ISSUE 2 / MAY 17
FEATURES
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ISSUE 2 - CONTENTS
It has been an extremely busy, yet extremely gratifying month for us at XMotionMag. The more we dig into the action sports scene here in Dubai, the more we find an incredible amount of like-minded people. Everyone we meet along the way shares the same raw passion and love, not just for what they do, but for action sports and urban life in general. Whether it be a motocross rider that is interested in surfing or a wakeboarder that loves BMX, they all have an underlying passion for pushing the limits. Something that lives deep within them. That’s where XMotion stems from, to become a conduit for all these driven “misfits”, to tell a story that may not have been told otherwise. To give some insight into the minds of the athletes. There is so much talent that people don’t know about and our goal is to create an outlet that recognizes just that - talent! As the summer heat sets in and the season draws to a close, the issue is packed with reports on worldclass events like the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, The Middle East Drift Championship and Red Bull’s “Titan of the Hill” mountain bike race in Oman. We were behind the scenes at the third installment of Dubai’s Extreme and Urban Festival, Urban Beats. There we talked in depth with Dubai-based, Spanish Flatland BMX sensation, Alvaro Fernandez De Aguirre who features on our cover. Our very own local Emirati Mohammed Balooshi, reveals all after his crowning as Emirates Desert Champion. We also sat down with the team behind the viral video stunt shot in Dubai that featured wakeboarders and surfers being towed along a pristine beach by horses. And for some international fair, I was lucky enough to travel over to The Netherlands to capture all the action from Round 6 of the F.I.M World Motocross Championship. Welcome to the 2nd issue of XMotionMag. Prepare to scroll through the world of action sports and find out “what drives you…”
ISSUE 2 / MAY 17
EDITOR’S NOTE
FEATURES 14 Urban Beats III
Dubai’s Extreme Sports Festival
24 Middle East Drift Champs
Round 3 of the MEDC series
36 Products 38 Team Z7
Wake and Surf towed by horses
46 Red Bull “Titan Of The Hill”
Oman’s downhill and enduro MTB event
60 MXGP Valkenswaard
XMotion heads to Holland
70 Abu Dhabi DesertChallenge
Recap of the duel in the dunes.
INTERVIEWS 28 Mohammed Balooshi
Emirates Desert Champion
50 Alvaro Fernandez De Aguirre
Flatland BMX star
Cover photo: Wayne Gray
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Alex Coleborn performs during Urban Beats Festival held at The Beach, Dubai - Wayne Gray
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ISSUE 1 - MXGPFRANCE
Domink Guhrs performs at Red Bull Wake Crane in Pula, Croatia - Marjan Radovic/ Redbull content pool
Ruben Lenten performs during Red Bull King Of The Air at Big Bay, Cape Town, South Africa - Craig Kolesky/ Red Bull Content Pool
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Ryan Blair gets in some sunset training in front of the ever growing Dubai Skyline. - Wayne Gray
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ISSUE 1 - MXGPFRANCE
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URBAN BEATS III EXTREME FESTIVAL
The ultimate extreme and urban experience took place at The Beach, JBR over three days in front of thousands of screaming fans who lined the fences, awed at the daring performances by world renowned extreme athletes. The 3rd installment of the Urban Beats Festival was put together by Flow Events who do a brilliant job in showcasing top talent to the region. Add to that, graffiti artist Sya One to DJ Lobito on the decks, the whole weekend was an action packed sensory overload. The lineup for Urban Beats 3 included Welsh BMX Champion James Jones who wowed the crowd with his insane variety of tricks and amplitude, he seems to go bigger and higher than anybody else and his “Cork 720’s” are a sight to behold. Englishman Alex Coleborn is the Monster Energy athlete, member of the Total BMX team and has style for days and performs every trick effortlessly. Coleborn has a huge portfolio of tricks up his sleeve, from big air combos to really tech maneuvers which make him one of the top park riders in the world, evidenced by his appearance at the X-Games. Inline Skate prodigy Julien Cudot from France took the show’s action to another level with his huge backflips and spins. Cudot has been winning championships since he was 10 years old and also has his own signature Inline Skate. Alvaro Fernandez is a flatland BMX Star from Spain that is based here in the UAE (catch our feature interview with him on page 50) and has been competing since 2005 as well as performing in music videos and TV shows.
Words - Wayne Gray Images - Wayne Gray
ALVARO FERNANDEZ
ISSUE 2 - URBANBEATSIII
JAMES JONES
Alongside these guys was 3x World Trials Champion Ben Savage, Scooter Champion Lewis Williams and champion Slackliner Mickey Wilson who performed high above the stage pulling off some insane tricks 10m up in the air. To add to the already stacked lineup of action stars, was the Middle East Qualifiers for Outbreak Europe Breakdancing competition. The battle saw 32 crews dance off for the top prize of a trip to Slovakia for the World B-Boy Finals in July. The final saw a 2on2 battle between Hamza and Zilla versus the duo of Suicide and Kriman. With DJ Lobito getting the crowd and contestants hyped, it was Suicide and Kriman that eventually won the judges votes and will be heading to Slovakia to compete against the best in the world. We caught up with Julien Cudot, Mickey Wilson and Alex Coleborn over the course of the weekend to get their take on Dubai, Urban Beats and life in general. JULIEN CUDOT: XM: Julien, this is your first time performing in Dubai? How do you like it? JC: Yes, my first time ever in Dubai and I literally love and do not want to leave this place, I really appreciate the fact that everybody is nice to each other and very respectful, it’s so clean and fresh everywhere and if you want to party there is plenty of place to do it. THE BEACH Dubai is just amazing, I do hope I’ll be back again! XM: You have been winning awards since age 10 - when did you start? And how did you get to where you are today? JC: Yeah, I won my first French
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championship in my category at 10 years old, and was world record holder for highest 720 on a vert ramp at ages 11 and 12. I turned pro at 13 by winning the amateur world championship in Dallas, Texas, and then won the Pro World Championship in Woodward West, California three years later at 16 years old. I started when I was 8 years old and I don’t know how I got [to where I am today], probably by just loving what I do so much that I can’t be not good at it. After loving this the way that I do and blading everyday (and almost) all day. When the skatepark where I learnt to blade closed down, I started to improve myself a lot more due to moving on to other places and starting to hit the streets. I think I was starting to remain at the same level because I was always at the same skatepark. XM: I see you have a line of signature skates for Trigger in the Pro Skate Series - that’s super cool! How did that come about? Apart from Trigger what other sponsors do you work with or want to mention? JC: Hell yes! It came about a year ago and that is my first pro model, super juiced! It’s a French startup company which I have shares in. The guy who owns it from Paris has been working on it by himself, almost alone and it took a long time but we finally made it and won’t quit even if it’s really, really hard for a new company in blading, even with a good ambassador. I was tired of supporting the “big” blading brands which are more into supporting themselves than the riders and the sport. Thankfully I got sponsored by HerculesWAE which is a brand
ISSUE 2 - URBANBEATSIII
BEN SAVAGE
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JULIEN CUDOT
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ISSUE 2 - URBANBEATSIII
LEWIS WILLIAMS
of speakers for riders that are water and shock resistant and they are the first ever to concretely help me live my passion. Besides them, I got a few clothes companies that give me shirts included “Hush Aggressive” from Indonesia and “All is possible” from France and a German skate shop called Grindhouse.
