#64 January 2016

AWAFI MTB FESTIVAL
Keep Calm...
...and Run 100k in the Desert!
New Year, New You!
The Ultimate Holiday Detox Diet
Plenty of
PRODUCTS
TO CHECK OUT
Price
10.00 AED
10.00 QAR
1.00 OMR
One for the Road:
4X4 CROSS
LIWA
CHALLENGE
CATCHING HIRAME
IN THE UAE
Vol. 6, No. 1
January 2016
www.OutdoorUAE.com
INTRODUCING
DUBAI
Showroom No. 8, Al Ghandi Complex
Nad al Hamar Road, Ras al Khor
Tel: +971 4 2896100
Fax: +971 4 2894914
Email: sse@polarisuae.com
AL AIN
Al Masaood Showroom, Sanaya
Tel: +971 3 7219999
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
BADA ZAYED
Al Masaood Showroom, Sanaya
Tel: +971 2 8844200
MUSSAFAH
M4, Sector 13, 10th Street
Tel: +971 2 5555144
DISTRIBUTORS
QATAR
Protech Powered Sports Co
Street: Salwa Road PO Box: 91, Doha, Qatar
Tel: +974 44398030
Fax: +974 44398030
Sales
Email: info@protech.com.qa
EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION
RIGHTS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST
OMAN
FairTrade Auto Services LLC
P.O. Box 2636, Ruwi, Muscat
Tel: +968 96778552
Fax: +96824701787
LEBANON
Helmets On sarl
Independence Street, Sodeco, Beirut
Tel: + 961 1 644442
Fax: + 961 1 633332
Contact person
Mr. R. K. Sunder
Email: sunder@ftgroupholding.com
Contact person
Mr. Khalil Abu Chwareb
Email: khalil@helmets-on.com
MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
OutdoorUAE Team
Daniel Birkhofer
Founder
daniel@outdooruae.com
Were Kickinand
Awesome This 2016!
Welcome to the year 2016! Its been another exciting year for us here at
OutdoorUAE. Remembering last year, a lot of good things was abound weve had
a stellar Off-Road and Adventure Show, theres an increase in our beloved readers
and of course were delivering the best online experience you can possibly get with
new features loaded into our new website! For 2016, were going to be capitalizing
on the growth weve had over the last year and you be guaranteed that OutdoorUAE
will always be The magazine for the outdoors.
Now about the first 2016 issue suffice to say that the majority of us have had
their experience with two wheels. Its quite a liberating endeavour that one can take
early on in their life, albeit casually. I can remember the feeling of the wind blowing
on my face as the bike sped up, the sight of other cyclists,
people who happened to be walking, and the ability to
absorb all the beauty of the outdoors with every push of the
pedal. I think that feeling is constant among cyclists.
Keith Perea
Junior Editor & Social Media
keith@outdooruae.com
I wont keep you any longer as there are so many exciting

stories in the next few pages, so sit back, read on and
welcome to 2016! All our best wishes go with this magazine.
Rachael Bruford
Travel Editor
rachael@outdooruae.com
Eulogy van Dyk

Editor Qatar
eulogy@outdooruae.com
Nela Macovei
Sales and Marketing
nela@outdooruae.com
Jung Francisco
Designer and Photographer
jung@outdooruae.com
Katherine Caedo Patangui

Administration
kathy@outdooruae.com
Ian Sebeldia
Circulation
ian@outdooruae.com
EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

Editor
For editorial content and press releases
Tel: 04-447 2030
Mobile: 055 5760322
editor@outdooruae.com
Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries)
Tel: 04-447 2030
Mobile: 055 9398915
linda@outdooruae.com
Mobile: 055 8647125
nela@outdooruae.com
Published by
Outdoor UAE FZE
In cooperation with A2Z EVENTS
P.O. Box 215062
Dubai, U.A.E.
Cover photo by: QCF/Tour of Al Zubarah
Tel. 04-447 2030

contact@outdooruae.com
www.outdooruae.com
Distributor
Dar Al Hikma LLC
P.O. Box 2007, Dubai, UAE
Tel. 04-266 5394
Printed at
GN Printing
P.O. Box 6519, Dubai, UAE
2016 Outdoor UAE FZE
Vol. 6, No. 1, January 2016
Kit Belen
Our fishing pro
Nico de Corato
Diver and heli rescue swimmer
with Bergamo Scuba Angels
Ivana Chiles
Health coach and outdoor enthusiast
www.OutdoorUAE.com
Facebook.com/OutdoorUAE
Twitter.com/OutdoorUAE
Dan Wright
Freelance wilderness guide in the UAE
Instagram.com/OutdoorUAE
Jake Lyle
Diving and Watersport Expert
The information contained is for general use only.

