, Dubai, +9714 3437475, www.emirtahorse.com Horse & Carriage Equestrian Equipment LLC, Dubai, +97142895069, www.horseandcarriageuae.com Mirzan Equestrian Equipment, Dubai, +971 4 4472808, www.metdubaihorse.com Equestrian Clubs/Centres Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +97124455500, www.adec-web.com Al Ahli Riding School, Al Amman Street, Dubai-Sharjah Rd., +97142988408, www.alahliclub.info Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +97125568555, www.alforsan.com Al Jiyad Stables, Behind Dubai International Endurance City, Dubai, +971505995866, info@aljiyad.com, www.aljiyad.com Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +97144274055, equestrian.centre@alsahra.com Dubai Polo Academy, Dubai, +971508879847, www.dubaipoloacademy.com Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, Arabian Ranches, +97143618111, www.poloclubdubai.com Desert Equestrian Club, Mirdif, Dubai, +971503099770, +971501978888 Desert Palm Riding School, Near Al Awir Road (going to Hatta-Oman), Dubai, +97143238010, www.desertpalm.peraquum. com Emirates Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +971505587656, www.emiratesequestriancentre.com Ghantoot Polo & Racing Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +97125629050, www.grpc.ae Golden Stables Equestrian Club, Al Khawaneej, Dubai, (Nouri) +971555528182, www.goldenstables.ae HoofbeatZ, located just inside the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, +971501810401, www.hoofbeatz.com Mushrif Equestrian and Polo Club, Mushrif
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
Park, Al Khawaneej Road, Dubai, +97142571256, www.mushrifec.com Qudraland Community, info@qudraland. com, www.qudraland.com Rahal Ranch, Al Wathba Racing Area, Abu Dhabi, +971566127914, www.rahalranch. com Riding for the Disabled, Dubai, lessons@rdad.ae, www.rdad.ae, Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club, Sharjah, Al Dhaid Road, +97165311188, www.serc.ae Racecourses Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +97124455500, www.adec-web.com Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +97125629050, www.grpc.ae Jebel Ali Racecourse, off the main Abu Dhabi - Dubai Highway (Sheikh Zayed road) beside the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, +97143474914 Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse, Al Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +97143270000, www.meydan.ae Sharjah Racecourse, Al Dhaid Road, Sharjah, +97165311155, www.serc.ae Equine Hospitals/Clinics Dubai Equine Hospital, behind World Trade Center, Zabeel 2, Dubai, +97143178888, www.dubaiequine.ae Gulf Vetcare, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, +971508617590, www.gulfvetcare.com Sharjah Equine Hospital, Bridge no. 6, Al Dhaid Road, next to Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Center, Sharjah, +97165311881, www.seh.ae Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, next to Dubai Equestrian Hospital, Zabeel 2, Dubai, +97143375165, www.cvrl.ae
Jet Ski
Dealers Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143468000, www.masaoodmarine. com Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +97155 9299111, +97142828255, uday@ japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Rentals Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai, +971 5 3244 550, www.funbeachsports.com The Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah, +9717206000, www.rotana.com Xventures, Dubai, +971555404500, www.x-ventures.ae
Motocross & ATV’s
Dealers Al Badayer Rental (Rental), DubaiHatta Road, +971507842020, www. albadayerrental. com Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor, +97143200009, sales@ alshaalimoto.com. www. alshaalimoto.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/ yamaha KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42, +9714323151, www.ktm.com Golden Desert Motorcycles Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta
Road, Dubai, +971551532550, www. goldendesert-dubai.com Polaris UAE (atv’s), Ras Al Khor, Nad al Hamar Road, Al Ghandi Complex, Dubai, +97142896100, M4, Sector 13, 10th Street, Mussafah Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +97125555144, www.polarisuae.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, 04-3419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental), Al Quoz, Dubai, +97143470270, www.sandstorm-motorcycles.com Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1 Dubai, +97143393399, www.sebsports.com Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai, +97148321050, www. wildx.ae Equipment Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +97142959429, www.arabiantours.com 2XWheeler, Motorcity Dubai, +97144548388, www.2xwheeler.com Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental), Al Quoz, Dubai, +97143470270, www.sandstorm-motorcycles.com Sebsports, Dubai, Al Quoz Industrial Area 3, +97143393399, www.sebsports.com Wild X, Dubai, Um Al Ramoul Industrial Area, +97142852200, www. wildx.ae
Sailing
Gulf
Marine
Fun.Fast.Easy www.gulfwetamarine.com gulfwetamarine@gmail.com
OUTDOORUAE
69
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Motorcycling
Distributors and Dealers Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, www.aym.ae/yamaha Ducati, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +97125535771, info2@ducati.ae, www.ducati.ae Duseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143476712, www.dusejamoto.com Harley-Davidson, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +97125540667, hd.auh@harley-davidson.ae, www.harley-davidson-abu-dhabi.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97142822144, www.libertykawasaki.com Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex, Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor, +97142896100, www.polarisuae.com Tristar Motorcycles, +97143330659, www.tristaruae.com Workshops and Services 2xWheeler Adventures, Dubai, +97144548388, www.alainraceway.com Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +97125568555, www.alforsan.com Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, +97143678700 www.dubaiautodrome.com Emirates Motorplex, Umm Al Quwain, +97167681717 Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Off-Road