JC: If you’re talking about spin and flip I would say the flatspin/backflip are the easiest and I feel so comfortable performing those, but I love as well to go very hard doing world firsts, double backflips, double corkscrew. Now I’m working on the double flair, that no one did before on blades.
being in water, especially cliff diving! You can see me launching some double flips from 15 meters on my Instagram and Facebook @ juliencudot. I love playing pool very much, trampoline, good movies that didn’t came out in the last 3 years, reading romans, and I like to cook as well :)
XM: You have some pretty impressive tricks, what’s your favourite?
XM: Apart from Inline, do you have other hobbies? JC: I love everything about
XM: Finally, what drives you? JC: The love homie
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MICKEY WILSON:
XM: Mickey, how did you get involved in slacklining and tell us a bit about your story? MW: I stepped onto my first slackline when I was a freshman but hated it at first. I wasn’t a natural at it and I let my pride and frustrations win so I never slacklined much. That all changed at the end of sophomore year. I saw a slackliner on a line between two trees on campus. This guy wasn’t like my other friends who slacklined though. He was a BEAST! He stopped surfing and I thought he was finished, right then he busts out a backflip and at the same time his feet land back on the line, my jaw
hits the ground. I go up and say hello and he introduces himself as Josh. I ask him all about his slackline setup and how I can get started. I have a quick go on his slackline and fall off a couple times usually after only a few seconds on the line. I get his contact info and say I’ll be in touch. I still have the email I sent to him. This is special for me because it means I know the exact moment I became a slacker. Fast forward to 2011, I was getting really obsessed with slacklining. Josh invited me to the first ever USA national slackline championships. I drove there with him and got 2nd place! Lost to my slack idol, Mike Payton. Not bad. Gibbon Slacklines sponsored the event
and afterwards, offered me a sponsorship and an opportunity to travel the country and work for them as a pro slackliner, doing shows, demos, clinics and competitions. I had reached a major fork in the road. After finishing my master’s degree, I had to either pursue a professional career as a scientist or a slackliner. The slacklife was calling and I picked up the phone. After a year of slacklining in the USA, I got into the top 8 world rankings, and was invited to the world cup in Bregenz, Austria. I made a name for myself in the slackline world as a high liner as well as a trick liner, making myself into one of the world’s best and most versatile slackliners. Then Red Bull got
involved in slacklining and started hosting highline trickline competitions but there were no safety tethers in their comps. Instead, they had a safety net or airbag underneath their lines. I became the winningest slackliner in Red Bull competitions. Three world championships and five podiums [later]. No other slacker has more than one red bull world title. Now I travel the world as a performer and share my love of slacklining with the world. In January of 2017, while out skiing, I saved a man’s life who was being strangled by his backpack strap after getting hung up on the chair lift when trying to unload. It made worldwide news in a day. I
told my story to Good Morning America, The Today Show, as well as Ellen DeGeneres. It was a huge affirmation of all the skills I worked on for countless hours of slackline training.
satisfying when landed. “Sticky Mickey” butt bounce was not invented by me but at this point it’s pretty much my trick and no one gets higher than me with this
XM: You do a lot of tricks up there, and the MC even mentioned you invented some of your own…what are some of your favourite tricks? Do you have any other radical, out of this world tricks in the pipeline that we should look out for?
XM: Growing up in Colorado, and coming from skiing background - have you managed to get over to Ski Dubai?
MW: Skyfall is my favorite trick I’ve invented. It’s a butt bounce to a backflip with a full twist and I land on my chest. I was the second person ever to land the Luke Skywalker high line trick. Very fun but very scary! Super
MW: Yes, I’m good friends with the Head Rigger and safety guy at Ski Dubai. He’s a skydiver and a slackliner and we have been friends since we met last year when I was over here three times in three months for jobs with Flow Events. They’ve brought me out to UAE for six performances since 2013.
XM: Apart from slacklining and skiing what other hobbies do you have? MW: Skiing, backcountry skiing, skydiving, whitewater kayaking, cross country mountain biking downhill skateboarding, hacky sack, poi, juggling, kendama, trampoline, inline skating, traveling, slacklifing, tutoring physics and math, reading XM: How have you enjoyed Dubai and the Urban Beats event? MW: It was absolutely incredible. World class athletes and world class people, world class crowd on a world class beach. Aquafun water park, invited us for a free romp through their park and I had more fun than I can describe. The artwork was inspiring. The slacklining was my favorite part though. My heart grew and melted every time I stepped onto that line. Thanks Flow Events, The Beach Dubai, JBR, and the city of Dubai for yet another amazing, invaluable opportunity XM: For any aspiring slack liners – what would you recommend, where would someone even start? MW: Remember my story? I delayed my slacklife for almost two years because I was too easily frustrated. It requires practice, dedication, focus and a desire to be outside and learn something about the physical world as well as what’s in your soul. Don’t give up, slack on! Also, you can’t become a slackliner unless you..... wait for it..... duh, buy a slackline! Gibbon UAE has the world’s
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best brand, Gibbon available for purchase. Get a slackline and go get outside with some friends and have fun!
a bike but for my career to have progressed how it has is mainly down to the time and effort I put in when I am riding.
XM: What drives you?
XM: You had a really bad injury, when you broke your hip – do you feel this has made you more cautious, or has it made you more determined to succeed?
MW: Who’s to say if we get only one life? Whatever the case, I guarantee you only get one chance at each and every day you live. It’s not a video game. No save points, no retries. There’s a saying that goes, “whatever you choose to be in life, be a good one”. I like instead, “whatever you do in life, always do your best and try to be the best at what you do. Even if you don’t become the best, that’s not what’s important. It’s the fact that you tried your best that really matters.” ALEX COLEBORN: XM: Alex, this is your first trip to Dubai - what do you think of it here and how does it compare to other events? AC: I love it here, it’s just a completely different lifestyle. To compare it to other events I have done this one is sick because you’re riding on the beach with all the massive buildings in the background. XM: It was only 6 years after you got on a BMX that you were already competing at X Games! It’s remarkable how your career has progressed even though you started quite late at 13. Is it natural talent or hard work that got you where you are today? AC: I think it’s a bit of both really, you’ve obviously got to have a natural feel when riding
AC: When I first had the accident I was really cautious and aware of my injury and how it was going to affect my riding, but then once I had got over that I was determined to come back stronger than before as I was out for so long. XM: It feels like there is immense pressure to get things right under the spotlight, you seem to get everything right with such ease…how do you cope with this pressure? AC: I practice all the time anyway, so doing these tricks comes as second nature to me. XM: What’s your favorite trick to perform? AC: 720 barspin XM: Other than BMX what other hobbies do you have? AC: I don’t really have any other hobbies other than BMX. So, when I am not riding I mainly spend my time chilling out with my family and friends. XM:What’s in store for you in the future? AC: Focusing on the contest season, and starting new projects. XM: What drives you? AC: Determination to progressing in this sport.