We have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been
obtained from reliable sources. The publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in
this magazine is provided without a full guarantee of completeness, accuracy and chronology. In
no event will the publisher and/or any of our affiliates be held responsible for decisions made or
action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine.
All contents are copyrighted and may not be
reproduced in any form without prior written
permission.
Get to us on Facebook!
2015 Outdoor UAE FZE

Reg. at Creative City Fujairah
P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.
WHEN YOURE
DONE READING,
PLEASE RECYCLE!
Helle Bachofen Von Echt

Elite Women Cyclist
John Basson
Moto/ATV and all round
adventure seeker
CONTENTS
14 7EMIRATES RUN
22 SEARCHING FOR SANTOSHA
34 OUTDOOR FLICKS: VALLEY OF GIANTS
EVERY ISSUE
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
06 EVENTS CALENDAR
08 BEST SHOTS
09 OFF-ROADERS CORNER: MANUELS OVERLANDING SLEEPER
36 PRODUCTS
63 DIRECTORY
20 T.L.R.D THE VANISHING GAME

22 SEARCHING FOR SANTOSHA
24 FOUR SEASONS OF ROMANIAN CAMPING
26 A SEA FULL OF SURPRISES
EVENT & ACTIVITY REPORTS
LIFESTYLE
10 AWAFI MTB FESTIVAL

12 TOUR AL ZABURAH
14 7EMIRATES RUN
13 RAMY 4X4 CROSS LIWA CHALLENGE
18 FATBIKING WITH OUTDOORARABIA
27 HABITUALLY HEALTHY: THE 21-DAY PALEO DETOX DIET

30 HEALTH POWERHOUSE: DETOX HOLIDAYS
32 NATURAL HISTORY: DHAFRA CAMEL FESTIVAL
34 OUTDOOR FLICKS: VALLEY OF GIANTS
OUTDOORUAE
50 FIA WTCC DHL RACE QATAR EULOGY
52 BIG JEBEL SHAMS ABSEIL
56 MTB TIPS FROM DAVID KINJAH
TRIED + TESTED
LOCATIONS
35 SILVERBACK SUPERBIKE CONCEPT

37 2XU MID RISE TIGHTS
52 BIG JEBEL SHAMS ABSEIL

53 KANSAS CITY SHUFFLE
OUR EXPERTS
40 WOMEN ON WHEELS:
STAMINA, SPEED AND PONYTAILS - HELLE
42 HIRAME LOVE - KIT
44 KEEP CALM AND LETS RUN 100KM - NICO
46 NEW YEAR, NEW HOBBY - JAKE
48 OLD PATH, NEW FRIENDS - JOHN
50 FIA WTCC DHL RACE QATAR - EULOGY
TIPS + TRICKS
54 CHOOSING A RIDING HOLIDAY
56 MTB TIPS FROM DAVID KINJAH
58 STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
60 HOW TO DO DESERT RUNS WITH KIDS
61 R U SLACKLINING YET?
62 CYCLING TIPS BY FITNESS FIRST
OUTDOORUAE
EVENTS CALENDAR
STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST EVENTS
JANUARY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
16
J
A
N
WADI ADVENTURE RACE 11
Test your limits in this all-out adventure race! Ready for WAR?
When: January 16, 8:00 a.m.
Where: Wadi Adventure
Contact: www.wadiadventure.ae
16
J
A
N
MEYDAN RACE NIGHTS RACE 6

The sixth race of the equestrian season.
When: January 16, 4:00 p.m.

Where: Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse
Contact: www.dubairacingclub.com
JAN
15
AROUND THE WORLD

CHARITY PADDLE
Calling on every man and woman with a paddle and

a board for a paddle around the World Islands!
22
STANDARD CHARTERED
DUBAI MARATHON 2016
The most prestigious marathon in the UAE calendar

When: January 22
Where: Dubai Police Academy
Contact: www.dubaimarathon.org
JAN
16
16
ACTIVEWEEKENDS WEEKLY
FUN RUN/WALK
A community run along the parklands! All for free!

Bring your family along!
Where: Yas Gateway Park North
Contact: www.premieronline.com
OUTDOORUAE
LETS GO FORWARD CITY

ADVENTURE RUN
Take over the city in this metropolitan run!

Where: Souk al Mubarakiya, Kuwait City
Contact: www.letsgoforward.com/cityruns2

Where: Open Beach (right next the Dubai Ladies Park)
JAN
J
A
N
JAN
16
DIY TRIATHLETE PERFORMANCE

NUTRITION WORKSHOP
Sit down and learn to Tri better!
Where: Emirates Golf Club
Contact: www.gostrong.me
29
J
A
N
NATHAN WADI RACER
An adventure run coming across Jeep trails, goat tracks, and the occasional sharp climbs all 45mins away from Dubai.
Where: Wadi Showka
Contact: www.urbanultra.com
16
J
A
N
28
J
A
N
BEACH RUN DXB
DUBAI SHOW JUMPING 2016

Where: Umm Suqeim Public Beach
Contact: www.beachrun.ae
When: January 28-30

Where: Emirates Equestrian Centre
Contact: www.emiratesequestriancentre.com
Come one, come all in the first ever Beach Run DXB! Suited
for runners of all capabilities.
JAN
16
LETS GO FORWARD
CITY ADVENTURE RUN
Take over the city in this metropolitan run!
Elite international show jumpers will be coming together

for three days of intense competition.
JAN
29
23
ZUMBA FESTIVAL DXB 2016

Great and groovy cardio going down
at Zabeel Park!
Where: Zabeel Park
Contact: www.zumbafestdxb.com
Off-road treasure point hunting open to the

entire UAE off-road community.
When: January 29
Where: Abu Dhabi Desert
Contact: prm.ad4x4@gmail.com

Where: Souk al Mubarakiya, Kuwait City
Contact: www.letsgoforward.com/cityruns2
JAN
AD4X4 DESNAV 2016
JAN
30
VERTICAL RUN ALMAS TOWER
Time to climb the tallest business tower in Dubai.