Dealers 4x4 Motors LLC, Shk. Zayed Rd, Dubai,
+97143384866, www.4x4motors.com Bling My Truck, +971503634839/+971505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com Liberty Automobiles, Dubai, 8005423789, www.libertyautos.com Repairs and Services Off Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143392449, www.offroad-zone.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +97143382744, www.icon-auto.com Saluki Motorsport, Dubai, +97143476939 www.salukimotorsport.com Equipment Advanced Expedition Vehicles, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +97143307152, www.aev.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Bling My Truck, +971503634839/+971505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +97143382744, www.icon-auto.com Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai, +97148321050, www.wildx.ae Yellow Hat, Nad Al Hamar, and Times Square Center, Dubai, +97142898060, www.yellowhat.ae Tour Operators Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +97142959429, www.arabiantours.com Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +97143034888, www.arabian-adventures.com Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +97142628889, www.opdubai.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club, www.ad4x4.com ALMOST 4x4 Off-Road Club, +971507665522, www.almost4x4.com ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com JEEP Wrangler JK Fun Club, suffian.omar@ yahoo.com, www.jk-funclub.com Dubai Offroaders, www.dubaioffroaders.com
Running
Clubs ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi, www.abudhabitriclub.org Al Ain Road Runners, Abu Dhabi, +971504188978, alainroadrunners@yahoo.co.uk Mirdif Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.info Abu Dhabi Striders, admin@abudhabistriders.com, www.abudhabistriders.com Dubai Creek Striders www.dubaicreekstriders.org
Stand up Paddling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +97142894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh
NOVEMBER 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
Zayed Road, +97143468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Picnico 04 3941653 Jumeirah Beach Road Opposite Sunset Mall, Dubai Pearl Water Crafts, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, +971553749398, www.pearl-watercrafts.com Surf Dubai, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971505043020, www.surfingdubai.com Surf Shop Arabia, Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai, +97143791998, www.surfshoparabia.com UAE Kite Surfing, +971505626383, www.ad-kitesurfing.net Distributors Ocean Sports FZE, +971559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Kitepeople Kite & Surf Store, International City, Dubai, +971504559098, www.kitepeople.ae Operators Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +97125568555, www.alforsan. com Dubai Kite Surf School, Dubai, Umm Suqeim Beach, +971 504965107, www.dubaikitesurfschool.com Duco Maritime, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi, +971508703427, www.ducomaritime.com Dukite, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqeim, Dubai,+971507586992, www.dukite.com Kite Fly, Dubai, +971502547440, www.kitesurf.ae Kitepro Abu Dhabi, Yas Island and Al Dabbayyah, Abu Dhabi, +971505441494, wwww.kitepro.ae Kite4fun.net, Abu Dhabi, +971508133134, www.kite4fun.net Nautica1992, Dubai, +971504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Shamal Kite Surfing, Umm Suqueim Dubai, +971507689226, astrid@shamalkitesurfing. com, www.shmalkitesurfing.com Sky & Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +97143999005, www.watersportsdubai.com Surf School UAE, Umm Suqeim Beach and Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai,+971556010997, www. surfschooluae.com Watercooled, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, Dubai, +97148876771, www.watercooleddubai.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle, www.abudhabisup.com, abudhabisup@gmail.com UAE SUP www.uaesup.com
Water Parks
Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, +97144260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dreamland Aqua Park, Umm Al Quwain, Emirates Road, +97167681888, www.dreamlanduae.com Wadi Adventure, Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, +97137818422, www.wadiadventure.ae Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai, +97143484444, www.wildwadi.com
Other leisure activities
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, + 97125588990, www.adgolfclub.com Al Tamimi Stables, Sharjah, +9716743 1122, +97144370505, www.tamimistables.com Blokart Sailing, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +971556101841, www.blokartme.com Children’s City, Creek Park Gate No.1, Dubai, +97143340808, www.childrencity.ae Dolphin Bay Atlantis Dubai, +97144260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park Gate No. 1, +97143369773, www.dubaidolphinarium.ae iFly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +97142316292, www.iflyme.com Sadiyaat Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, +97125578000, www.sbgolfclub.ae Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Sharjah, +97143999005, www.golfandshootingshj.com SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of The Emirates, +97144094000, www.skidxb.com Spacewalk Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, +97124463653, www.spacewalk.ae
Health, Safety & Training
Safety Lessons Marine Concept Yacht Charter & Sea School, Rania Business Centre, Dubai, +971559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Safety & Leisure Training Middle East, Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +97144502418, www.sltme.com Sport and Health Centres Bespoke Wellness, Dubai, +971553724670, info@bespoke-wellness.com, www.bespoke-wellness.com The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, +97144370570, www.physiocentre.ae Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +9712406 9404, info@originalfitnessco.com, www.originalfitnessco.com Orthosports, 5B Street, Jumeira Beach road, Dubai, +971 4 355060, www.orthosp.com
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