keep
ISSUE 2 - URBANBEATSIII
“Everyone’s pushing their personal limits over and over and it is starting to be dangerous, so you don’t mess around with these things because the consequences are too serious,”
ALEX COLEBORN
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MIDDLE EAST DRIFT CHAMPIONSHIP Round 3 of the Middle East Drift Championship would touch down at an all new circuit on the tour. A custom made layout would be constructed at the Al Wasl Sports Club, a first of its type for twin drifting in the region and something that was designed to really break down barriers in developing the sport and bringing the sport to the fans in the region. With the iconic backdrop of downtown Dubai, a capacity crowd and electric atmosphere gave it the makings of Dubai’s biggest ever drift event. The most highly anticipated event of recent times was about to unfold. With over 25 drivers from the region adapting to this new layout, the risk and reward style of the track would really push the drivers to re-evaluate their boundaries and dig deeper into their courage. Once again the top five drivers were super close in qualifying and, with the drivers having to adapt over a short practice session, it was anyone’s game.
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Words - MEDC Images - Greg Falski
ISSUE 2 - MEDC
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Championship leader and Round two winner Khalifa bin Sultan Al Nahyan would stamp his authority on qualifying taking P1 and giving something for the Emirates fans to cheer about. He would be closely followed by Dany Neville who had changed cars for this event, P3 would be locked out by another UAE driver Mohammed Al Mansoori showing the UAE drivers performing strong on home territory. Championship contenders Dmitry Illyuk and Mohammad Al Khaiat would take positions four and five respectively, grabbing valuable championship points in the process. When the sun went down and the lights went on the night of action at Round 3 Dubai circuit would really showcase the best drift drivers in the region. With a capacity crowd and sold-out grandstand there was no doubt that it would show drifting is here to stay and more popular than ever. Early upsets would come in the Great 8 with Khalifa bin Sultan Al Nahyan tagging the wall in his Top 8 damaging his car and ending his night. Mohammad Al Khaiat XMOTIONMAG • 26
would have an intense battle with Driver Dmitriy Illyuk and, after 2 “one more times” Dmitriy would take the win marching on to the final four. With the top 2 in the Championship exiting in the early stages it was all to play for and anyone’s game. Top Omani Driver Ali Balushi, was also performing great on his debut, rising to the challenge against Dmitriy Illyuk and showing how strong the Oman drivers are. After a “One More Time” Dmitriy would come out on top to progress to his first ever Middle East Drift Final. Dany Neville would move on to the final four and meet fellow UAE driver Mohamed Al Mansoori. Mohamed had a strong qualifying session and after battling through the top 16 would have another strong drive against Dany. Dany would have the cleaner of the two runs and progressed to his first final after coming so close to the podium in the previous two events. The final would come down to a matchup between Monster Energy Team mates Dany Neville and Dmitriy Illyuk. Both drivers would be pushing harder than ever to make
ISSUE 2 - MEDC
a mark before the summer break. After another “one more time” battle Dmitriy would gain a slight advantage over the two runs giving him the advantage and Round Three win of the event. Dmitriy Added “MEDC Round Three was our 4th and most wanted appearance before summer break. The team and I put all we had and gave maximum efforts to get to the top spot. The track itself was one of the most dangerous and tricky I ever had to drive with surface changing conditions and outside clipping point on 60+mph and transitions near the concrete in full smoke where you just have to count cause you cant see anything in the smoke. All opponents were on top level , 25 cars and everybody could take that win. Four OMT battles for me is proof that this win was not easy and if you look at the car rubbed all over the walls you understand MEDC is no joke and it definitely is on the map. Drako went to summer holidays in Europe and will be back this November for a title fight which definitely will be hard and impressive road” MEDC Round 3- UAE Dubai 1. Dmitriy Illyuk – Ukraine - Monster Energy 2. Dany Neville - Lebanon - Monster Energy 3. Mohamed Al Mansoori - UAE - X Unit Racing As we now go into the summer break just 15 points seperate the top four. With three events and three different winners it is anyones championship to play for.
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“I was very emotional coming through the final section of the lap, I knew then that I had it.”
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ISSUE 2 - INTERVIEWBALOOSHI
MOHAMMED BALOOSHI INTERVIEW
Multiple time Arab National Champion, RedBull athlete, Cross Country Rally rider and now the winner of the Emirates Desert Championship MOTO category. Xmotion sits down with Mohammed Balooshi to chat about his career, his recent championship win and what the future holds for the likeable Emirati. XM: First off, congratulations on being crowned the Emirates Desert Championship Moto Overall champion. After being runner up in the previous two campaigns, it must be a nice weight off your shoulders to finally claim the top step of the podium? MB: Thank you, yes for sure it’s a weight off my shoulders. To win on the 3rd attempt, it’s difficult to put into words. I was very emotional coming through the final section of the lap, I knew then that I had it. I could see the guys behind me and as long as nothing happened to the bike I had it. It was really emotional but I had to keep it
together, crossing the line was unbelievable. You couldn’t have scripted it better after finishing runner up to Jake Shipton two years ago and Ross Runnalls last year, to finally get the win I’m really really happy. XM: You had a really consistent year, on the podium in each of the five rounds and taking the win in the final event when all the pressure was on. MB: That was my game plan, to try and be on the podium at every round. Bajas can be fast and dangerous and you never know what can happen. My main aim was to stay healthy throughout the series but at the same time push enough as to not get left too far behind. I pushed when it was necessary. I was lucky not to have any incidents or close calls, I didn’t take any chances. Finishing 3rd at the first round I knew I was in a good spot and could gauge the rest of my season. To win the final round was like a fairytale. To win under that pressure was special.
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XM: Your team, Balooshi Racing also claimed the Moto Team title, some more icing on the cake. MB: It’s funny you know, when you don’t win in one class, it seems you come short everywhere, but when its going good you cream everything (laughs) The team worked really hard through pre-season and the summer! Not that we don’t always work hard, but I think with the injury I had, I was a lot more focused. To win three categories, The Moto Overall, the Veterans class and the Team Overall title, I think God was really generous to me on that day and my thanks go to God first of all. This year the team really came together, the positive energy from everyone was really special. The KTM UAE pit crew did an awesome job all season and for sure we cannot do this without them.
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XM: You returned from a pretty severe injury, sustained at the Qatar Sealine Cross Country Rally in April last year, tell us a little bit about the injury and the rehabilitation process. MB: Yeah it was a bad one, up there with the worst injuries I have had throughout my career. I broke my tibia and fibula and had a severe concussion. I was not so worried about the leg, my main concern was my head because I really didn’t feel good for quite some time. You can say the injury did more good than harm for me, because up to that point I had not even had one month away from racing in over three years, with doing all the local races, GCC races and international races. It was a good rest for me to really focus on the rehab and come back stronger.