Are you in?
When: January 30, 2:00 p.m.
Where: Almas Tower
OUTDOORUAE
BEST SHOTS
Here are the best shots sent in by you for our monthly 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 three winners, who will each receive Buff headwear, five free copies
of the magazine and the Advance Off-road Guidebook: Jean-Paul Courville, Ace Espiritu and Jerry Damian. Well done!
To submit your entries, simply email us at competitions@outdooruae.com with the subject Best Shots.
Jean-Paul Courville
Photo of me overlooking Jebel Shams Oman
Ace Espiritu
Curious Donkey
OUTDOORUAE
Jerry Damian
First Light
THE
OFF-ROADERS
corner
Overlanding Sleeper
Name: Manuel Schmidt
Nationality: Germany
Occupation: Business Director at Wunderman
Ride: 2006 Land Rover Defender 90
Noticing the nice patina to it,

we cant help but be amazed by
Manuel Schmidts 06 Land Rover.
Its one of those cars that definitely
qualify for the dont judge the book
by its cover category. Sure, it
looks a bit stock with the addition
of overlanding gear, but little did we
know that theres more to it than
meets the eye. We caught up with
Manuel for a chat with him about
the car
Tell us a little background
story about the car...
After my previous Land Rover 110 pickup was

involved in an accident and was written off,
I started to look for a new one. As much as
I would have loved to drive the same again,
I couldnt find any. After a few months of
looking around, I found the D90 for sale. Low
mileage, no modifications, spotless and had
never been off-road - exactly what I was looking for as a base to build it to my needs. This
was four years ago and since then I have kept
adding, optimising and changing it to have it
as I need it for that what I do with it. The car
has never let me down and, in the worst case,
has limped back home, but never stopped.
Could you tell us all about the modifications that were made, both performance and cosmetic-wise?
Unlike many others, I havent done any
modifications for a cosmetic change. I take a
bit of care that things dont look awkward or
weird. Over the years there have been a lot

of changes mainly to make the car capable to
work as an overlander over multiple weeks as
well as a car to enjoy drives in the dunes and
mountains of the UAE.
The list of modifications is quite long and
most are not really visible. The whole drive
train has been uprated, starting with drive
shafts, CV joints, locking differentials front and
rear, pegged ring and pinions to add strength
and durability and also to handle the added
power of the engine. The TD5 Diesel comes
with 122hp and good torque. But it was never
meant to drive in the dunes really. It now runs
on around 200hp with a remapped engine,
VNT Turbo, bigger intercooler, silicon hoses
etc. to reach a level of performance that
makes it easy and fun to drive in the sand.
For this purpose, the Defender drives with
a winch fitted, uprated recovery points and
sand ladders that function as a cooking table
as well. There are two large 100Ah batteries
to run fridges and lights for the camps. For
the longer drives and remote locations, an extended fuel tank is fitted. In addition, a carrier
on the back that allows either two spare tires
or additional fuel that can theoretically add
100l of extra diesel, makes it to an overall 195l
fuel if really needed. To carry the additional
weight on, and especially off-road, Dobinsons
springs and shocks keep the car stable on the
tracks. Recaro seats are fantastic for the long
drives but also add a lot of stability off-road.
A shower with pump is fitted and a fridge/
freezer has its fixed place in the car.
support car. It also works well when driving

into the mountains and for trail running - another hobby I love. For the long overland trips,
the car is my home for weeks and I very much
rely on it.
How often do you use your car?
As a daily driver I use a 2001 Land Rover

Discovery that is there to eat the miles. I still
take the Defender out to drive to work, but I
usually use it over the weekends to drive into
the mountains and desert or to carry the bike
to the cycle track.
Any future modifications

that you are planning?
There is not much to do anymore really. Im

currently only 90% happy with the suspension
and I can see some work going into that soon.
Everything else is now mainly maintenance to
replace parts that are wearing out due to the
use off-road.
What 4x4 do you dream of owning?
As much as Im happy with my Defender, a

possible upgrade is a Mercedes G-Class with
a solid diesel engine. Technically similar to a
Defender, the shape allows great storage - but
its mechanically built stronger and a bit more
comfortable and easier to drive. It comes
equipped with front and rear lockers and is a
very solid and capable car.
What were your other options

before you bought this car?
I didnt really think of options when I was in

the process of buying. The Defender was just
great for what I needed and offered probably
the greatest versatility. A Jeep Wrangler is
getting close, but lacking space and practicality and to a certain extent capability. By the
time I was looking around, I was also had an
eye on the Mercedes G-Class, but the investment would have been on a different scale.
How do you spend time

with the car?
Under the car... fixing it. Im actually grateful

that I rarely have mechanical work to do. Most
times I take it camping over the
weekends or in motorsport events as a
Want your 4X4 to be the next feature?