XM: You looked really fit this season throughout both the Motocross and Baja series. Do you feel you were much better prepared coming into the start of the season than you have been in the past? MB: I think it surprised a lot of people that I was able to come into the season so fit, even from the first round. Some people had thought that after my injury that I wouldn’t be back in time or be able to contend for any championships. I burned a lot of calories, did a lot of kilometers, lifted a lot of weights and I am happy it all paid off. Im 37 years old now, but I feel like I’m still in my early twenties. I have a good work ethic, a positive mindset and I believe in myself.
ISSUE 2 - INTERVIEWBALOOSHI
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XM: You competed in the Dubai International Baja at the beginning of March. It must be great for you to see the UAE Motorsport holding prestigious events such as the FIM International Baja Series, adding to a long list of World class racing events held in the Emirates.
XM: You have also done your fair share of Cross Country Rallies in the past. Obviously starting close to home with the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the Qatar Sealine Rally, are you planning to do any other rounds of the World Championship this year?
MB: I think that ATCUAE is doing an amazing job, to bring another World Championship event to the UAE is really good. Im really proud of the UAE and the people that organise these events. Its not like the UAE isn’t on the map, but in terms of motorsport we need some more of this attention. It was good to finish in 2nd place there, a positive result leading up to the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. As soon as they announced it, it was one of my main priorities to do it, for sure it is up there with the Desert Challenge.
MB: Yes, I will do the full championship this year. In 2015 I did the full series and I was ranked 6th in the world that year. It was great for me to be the first Arab to even finish in the top 10. Last year the plan was the same, but due to my injury in Qatar I didn’t compete in the full series. I will also hopefully compete in three rounds of the Baja World Cup. I am really looking forward to the year ahead and achieving my goals.
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XM: You had a great ride at the ADDC last year, with a really strong 4th place finish amongst the world’s elite rally riders. MB: Last year’s Desert Challenge was very special. I worked extremely hard leading up to it and was really happy to finish amongst the top factory riders. My main goal was to not lose by too much time and I was a lot closer than in the past. Now I have a good platform to build on that. It is definitely one of the toughest rallies, but I did my homework and to finish fourth I was really happy.
ISSUE 2 - INTERVIEWBALOOSHI
XM: ADDC took place at the beginning of April. How was your training and preparation going in this year? MB: I was definitely mentally stronger than last year and had prepared well. Getting ready for our local season helped a lot. I felt fitter than in previous years. I ended up 7th overall, the first Arab across the line and first of the nonfactory supported riders. It was a good result after being off the rally bike since Qatar last year, so I’m happy.
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XM: Obviously, the biggest and toughest off road race in the world is the Dakar Rally. You competed in 2012, is the goal to get back to the Dakar again? MB: Hopefully I can get back to Dakar, I personally would love to do it again. We will see closer to the time, for now the focus is the Cross Country World Championship and the Baja World Cup and then we will see. For sure I would love to go back and finish and to represent the UAE. XM: Also, a really nice moment for UAE motorsports to have your friend, Dubai based Sam Sunderland win the Dakar this year. You know just how hard the Dakar can be, so it’s really something special that he won it. MB: We were all rooting for him and cheering for him. I think it’s really good for the sport in the UAE, I know he is from England, but we think of him as one of our own, it’s a great achievement. What he has done is far greater than the win itself, he has inspired so many people by what he has achieved. I have known him for a long time and to see all the bad luck he had at previous Dakar’s, to finish it for the first time this year and to win it, it’s just amazing.
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ISSUE 2 - INTERVIEWBALOOSHI
XM: You have an awesome facility down at the Jebel Ali motocross track, coaching and training riders of all ages and skill levels through your MX-Academy. Tell us a bit more a bit more about it. MB: I’m really passionate about coaching. When I started the sport, there was nowhere to learn how to ride. I started later on as an adult whereas most of the riders start when they are small kids. I was helped a lot by the late Georges Jobes, a multi time World Motocross Champion for 9 years and he really taught me good technique. I needed to open Mx-Academy so people like me have somewhere to go. We really go into the details you know, it’s not just hiring a bike. It’s about understanding what you’re doing, learning the correct techniques. I’m really proud of what we have achieved with MX-Academy. XM: You have also been competing in a number of other racing series around the GCC. How did the season go for you? MB: Yeah it was a really good season for me. The Qatar Baja series has recently started again and I am currently 2nd in that series. I won the series in Kuwait and also in the Bahrain championship and I finished 2nd in MX2 class and Veterans class in Dubai championship. I worked really hard this year, if you have your priorities in place, good things can happen. XM: Thanks for chatting with us and congratulations on a superb season of racing.
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FOX V3 Creo Helmet from AED 1,800.00 Available from: SRG Motorsports
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ISSUE 2 - PRODUCTS
SEVENFRIDAY M2/01 AED 5,600.00 Available from Cafe Rider
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TEAM Z7 What do a stunt rider, a surfer, a stable manager and a wakeboarder have in common? XMotion sat down with four of the inspirational masterminds behind the viral video to understand a bit more about how the stunt came to life and what it felt like to be hauled along one of Dubai’s pristine beaches
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by a horse! Who needs a boat anyway? My belief is that the horse riders are possibly the bravest amongst the bunch, although that could just be down to my irrational fear of horses, I can’t say for sure. Click the play button on the next page to check out the awesome drone footage.
ISSUE 2 - TEAMZ7
We got in touch with Laura Arkle, one of the horse riders and the manager of Team Z7, an international showjumping, polo and riding stable founded by H.H Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and managed to arrange a meeting with a few of the team members that put this all together. We meet the team at the Surf House Dubai, founded by Scott Chambers, the surfer in the video who was born in Sharjah and has pretty much single handedly developed the surf scene in Dubai as we know it. On arrival, we notice that Laura is very sweet and almost quiet compared to the rest of the rowdy bunch we are meeting, but after a
few minutes we discover she is the one that pitched the crazy idea to the guys in the first place. Laura knew the stunt would be an easy sell to Attila Kenyo, Team Z7’s professional stunt rider. The crazy Hungarian is always keen on new, out of the box ideas – so after confirming the stunt was possible, she brought the idea forward to Scott and PJ Cutting, one of the wake boarders in the video, who grew up surfing in South Africa, moved to Dubai 15 years ago and is a partner in XtremeWake UAE. “It all started with a WhatsApp message” comments PJ XMOTIONMAG • 39
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“It all started with a Whatsapp message” - PJ
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“The whole experience was all very new, we had never done anything like this, where you’re being towed so close to the sand, so we were all just gauging how close we could get. PJ always likes to push the limits” says Scott. With Scott, PJ and Laura being friends for so many years, it’s a wonder how they haven’t done anything like this in the past, but it was through the creative vision of H.H Sheikha Fatima bint Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who shared the love for the idea, that it became a reality. Great efforts were put in by her entire team, inviting the team into her beach palace and putting together the awesome footage. Laura and Atilla explain that the final shoot and stunt itself took about three hours in total, but they worked on it over three days. Atilla took the horses down to the beach before to familiarize them with the area, and to check the footing and space for the horses. The first and second days were easier on the horses because the water was quite shallow, but challenging on the wakeboarders and especially the surfer. The last day was
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probably the most challenging for the horses and the easiest for the wakeboarders because the water was deeper, so meant a lot more water to play with and get going. The biggest issue the surfers and wakeboarders faced was initially getting going, being towed by the horses. For the wakeboarders it wasn’t too difficult as they are strapped in and once over the initial pull, it was fairly simple, the horses galloping along at speeds similar to that of wake boats. The horse riders had a few more issues to deal with in controlling the horses on the uneven beach sand and the fact you can’t really see what’s coming up when charging through the water. One of the biggest issues was for Scott on the surfboard as the fins kept digging into the sand in the shallow water, but with some help from the team to unweight the board at pull off, it was all good. “We were really lucky to be able to work with these stunt horses, with water spraying around and drones flying around them, they were completely unphased. Incredidible animals” said PJ.