Its all simple! Just send us an email
at editor@outdooruae.com with the
subject Off-Roaders Corner and you
and your car might just be the next one
on this page!
OUTDOORUAE
EVENT REPORT
The Quarry Run:
Awafi MTB Festival

Every December, enthusiastic
mountain bike riders descend on a
small disused quarry at the base
of Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah for
the most challenging race of the
season the Awafi MTB Festival.
Every year, a different format is
chosen to keep the race new and
interesting.
Now in its third year, the goal of the Awafi

MTB Festival this December was to give all
the riders in the GCC a chance to take part
and win on a new course that featured cross
country, obstacles and technical riding.
For that reason, race organizers decided to randomly pair riders of different
abilities for the 40km race. The pairs had
to alternate laps and tag each other in the
changeover zone to start their next lap for
the entire race.
This gave the race the most unpredictable, closest and surprising results possible.
10
OUTDOORUAE
It also ensured that everyone of all abilities

could compete for the main prizes.
As each team rode four alternating laps,
the distance was achievable but challenging
and the race never stopped. Every rider had
the chance to race right up until the finish
line and put on a good show.
Race organizer Michelle Guerin says
that the biggest challenge was convincing
people that random pairing would actually work.Questions came in thick and
fast when we announced the plan, she
said. What if I dont like the person I get
picked with?, What if Im not fast enough
for them? Can they do seven laps and I will
only do one? they asked.
But it worked brilliantly, Guerin said.
We were very happy with how it worked
out.
No one could guess who would win as
the pairings were based on luck of the

draw which was done by the riders just
before the race started. Riders were initially
sorted into Strong, Intermediate and Social
hats and then riders chose their respective
pairs. A strong rider got to choose from the
social hat, a social rider got to choose from
the strong hat and an intermediate one got
to choose another intermediate rider. This
format meant that all pairs were potentially
of a consistent overall speed.
The race took place at a disused quarry
site, formerly used for building the Jebel
Jais road. It was transformed into a mountain bike racing circuit with help from the
RAK Economic Development and Public
Works department.
Using as much of the natural terrain as
possible, the course this year was designed
by Guerin and XC Racer Tom Little. It was
intended to be challenging for expert riders,

yet manageable for social riders who would
find they improved their ability as they
repeated each lap.
The Awafi MTB Festival kicked off with a
social race for off-road beginners.
Using part of the main course, 11 beginner riders had a fun race over three laps of
2.2km gravel track, wadi rollers and turns. It
was never about winning but about giving
racing a go without been intimidated by a
technical course and the pressure of faster
riders around.
Following the beginners ride, was the
main 40km race of the day.
Not all riders were required to pair up. It
was possible to attempt eight laps of the
course as individuals and these solo riders
started off first, followed by the pairs race.
As they rounded the first corner, the technical element of the course kicked in with a
loose gravel climb, tree roots and a shrubby
wadi bed to overcome. Around the tree and
back down the other side of the wadi before
negotiating tight short S-bends and heading
towards the edge of the quarry bowl. A climb
up the side of the bowl on single track and
around disused wells proving challenging
for all riders regardless of ability. As they traversed across to the centre of the bowl, riders
experienced wadi beds with twists and turns
to challenge their bike handling skills.
The course weaved in and out of boulders, around the perimeter of the kids
course and across a fine gravel hill before
descending back down into the carpark. As
the trail bedded in, riders created ruts and
holes which kept the course challenging lap
after lap.
Pairs competed on the same course just
after the solos and completed alternate
laps with all riders finishing the 40km course
within 40 minutes of each other. Each finishing place averaged less than a minute apart.
Ultimately 60 pairs of riders went home
very happy with prize money sponsored by
RAK Tourism for completing their eight laps
with, in most cases, a complete stranger.
Following the conclusion of the main race,
the encore was reserved for the smallest

riders children between 5 and 11 years
old, all raced over 2 or 3 laps (depending
on bike wheel size) of a section of the main
course. All 150 adult pairs and solo riders
cheered the kids on in their race.
Mountain bikings equivalent to the Shetland Grand National was the most fun race
of the day and a fitting end to the festival
and fun atmosphere of the day.
The question now is Awafi MTB Festival
2016 what new format will be used?
Sponsors:
RAK Economic Development

RAK Public Works
Awafi Festival
RAK Tourism
Beginners race was sponsored by
The Cycle Hub and OutdoorUAE
Direct Trading gave away a
Jamis Bicycle as a lucky spot prize
Sport in Life gave away GU nutrition
to all riders
Pairs Winners (sponsored by RAK Tourism):

1 - Santosh Tripathy / Etienne Schultz
2 - Ferdinand Pablo / Danielle French
3 - Gary Flint / Kenneth Bico
Solo Winners (sponsored by The Off Road
Company (TORC)):
1 - Elton Horner
2 - Sebastian Ziemke
3 - Glenn Luxem
Solo Womens Race
(sponsored by Wolfis Bike Shop)
1 - Johanna Rossouw
2 - Elenis Caseres
EVENT REPORT
Tour of Al Zubarah
Four Days and 400km Showcasing International Cycling in Qatar

Words By: Eulogy van Dyk
Photos By: QCF/Tour of Al Zubarah
More than 100 top-class cyclists representing 13 different

teams from 20 different nationalities took part in the 3rd edition of
the Tour of Al Zubarah in Qatar
from the 16th 19th December
2015. Organized by the Qatar
Cycling Federation (QCF) under
Presidency of Sheikh Khalid bin Ali
Al Thani, this event is also a second
category race in the UCI Asia Tour
calendar and becoming stronger
in organizational and competition
sense year after year.
The four-day event covering approximately 400km, initiated with an eye on providing
home-grown talent with more opportunities
to race at high profile events, is dedicated in
honour of Al Zubarah, which was promoted
to a UNESCO World Heritage Site on June
2013.
The riders had to tackle first a 3.3km short
individual time trial, which was held in the
amazing Aspire Zone - Qatars centre of
great world sporting events. A very interesting and technical course and from the start
you could see how well the riders prepared
for the race in terms of skills and fitness
levels. Jacob Tripper, from Team Giant RBS,

surprised himself with the Prologue win. It
was his first time cycling and visiting Qatar,
and had his eyes finishing in the Top 10 of
the race. With this win he also received the
yellow jersey as overall leader of the race.
The Aspire Zone offered undoubtedly a
great experience for the riders as well as
fans.
On the second day riders started from Al
Thakhira Youth Centre, about 45min outside
Doha, and finished at Madinat ash Shamal,
which is in the northernmost part of the
country. The total racing distance for the
day was 129.9km and riders finished the
day with three laps of 13.5km each. This of

course meant that there was a bit of change
in the wind direction toward the end of the
race, which caused some good attraction as
race tactics had to change fast. Maher Hasnaoui, of Team Skydive Dubai, recorded his
maiden win as he clinched the first place on
the second day of the event. He clocked a
time of 3 hours 10 minutes and 52 seconds
with Jacob Tripper, finishing 12 seconds
adrift of the stage winner but still managed
to hold on to his yellow jersey as leader of
the event.
The third day kicked off at the Camel
Race Track and finished in front of Dukhan
Mosque and was marked as the toughest

stage of the event. A total of 119.8km was
covered and riders had to complete two,
25km laps around Dukhan, with wind and
some hills. German rider, Michael Schweizer
of Team Rose NRW won the second stage
with an impressive time of 3 hours 15 minutes and 1 second. Although Jacob Tripper
finished 5th on the day, he still retained his
overall leaders jersey. Most people said that
this stage was probably the deciding one for
the general classification of the event.

The last day, the riders departed from
Simaisma Youth Center to their final destination in Al Zubarah. There was a mild drag to
the finish and a strong headwind presented
hard work for all the riders to get to the
finish line. Eugen Wacker of KCP Kuwait
Cycling Project finished the 119.86km in 2
hours 45 min and 8 seconds and won the
stage.
The general classification was in fact not
sealed as a done deal after Stage Two of
the race as most people thought, when
Tunisian rider, Meher Hasnaoui of Team
Skydive Dubai, emerged as overall winner of
the Tour of Al Zubarah. With the help of his
team they achieved a great result and said
that they will be back next year to defend
the title!
The champions ceremony was held in
front of the Al Zubarah Fort and Andrea Palini, from Team Skydive Dubai, took the Red
Jersey as overall points classification winner
with Mohammad Esmaeil Chaichi Raghimi
from Team PKY Pishgaman Giant, that won
the Light Blue Jersey as Best Young Rider
Overall.
The organizers pride themselves in creating the challenging, beautiful Tour of Al
Zubarah routes that attract an interesting set
up of international riders and showcase the
states scenery. From the modern metropolitan city to small traditional coastal towns
and places of historic importance, this is a
fantastic race to show the world what Qatar
has to offer for international racing.
OUTDOORUAE
13
EVENT REPORT
7EmiratesRun:
575 Kilometres,
12 Days,
7 Emirates,
1 Mission
Words By: Clare Mullenger
7EmiratesRun in partnership with Al Jalila Foundation is the

UAEs only cross-country run. In its
fourth edition, the 7EmiratesRun
commenced in Abu Dhabi on 21
November 2015 and concluded in
Dubai on 2 December. The team
was led by Wendelin Lauxen, holder
of the Guinness World Record
for Fastest Time to Complete a
Marathon on Each of the Seven
Continents, who ran the route solo
in 2010 and has since successfully led the 2013, 2014 and 2015
editions.
The participants ran from Abu Dhabi to
Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain,
Ajman and Sharjah before finally arriving
in Dubai on the occasion of the 44th UAE
National Day. Funds raised will be used to
support life-changing surgery and postoperative medical support for children in the
UAE who suffer from deformities or amputation.
I was the only female to participate in the
2015 edition and heres a sneak peek at my
diary of the event.
7EmiratesRun Team 2015
Day 1
Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan to Deerfields