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“It does help when you have access to these 12 massive, beautiful horses” - Scott
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Other members of the team pictured below: Xavier Birot - Wakeboarding on the day. From Bordeaux France. moved to Dubai in 2012. Loves all action sports. kitesurfing, surfing, snowboarding and wake boarding.
Mark Shawyer - Wakeboarder on the day, from Australia. Restauranteur, has been in Dubai 8 years on and off. Loves action sports; surfing, wakeboarding snowboarding, BMX.
Eva Padilla Lara - Spanish show horse rider Diego Lopez - Spanish Show horse trainer at at Team Z7, from Spain she has worked in Team Z7 - from Spain. He is an outstanding Dubai for the last 5 years. horseman and trainer. he has worked in Dubai for the last 6 years.
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Claire Mitchell - Assistant Manager at Team The team were also joined by H.H Sheikha Z7. Has lived in Dubai for 11years Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and her sister Sheikha Maryam Moacyr Ramos is an ex professional bull rider Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum as and loves to think out of the box and helps well as Sheikha Latifa daughter of Sheikha keep the team organised. Fatima. The girls really wanted to have a fun morning out and do something different and they all had an amazing time swimming in the sea with their horses.
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RED BULL
TITAN OF THE HILL Red Bull Titan of the Hill made its much anticipted event debut in Oman’s Wakan Village in Wilayt Nakhal, located in Al Batinah South Governorate. The new competitive platform for bikers was a first-time event and a local Oman initiative. The mountain biking soft downhill and enduro event was targeted at amateurs and semi-professionals in a time-trial format. Open to bikers from different backgrounds and disciplines, the event also saw an influx of participants from surrounding GCC countries. To challenge the riders and put their stamina to the test, each rider was required to carry their bike to the top of the mountain up a trail, built from natural material, which included 700 steps. Once at the starting point each rider individually raced down through the heart of Wakan Village against the clock. The riders rode alongside the descending Falaj passing from the top of the village towards the agricultural terraces; passing observation towers, sitting areas and rest shelters. XMOTIONMAG • 46
Words - Red Bull Images - Naim Chidiac - Red Bull Content Pool
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It was an early morning start for all participants and at the end of the 4-hour event Steve Ross, from Scotland was named ‘Titan of the Hill’ in the Male Category. Janine Tooze, from England, was named ‘Titan of the Hill’ in the Female Category. “I was surprised that I really went for it but I didn’t expect to win. I thought the second placed rider would win, it was very close, but I was faster today,” said Steve Ross. Ross added: “The location was spectacular and riding full pace through the streets of an ancient village such as Wakan, was really like nothing else I have done before. Winning just added to an extraordinary day.” Janine Tooze said: “Pretty stoked with the win. There hasn’t been a downhill race in Oman since I moved here three years ago so I thought it would be great to participate.” “We are delighted to be part of this event and see this remote and beautiful location now become an excellent sporting venue as well. We were excited that participants attended from all over the GCC. We trust that our customers got to experience our network coverage through this event”, said Hamdan Moosa Al Harrasi, General Manager Marketing Communication and Performance at Omantel. “Speed and excitement are core principals of what we do and we were very much looking forward to being part of this new competitive platform for bikers in Oman,” Al Harrasi. Red Bull Titan of the Hill was held in partnership with Omantel, Ministry of Tourism, Salam Air, HiFM, Hala FM and Oman Trail Builders.
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ALVARO FERNANDEZ DE AGUIRRE INTERVIEW
XM: You’re originally from Spain, how did you get started in Flatland BMX and how did you end up here in the UAE? AF: It all started 12 years ago when I was 15 or 16 years old, just for fun after seeing my neighbour riding around backwards on his BMX and I thought it was really cool. So after some time I asked my parents to buy me a bike and explained to them what I wanted to do. I had already tried a bunch of different action sports, from skateboarding to rollerblading and a few others. All my friends at the time just used to do jumps and ride around in the streets together, but I saw some footage of flatland from the X-Games on TV and
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I really enjoyed watching it, it was something different and special for me, so thats when I started to focus on it. I was working in Spain in a local supermarket actually, selling fish when a friend of mine, Sergio, gave me a call. I had known him for a few years and he’s always been working in different parts of the world, Singapore, Germany and now he was going to be in Abu Dhabi at Ferrari World. It’s pretty funny because we only maybe spoke to each other a couple of times a year, like Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas you know? He mentioned that one of the other guys that was working there was going to be leaving and I should send some videos across to the entertainment manager.
Words - Wayne Gray Images - Wayne Gray
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So I sent my portfolio through without too much expectation, but a few days later I got a call to do a Skype interview. I remember being so nervous, because my English is not so good, but it went well and they sent through a contract a few days later. I was a little scared at first, because it all kind of happened so quickly, so I talked to my dad and his response was “but you have a nice job here selling fish at the supermarket”. You can imagine I didn’t want to sell fish forever (laughs) and if I didn’t take this chance I would have regretted it later. So yeah, I got here in June of 2015 and been here since then.
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XM: Is there much of a BMX scene out here? Is it just you or is there a bunch of guys you ride with? AF: When I first got here, I saw a couple of guys at XDubai skatepark doing some ramp riding, but nothing like flatland, flatland its only me.
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XM: So does it get a bit lonely for you? Nobody to ride with and push you and challenge each other? AF: Yeah definitely, on one hand its good, because for shows and jobs I don’t have any competitors, but for the fun side and just play riding there isn’t so much. A few years ago I was doing a lot of competitions in Europe and going out for dinners with other riders, there was more of a social side. But coming over here was to make some money and enjoy the city life.