Mall (50km): We ran along the beautiful
Abu Dhabi Corniche and mangroves with
some amazing and inspiring people. What
a fantastic first day! Camp was set for the
night on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi yummy
noodles for dinner and a long awaited milkshake! Looking forward to 49km tomorrow
but for now sleep!
Day 2
Deerfields Mall to Ghantoot (48km): We

set off early on aching legs from yesterdays
run initially running with Wendelin Lauxen
who was trying to teach us German songs
about a washing machine which helped the
kilometres pass quickly. We ran through residential areas, passed mosques and houses
and a school that was celebrating UAE Flag
Day with flags and songs. Then it started...
the green fence... (for those that dont live
in the UAE this is a green fence separating
the forest and the road in Abu Dhabi and it
goes on, and on and on!). Sheikh Mansoor
Ali came in an amazing 45 minutes before
me, James Constable, Scott Williams-Hall,
Wendelin Lauxen and Marlon Elaurza, who
all crossed the line in quick succession. Scott
is now having his epic blister lanced while
the rest of us read and appreciate all our
messages of support before tomorrows run
to Bab Al Shams.
Day 3
Ghantoot to Bab Al Shams (45km): A

7EmiratesRun 2015 Day 5 with Mohammed Ayoub
tough start to the day as we were all feeling

a few aches and pains from the previous two
days runs with the exception of Wendelin
who shot off like a gazelle! Our awesome
support drivers kept us well fed and watered
and also kept our spirits up along 30km of
truck road until we hit the lovely Al Qudra
Cycle Track. Al Qudra is one of my favourite
places to run and cycle with beautiful rolling sand dunes and a purpose-built 170km
(and growing) cycle track. We were joined
at 40km by the awesome year seven and
eight (11 and 12 year old) children and their
teachers from Gems Metropole School who
ran the last 5km alongside us with unbridled
enthusiasm. There was a slight trembling lip
moment when the kids came up to thank
us and give us words of support. We spent
the night in a stunning amphitheatre in Bab
Al Shams watching the sunset, having some
physio and enjoying a hot shower. We felt
much more rested and looked forward to
tomorrows run to Skydive Dubai.
Day 4
Bab Al Shams to Skydive Dubai (45km):

Today started on the Al Qudra Cycle Track,
and we were joined by the teachers and students of Gems International who ran with us
along the cycle track for the first 12km. We
left the kids at the top of the stick and carried on towards the E66. Gems International
teacher and my lovely friend Laura Holton
stayed with me for the rest of the run and
the kilometres flew by as we chatted and
laughed and sang the whole way. We met
two inspirational guys from Germany, Patrick
and Marco, who were cycling from Germany
to India and China to work on water projects
on the road. We continued running past
buildings, experiencing more of this beautiful country before we hit the E66 for the final
few kilometres to Skydive Dubai.
Day 5
Skydive Dubai to Sharjah Youth Centre

(46km): After an amazing night at Skydive
Dubai eating delicious food in opulent surroundings then being taken to see the Skydive Dubai paramotor centre, we woke to a
great start to the day, being joined by RAK
Bank staff for the first 7km of the run on the
occasion of UAE National Sports Day. We
were also joined at the start by 3-year-old
Mohammed Ayoub who was helped by the
7EmiratesRun two years ago. This little boy
would melt the toughest heart and it was
Luis Pradines, Zainab Al-Eqabi

and Paralympian Heinrich Popow
really lovely to see him interacting with Wendelin, who he has visited for treatment over
the years and who he was so at ease with
and happy to see. We stared running with
the RAK Bank staff straight into a sandstorm,
making the first 7km really tough. We then
continued towards Sharjah until the sandstorm stopped and we were refreshed by a
light shower. Afterwards, we ran through the
beautiful village of Nawaz, and despite all of
our legs hurting and a strong headwind, the
views and the beautiful dunes spurred us on.
Tonight we camped at Sharjah Youth Centre
hoping the rain would hold off for tomorrows long run 56km!
together singing silly songs to keep going.

Marlon was next, followed by Wendelin who
came in under eight hours for the first time
on this stage of the run (he later revealed he
had stopped for a nap en route). Scott then
followed. Tonight we camped at a Dam on
the Kalba road in one of our most beautiful
campsites so far with the crickets chirping
and the mountains as backdrop.
Day 6
Day 7
Sharjah Youth Centre to Showka (56km):

Today was tough. Stunning, but tough.
Our legs were still weary from yesterdays
run and winds had been blowing the tents
overnight. We set out early through Madam
towards Showka past shops and mosques
with a headwind making us work hard. Eventually we reached the village of Fili and then
the beautiful hills and winding roads towards
Showka. Once again the support from our
wonderful volunteers en route was fantastic.
A special mention has to go to #Filiguys
who hung out of the sunroof of their car
to cheer and stopped for selfies. Sheikh
Mansoor Ali stormed in first followed by
James and me who ran the final kilometres
Runners with Paralympian Heinrich Popow on first day of 7EmiratesRun in Abu Dhabi
Showka to Fujairah (52km): An early start

to the day after a good night of sleep at
our peaceful Showka camp. We were joined
by the Dubai Chinese Running Society and
Adam and Tamas Lorincz who brought great
enthusiasm and energy to our run. The
first 10km was along the rolling Kalba road
with tough climbs and stunning views. We
stopped at Wadi Helo, where the road was
lined with flowers. We then carried on the
steep upward climb towards Fujairah. Along
the route we were cheered by passing
cyclists and motorists who were out enjoying the rolling roads. As we reached the
top of the hill, we were met with beautiful
views over Kalba and a fantastic descent.
James and me with my parents at the finish line
We then ran along the beautiful corniche

passing fishing boats, harbours, motels and
mosques and eventually into the seaside
resort at Fujairah with its hotels and funfairs.
Day 8
Fujairah to Manama (46km): Today was