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XM: So for you, do you prefer to do more of the competitions or doing shows like you are now? AF: I like both, obviously now I am more focused on the shows, but I miss the competitions. I used to go to the World Championships in Germany every year and was 7th in the world in the Masters division. When I first came to Abu Dhabi, I was kind of shy, you know, because I had never done shows before. You never know how the audience will react, every day in front of 600 people, just me on the big stage. The first two weeks I struggled a bit to learn to “act”, to perform for the crowd
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and make it a show. I came from riding in the streets with my friends, so that was the hardest thing to adjust to. I still sometimes struggle to think of myself as an artist, Michael Jackson was an artist, so yeah its a different form of art, I express myself with my bicycle, its an extension of me and if I’m angry I get on my bike and zone out from everything, like some people would go the cinema or the beach. The shows are really different, for me I preferred to get my headphones and a bottle of water and its just me and the bike, so it was tough to find the right balance of focus for the tricks and to interact with the crowd at the same time.
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XM: We met you at Urban Beats show, how do you compare activations and shows here with what you have done in Europe? AF: Over here it is still very new, people don’t know so much about it, but its growing, maybe in a few years it will become really big, its already started, like Flow Events putting on these shows, it creates awareness. Obviously in Europe its huge, there is a massive action sports culture over there so the shows are much bigger.
XM: We were really impressed by your performance at Urban Beats, how did the crowd react?
XM: Any advice for people looking to get into Flatland BMX?
AF: Patience and practice, practice, practice. You get AF: Yeah it was really the balance by having the good, over here the crowd patience. You don’t see is maybe more into seeing too many flatland guys the guys on the ramp, out there, because doing big tricks in the air, they get frustrated, its impressive! For me, I they don’t have the leave people wandering patience. how I did something, like how did he do that or how did he go from this to that. They have never seen it, its unique, so its always good to see their reactions. They are clapping and screaming but maybe they don’t know why (laughs).
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XM: Away from your BMX, do you tryout any XM: You must fall a lot practising all the time, other action sports and what lots of injuries over the years? hobbies do you have? AF: Yeah, ankles, elbows, shoulders. Flatland AF: I really enjoy skateboarding and roller is not as bad as ramp riders though, obviously blading, not to do, just to watch. I also went we’re on the ground so its not such high impact. skydiving once which was awesome. I really You do fall thousands of times though, you just enjoy photography and videography, I studied need to get up and keep trying. Flatland is a it and worked in TV before. Other than that sport that requires so much practice when you the normal things, like going to the cinema start out, if you miss one or two weeks its like and hanging out with friends. starting from zero again. The biggest thing is balance, moving your body with the bike. Such XM: Any secret talents people won’t know small things make a difference. The first year about you? is so frustrating, maybe only after a year is when you know you are progressing. AF: (Laughs) I’m really good at cooking actually, I make a really good Spanish omelette and XM: I guess thats what keeps you motivated? also some pasta dishes. I also do some The constant progression? freestyle rapping, I’m not very good at it but its just for fun and to laugh. My brother is into AF: Exactly, there are so many different rap music and has his own demo out, he’s a combinations and ways to do things. Like in couple of years older than me, so I grew up competitions, the most important thing is to listening to rap music and hearing him rap all be original. You get judged on originality, the time. difficulty, combo duration and style. There’s hundreds of tricks, you can mix #27 and #39 XM: You have a huge amount of tricks, any or #43 and #76. There is always something particular favourite? new. AF: The Time Machine is one of my favourites, when you spin really fast on the rear wheel, I also really enjoy combinations. I prefer front wheel tricks as opposed to rear wheel ones, I think they are more difficult, you have the handlebars, the seat and the bike tends to move around a lot more. Tricks like the Steamroller and the Cliffhanger are fun.
XM: Is there anybody that you look up to or inspires you? AF: When I first started out, it was the guys I watched in the videos, they’re maybe like 40 years old now. Now, its my friends. Most of us are all on the same level and we are always pushing each other to learn new things.
XM: You mentioned seeing your neighbour XM: What drives you? riding and thats how you got into riding, but where do you even start to learn the tricks? AF: I am how I am because of BMX. I have met amazing people and travelled to amazing AF: Videos, lost of videos. Also my friends, places because of BMX. All my friends all ride you’re always learning. What if we try this or with me. I feel incomplete without my bike, what if we try that. So its a constant learning its my life. I don’t drink or smoke or party too process. You also learn a lot from going to much and all my friends are the same. I think competitions, you might see a guy from Japan about it 24/7. My bike has given me so many doing something that you have never even great life experiences and I’m so thankful for thought of, but then you go out and try it. that.
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MXGP
VALKENSWAARD This past weekend belonged to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Gautier Paulin who won the first Race after grabbing the important Fox Holeshot and leading the entire time. It was the first race victory for Paulin since Teutschental 2015. In race 2 Paulin finished second securing the overall, 2 years after doing the same here in 2015, it was the first Valkenswaard overall for Husqvarna in history. Paulin in the press conference said, “Being back on the podium and on the first step feels really good, it has been over a year. It is great to be racing like this, the ride with Jeffrey was awesome! The Dutch fans were cheering for Jeffrey so hard and I felt the track was getting smaller, I was really pushing hard to keep him from passing me. I will have good memories from today!” Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings had his best result of the season today when he scored second overall. The Dutch rider had fought his way through both races, where he didn’t have
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Words - Youthstream Images - Wayne Gray
the starts he’d hoped for. In race 2 on his way to the front he battled with the former champions, Tim Gajser and Romain Febvre passing both before catching Paulin in 2nd and though Herlings was close he wasn’t able to make it past the Frenchman. Herlings
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during the press conference said, “In MXGP it is like all out war from the moment the gate drops until the finish flag and that’s something I’m not used to, but we will get there. We are getting the speed and I think there is one thing left and that’s the starts. I felt like I was close today, I was really close to the win and that’s good.” Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek scored his second podium of the season today with 3rd overall. Van Horebeek had a great ride in race one where held of the hard charges of Jeffrey Herlings and finished 2nd. In race he finished 5th after battling for the top 3 most of the race before falling on the last lap. In the press conference Van Horebeek said: “It’s been a really good weekend…I think that the fans enjoyed our racing and it’s a tough class, we have to fight for every position. I’m really
happy to be on the podium and be consistent every weekend.” Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli had a bad start in race 1, he was 14th on lap one. Cairoli consistently worked his forward over the first few laps before settling into 9th. For race 2 you could tell he wanted the win as he started with the Fox Holeshot and he returned to winning form. Cairoli finished 4th overall and continues to narrow the points gap, he is now 14 points behind in the championship. Team HRC’s Tim Gajser had a good weekend finishing 6-4 for 5th overall and though it wasn’t the dominant form like we’ve seen lately he holds on to the championship lead now nearly a third of the way through the season. Gajser in the press conference said: “I’m quite happy, the speed was there. I just made some small mistakes, in the first race I
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“I was really pushing hard to keep him from passing me. I will have good memories from today” - Gautier Paulin XMOTIONMAG • 62
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crashed and in the second one I didn’t have the best start. It’s really tough actually, many guys are close together, their speed is there, you really just have to be focused 100%.” Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev was second for several laps in race 1 where he finished 4th and in race 2 he was in second, right in tow with Cairoli, the first 12 laps, but eventually dropped to 8th. His 6th overall and 31 points from the weekend have him 5th in the championship standings going into Latvia. Team Suzuki World MXGP’s Arminas Jasikonis
achieved his best result today when he went 5-6 for 7th overall. He excelled on the technical and rough circuit, Jasikonis will undoubtably gain confidence from the result and will look forward to the next round at his home GP in Latvia. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff finished 9th overall in front of his home crowd. The Dutch rider lives a mere 20 minutes from Valkenswaard. Coldenhoff was visibly at home on the track as he held off his hard charging team mate Cairoli he finished 8th in race 1 and 10th in race 2.
“It was a race where I should have gone 1-1 so I’m disappointed - Tony Cairoli
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“I’m really happy to be on the podium and be consistent every weekend.” - Jeremy van Horebeek
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“In the second race I got a good start, pulled a gap then just cruised around for the win” - Pauls Jonass
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MXGP Overall Top Ten: 1. Gautier Paulin, 47 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings, 40 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek, 38 p.; 4. Antonio Cairoli), 37 p.; 5. Tim Gajser, 33 p.; 6. Evgeny Bobryshev), 31 p.; 7. Arminas Jasikonis, 30 p.; 8. Romain Febvre, 25 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff, 24 p.; 10. Maximilian Nagl, 21 p. MXGP Championship Top Ten: 1. Tim Gajser (HON) 234 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 220 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (HUS) 192 p.; 4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (YAM) 182 p.; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (HON) 176 p.; 6. Clement Desalle (KAW) 172 p.; 7. Romain Febvre (YAM) 131 p.; 8. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 124 p.; 9. Arnaud Tonus (YAM) 120 p.; 10. Maximilian Nagl (HUS) 116 p. In the MX2 class Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass completed the perfect weekend again this season going pole in Saturday’s qualifying race and following it up with 2 race wins. He achieved the race wins after two good starts including the FOX Holeshot in race 1 and leading the field every time the finish line was crossed. Jonass in the press conference said: “I felt pretty good all weekend, we made some improvements since yesterday and just kept improving all weekend with the bike. I enjoyed the track today…it was nice to ride, in the second
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race I got a good start, pulled a gap then just cruised around for the win. I really enjoy riding here and to go home with a 1-1 is good. The next GP is my home GP and I’m really looking forward to it. Suzuki World MX2’s Jeremy Seewer finished 19th in qualifying yesterday and responded well to the challenge today of 19th gate pick. Seewer was in 7th in race and 5th in race 2’s first lap, both races he made passes getting himself to 4th and 2nd for 2nd overall on his 4th podium this season. In the press conference Seewer said, “I made the best out of today, both races I started between 10th and 15th and I had to make a lot of passes, I’m happy that I did. Especially in the second moto I did all that I could, to beat Pauls you need to be there on the start to battle him. I think we can look forward, I’m pretty positive now.” Kemea Yamaha Official MX Team’s Brent Van doninck reached the podium today which is something that has evaded him in the past. Van doninck had a fifth in race one and a 3rd in race 2 which was good for 3rd overall. He had a bad start in race 1 and he had to push hard to get to the well deserved 5th while in race 2, his better start helped him to get near the back of Seewer but the physical demands took hold as he wasn’t able to find the extra energy needed to get past #91 Suzuki. Van
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doninck in the press conference said, “I was coming close to Seewer but he had another gear and I was quite tired…I knew I was on the podium and I didn’t want to throw it away with a crash or something. I’m happy, I’m looking forward to Latvia and I just want to keep the consistency like I’m doing now.” Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen looked comfortable on the bike and the track all weekend but went down in race 1 before completing the first lap while trying to make a pass. This mistake set him in 30th the first time across the finish, he would impressively climb his way back to 9th by the finish. The 9th combined with 4th in the second race resulted in 4th overall and he also 4th in the championship standings. HSF Logistics Motorsport’s Calvin Vlaanderen finished out the top 5 overall today in 5th at what is his home GP after a 6th in race 1 and 7th in race 2. Kemea Yamaha Official MX Team’s Benoit Paturel is really struggling with starts and it is a shame because if he was in the front during the early stages of racing he almost certainly would stay there. Paturel 7th and 9th in today’s races were enough for the 6th overall and he is 5th in the championship standings 69 points off the leader. Suzuki World MX2’s Hunter Lawerence had a
breakthrough performance in race 2 finishing fifth, that together with the Australian’s 10th in race one got him a 6th overall. The consistent #33 LRT KTM of Julien Lieber had his first major issue of the season when he had to pull out of race 2 with a mechanical issue. The Belgian howover still took 9th overall thanks to his season best second in race one. Lieber remains third in the championship points standings and he will continue to pursue his first win at the next round on the again soft soil of Latvia. MX2 Overall Top Ten: 1. Pauls Jonass, 50 points; 2. Jeremy Seewer, 40 p.; 3. Brent Van doninck, 36 p.; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen, 30 p.; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen, 29 p.; 6. Hunter Lawrence, 27 p.; 7. Benoit Paturel), 26 p.; 8. Petar Petrov, 22 p.; 9. Julien Lieber, 22 p.; 10. Thomas Covington, 20 p. MX2 Championship Top Ten: 1. Pauls Jonass (KTM), 242 points; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUZ), 223 p.; 3. Julien Lieber (KTM), 197 p.; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (HUS), 188 p.; 5. Benoit Paturel (YAM), 173 p.; 6. Brent Van doninck (YAM), 159 p.; 7. Thomas Covington (HUS), 133 p.; 8. Vsevolod Brylyakov (KAW), 123 p.; 9. Jorge Prado Garcia (KTM), 121 p.; 10. Michele Cervellin (HON), 109 p. XMOTIONMAG • 69
ABU DHABI DESERT CHALLENGE Words: Wayne Gray Images: Marcin Kin/Red Bull Content Pool/KTM Images Husqvarna Images Honda Pro Racing
The 27th edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Powered by Nissan once again kicked off the FIM Cross Country Rally World Championship for motorcycles and played host to the 3rd round of the FIA World Cup Cross Country Rallies for cars. After five days in the heat and treacherous conditions of the UAE’s biggest and most notorious dunes, it was 2017 Dakar Rally winner Sam Sunderland that emerged victorious aboard his Red Bull KTM after a race long battle with 2016 World Champion Pablo Quintanilla on his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. Rounding out the podium was 2015 World Champion, Dakar Rally runner up and team mate to Sunderland, Austrian Matthias Walkner. Dubai based Sunderland, fresh off his Dakar win, had never won his “home” race after narrowly missing out on a number of occasions. The rally got off to the perfect start for the Brit when he won the short prologue special test on Saturday, held at the Al Forsan International Sports Resort. The win would give him the advantage of choosing his start position for Sunday’s 276km stage, the first of five stages to be held near the desolate Rub Al Khali desert near the border of Saudi Arabia. In the car category, it was outright favourite and 2x Dakar Rally winner, Qatari Nasser Al Attiyah that stamped his authority on the field right from the start with a commanding victory around the tight Al Forsan layout.