a bittersweet day. After a restful night in
Al Sharq Hospital with fluffy towels and
hot showers, we left at 8:00 a.m. and were
joined for the first 1km by some young local
people. We then started the 30km climb to
Masafi. I was lucky enough to have my friend
Laura running with me again and we chatted and sang to pass the time. We ran until
we eventually reached the bustling town of
Masafi at the lunchtime call to prayer. We
then ran on past the Friday market eventually reaching the Enoc station and our camp
for the night. Mansoor came in first then
Laura and I, then James followed by Wendelin then Marlon. Scott had been struggling since the day before with significant
pain in his hips and ankle; having pushed
through the day before on sheer courage,
we were all willing him to reach the finish
line by the cut off time of eight hours. Supported by Laura, he made it in with 10 minutes to spare but it was clear from the look
on his face that the day had been agony and
had taken a lot of strength to finish. At this
point Scott decided not to continue with the
run, his body having had enough. We were
all sad to see him leave but looking forward
to having him come and support us later in
the week. Scott has shown amazing courage
and determination over the last eight days
and is a genuinely lovely guy we were gutted to see him go.
Day 9
Manama to Banyan Tree (50km): After a

slightly noisy night at camp we set off at
7:00 a.m. along the first of the days truck
OUTDOORUAE
15
roads. I chatted with Mansoor (the only time

in the last nine days he has not been 45
minutes ahead of me!) and the first 20 kilometres passed quickly. We then ran along a
quiet road through Al Urge. We then turned
onto the truck road to the Banyan Tree
Resort. I had run this section with Brendan
Moloney and Jeremy Palmer and we had
raced each other up and down the sand
dunes at the side of the road. Alone and on
exhausted legs the dunes were too much for
me so I stayed on the truck road waving at
truck drivers. Then redemption a beautiful
new piece of tarmac road that had not been
opened yet we happily ran the final few
kilometres to Banyan Tree along this road
before turning onto the beautiful sweeping
road through the orange Ras Al Khaimah
dunes into the resort. A lovely man offered
me a lift and when I declined and explained
what we were doing he came back with
water for me. We finally arrived at the
stables at Banyan Tree where we stayed for
the night. We are all so happy and relaxed.
Tomorrow would be a big day.
Day 10
Banyan Tree to Umm Al Quwain Marine

Club (56km): Today was intense 56km in
the baking sun! After a restful night and a
fabulous breakfast, we mustered all our willpower to leave this fabulous place and start
running. James was feeling pretty unwell so
I ran with him for the first 12km through the
rolling dunes and up the sharp hill of the
truck road to RAK. We were joined by Rob
- one of the guys who would run the 56km
with us and one of the guys from RAK Bank
who joined us for the first 14km. After crossing the E311 I pushed on towards the coast
looking for a trail at the side of the road to
run on rather than on the actual truck road
with lorries whizzing past. This tactic worked
well protecting my knees and feet from the
tarmac and separating me from the traffic.
My smugness soon disappeared when I hit
soft sand and had to scramble my way back
into the road. We followed the E11 South
past beautiful resorts and beaches where
people were enjoying the sunshine. The sun
continued to beat down and the going became pretty tough with the kilometres ticking by very slowly. Eventually I reached the
turn off to Umm Al Quwain and the cheers
and waves and offers of water from people
driving past started, lifting my spirits along
the seemingly endless road to the next stop.
As usual Mansoor came in first followed by
Rob then me, Wendelin and James who
by now was feeling much better. Marlon
came in not far behind. Tonight we are at
the Umm Al Quwain Marine Club with hot
showers, fabulous views and a swimming
pool. My swim this evening was one of the
best swims of my life, after days of camping
in the desert, the cool water felt wonderful.

Tomorrow we run to Sharjah, and its only
43km woohoo!
Day 11
Umm Al Quwain Marine Club to Sharjah

German School (43km): I thought today
would be an easy day how wrong I was.
This was the toughest day for me so far. We
started well rested after a wonderful night
at the Marine Club. We were joined by my
lovely friends Tamas Lorincz, Laura Holton
and Jeremy Grigg who joined us for the
entire run. Wendelin and Mansoor set off at
light speed while the rest of us ran slowly
chatting and telling dreadful jokes about
fish (there is a big statue of a swordfish near
the Marine Club). Laura and I then pushed
on chatting and stopping to take photos of
miniature castles and flamingos on the route.
At 16km I felt a slight twinge in my right knee
but pushed on until 20km where a sharp pain
shot through my right quad. This slowed me
a lot but Laura stayed by me encouraging
me to keep going. Our support crew Hanif,
Sneha, Hidde, Mona, Lisa and Scott who had
come back to support again raised our spirits
and kept us going. As we ran through Ajman,
a car pulled up in front of us and Graham
Rafferty jumped out to cheer us. Graham
and his wife Katrina have been wonderful
friends to me since I arrived in Dubai and it
was a boost to have him there cheering us
on. As we passed a lagoon, Jeremy caught
us up and we ran together the rest of the
way through the centre of Ajman and along
the corniche. By now I could barely lift my
leg. We turned off the cornice towards the
Sharjah German School. As we neared the
school James and Marlon caught us and we
Home away from home
walked the last couple of kilometres together