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“It feels cool, it’s been a long time coming” - Sam Sunderland
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2nd place for the 2016 World Champion, Pablo Quintanilla.
Kuwaiti, Fahad Al Musallam, a regular in Dubai’s Emirates Desert Championship was competing in his first ever rally and got off to the best possible start by clinching the prologue victory. SS1 Sunderland and Al Attiyah added to their leads on Sunday’s first main stage, with Kamil Wiesniewski inheriting the lead in the Quad category. Sunderland, who started alongside Quintanilla, finished the stage just three seconds in the lead after 276km of racing, giving him an overall lead of just 5.7 seconds over the Chilean. Kuwait’s Mohammed Jaffar and Emirati Mohammed Balooshi would get their rallies off to a solid start, finishing the stage in 8th and 9th places respectively, with Dubai based Briton, David McBride rounding out the top 10. Al Attiyah took a comfortable victory and extended his lead in the general classification to more than 11 minutes from Abu Dhabi Racing’s Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi. X Raid XMOTIONMAG • 72
Mini All4 Racing’s, Vladimir Vasilyev came home in 3rd. Al Musallam was relegated down the field after opening the stage and being caught by his rivals. Italian lady rider, Camelia Liparoti put in a superb ride to finish 3rd on the day behind Wisniewski and Schippers SS2 Mondays stage would see the competitors enter the notorious Rub Al Khali dunes for a 289km special. Opening the stage meant overnight leader Sunderland never really stood a chance of claiming victory on the gruelling stage in extreme heat, eventually losing almost 10 minutes to eventual stage winner, Frenchman Pela Renet on the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. Monster Energy Honda rider, Paolo Goncalves was 2nd, with Walkner, Quintanilla and Benavides closing out the top five. Sunderland crossed the line in 6th place. The overall lead was taken by Matthias Walkner, however due to a one minute penalty incurred for speeding in a
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control point, the overall lead went to Honda mounted Goncalves. Nasser Al Attiyah was again the star of the show in the car category with another stage victory, which helped extend his overall lead to 23 minutes over Al Qassimi who was 2nd on the day. Qatari Mohammed Abu Issa 3rd a further 7 minutes back. Kees Koolen took a commanding stage victory in the Quad class ahead of Al Musallam. Wisniewski maintained his lead in the overall rankings, more than five minutes clear of Al Musallam. SS3 Tuesdays stage would once again take the field through the Rub Al Khali and passed by the now famous Moreeb Hill. Starting the day in 6th place allowed Sunderland the opportunity to make up the time he lost the previous day. Sunderland put together a sterling performance to win the stage by
more than six minutes and regain control of the bike standings. Pela Renet opened the stage and did as much damage control as possible, but still came home some 15 minutes off of the lead time and 5th place on the day. Quintanilla crossed the line in 2nd with Walkner and Goncalves 3rd and 4th. Honda’s Benavides was struck down with clutch problems and fell way down the rankings. UAE’s Mohammed Balooshi finished in 7th. Al Attiyah stormed to another dominant stage victory in his Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux, ahead of Al Qassimi, extending his lead to 39 minutes. The star of the day in the car category was Emirati Khalid Al Jafla who produced a great performance in his Armada to mix it up with the top contenders and cross the line in 3rd position. Another top performance went to UAE’s Ahmed Al Maqoodi, Dubai’s
Matthias Walkner was solid all week for 3rd Overall.
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MARC BOW / RED BULL CONTENT POOL
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Emirates Desert Championship winner in the buggy class, who finished 5th on the stage in his Polaris RZR1000. Multiple time World Champion Rafal Sonik moved to the top of the Quad standings despite losing out on the stage win to Koolen. Sonik led the rankings by just over two minutes from Nisniewski with Al Musallam a further five minutes back. SS4 With the battle for bike honours hotting up, there was a lot of strategy and mind games going on amongst the front runners throughout the penultimate stage. All the goings on at the front of the field allowed Benavides to claim the stage victory after starting from the
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rear of the field after his mechanical issues. Heading into the 5th and final day, the scene was set for a 5-way battle to the finish, with Goncalves, Walkner, Renet, Sunderland and Quintanilla separated by just 1min30 in the overall rankings. Al Attiyah extended his lead to 1hr46 after Al Qassimi suffered driveshaft problems. Another strong drive by Khalid Al Jafla saw him finish 2nd on the stage ahead of Martin Prokop. Mohammed Abu Issa was 5th on the stage and 4th overall heading into the final day. Sonik’s lead evaporated as he struggled with technical issues with his Honda TRX700. It was Peruvian Alexis Hernandez Ponce that took the advantage and the stage
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win. Sonik’s misfortunes allowed Rodolfo Schippers to lead the Quad standings by 1min43 ahead of Al Musallam with Wisniewski holding onto 3rd. SS5 The final stage saw competitors run a short 220km stage, that was basically a reverse of the opening stage. Sunderland began the day in 8th place and had to drop the hammer from the start if he was going to make up time. By PC1 Sunderland had already taken big chunks out of the field and went on to take a commanding victory on the stage and crossed the line to take his first ever Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge victory. Sunderland was eventually more than 6 minutes clear of 2nd place Pablo Quintanilla with Matthias Walkner completing the podium. Paolo Goncalves was 4th,Pela Renet 5th and Antoine Meo 6th. Mohammed Balooshi was 7th overall and the first Emirati home as well as being the first “non factory” rider across the line, a solid performance in his return to rallies after his injuries sustained in Qatar Sealine Rally last year. Kuwaiti Mohammed Jaffar put in a great debut performance to finish 8th overall. Dubai based Desert Challenge veteran David
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McBride rounded out the top 10. Al Attiyah just need bring his Toyota Hilux home to cap off a dominant performance, however he was caught out on a fast section of the stage before PC1 and rolled spectacularly. They tried to repair the damage so he could get to the finish but there was nothing they could do, Al Attiyah was forced to retire. Al Qassimi inherited the lead and claimed victory which also gave the overall lead in the FIA World Cup standings after 3 rounds. Martin Prokop was 2nd, his best ever finish in a rally and Qatar’s hammed Abu Issa rounded out the podium in 3rd. Saudi driver Al Feraihi finished 4th followed by Emirati Yahya Al Helai in 5th and Dubai based Brit Mark Powell finishing 6th. In the Quad class it was Fahad Al Musallam that claimed a sensational debut victory on his Yamaha Raptor. Al Musallam had begun to chip away at the Schippers lead through the opening section of the stage until Schippers quad stopped with mechanical issues. It was again Koolen that took the stage win, but the rally glory went to Al Musallam ahead of Wisniewski and an absolutely brilliant ride by Italian woman Camelia Liparoti to take 3rd overall.
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