as I could no longer run. We all crossed the
line together with Wendelin coming in before
us in under five hours and Mansoor in an
amazing 3hrs and 30mins. We relaxed at the
Sharjah German School celebrating our run
so far, Patrick and Marco (the guys cycling
to India and China) joined us and we shared
stories and looked forward to our final 42km
to Dubai Festival City. We will arrive at Dubai
Festival City at about 2:30 p.m. tomorrow.
Day 12
Sharjah German School to Dubai Festival City (42km): The final leg of our epic
adventure. Wow, what a day! We started
from the Sharjah German School joined by
six full distance runners and several children
from the school. We then carried on through
Sharjah towards Al Mamzar Park past families
out picnicking and celebrating National Day.
I ran with Laura, Dee OLeary, James and
Scott and we sang songs; posed for photos
and encouraged each other to keep going
despite our aches and pains. We eventually
reached the Shindagha tunnel where we
met the 10km runners and Wendelin and
Mansoor who had finished earlier. After a
short pause, we all set off on the final 10km.
It was wonderful to be back in Dubai running
along the creek where I so often run. James
ran ahead and surprised us all with coconuts
to drink. Feeling refreshed we pushed on for
the few final kilometres, stopping about a
kilometre from Dubai Festival City. Here we
were joined by Luis, who had run 7km with us
on the first day Wendelin, Mansoor, Marlon,
James, Scott, Luis and his son, Douglas, and
myself ran in the final kilometre to the finish
arch together holding hands as we were
cheered across the line. It was wonderful to
see our friends and family who had come.
After being given our medals and meeting
our wonderful sponsors who have supported
us throughout we convened in Hard Rock
Caf for well-earned burgers. That night,
James and I were sitting on our balcony with
a couple of cool drinks and ready for a good
nights sleep in our own bed, dreaming about
the 12 days of adventure we had just had.
ACTIVITY REPORT
A Journey through
the Arabian Sands
Words By: Griff Gough-Walters
Photos By: Griff Gough-Walters, Iztok Franko and Dean Le Roux
With one of the largest sand

deserts in the world just on the
doorstep and a strong desire to
push the UAEs off-roaders, Ramy
4x4 realised that there would be
no better place than Liwa to use as
the basis for their latest event and
thus, the Ramy 4x4 Cross Liwa
Challenge was born.
On the 27th of November, as the sun rose
over the sweeping dunes south of the fertile
Liwa crescent, the eight teams participating
in the inaugural Ramy 4x4 Cross Liwa Challenge prepared themselves for the action
that lay ahead: a point to point GPS challenge through one of the most inhospitable
environments on the planet. Various teams
from around the UAE including the Weekenders, The Bedouins, 7 Jeeps, Fury, Gazelles, Desert Dwellers, 2x2 and Desert Fox
were involved. Each team had at least three
vehicles working together to ensure they
passed the three checkpoints and stayed as
close to the triangle route as possible.
Armed with determination and a high
quality, event specific, t-shirt provided by
local brand Wolves & Lions, they set off.
Despite some teams managing to complete
the challenge in less than the two days
originally proposed, Ramy 4x4 made it clear
to all participants that it was not a race and
the winners were not necessarily those who
finished first. Throughout the trip, participants were urged to support the #CleanDesertDrive scheme to keep the deserts clean
and free of garbage.
No, it is not the

goal but the
way there that
matters, and the
harder the way the
more worthwhile
the journey
- Wilfred Thesiger
However, in the end it came down to the
difference of just a few hundred metres on
the GPS that helped to secure The Gazelles

with the win. One look at their route and
it was clear that they stayed the closest to
the triangle and took the technical routes
through the dunes, avoiding the salt flats.
The Gazelles consisted of Nancy, Mark and
Toby driving a white Jeep and two Land
Cruisers. When asked if they had any special
techniques that helped them win, Nancy explained, We have been driving together for
years, a tactical strategy wasnt really necessary. Just enjoy the drive and be safe. Their
reward for conquering Liwa was 3,000 AED.
Ramy 4x4 hopes to host another Cross
Liwa Challenge soon with bigger and better
prizes. Could you be the next winner of the
Ramy 4x4 Cross Liwa Challenge?
OUTDOORUAE
17
ACTIVITY REPORT
Dunes Through a
Different Perspective
A Fatbike Ride with OutdoorArabia
Words By: Alin Epure
Photos By: Supplied
In the past years cycling has

become more popular, and if you
go down to the Al Qudra Cycle
Track on a weekend you will meet
hundreds of cyclists. I love cycling,
but unless you head to the east
coast, the cycling is a bit monotonous: no hills and endless, seemingly straight stretches of road. As
long as you dont stick to the cycle
tracks or go to the open rides in
the Dubai Autodrome or Yas Marina Circuit, you will expose yourself
to the traffic which of course poses
a huge risk.
I have heard and seen many posts online
about fatbiking in the desert, featuring
people posing with bikes with huge tires on
the top of a dune and the emptiness of the
desert. Buying a bike was not even a consideration even though they got much more
affordable. I was told by a friend on a road
cycle ride, that OutdoorArabia was offering
guided rides and were also renting the bikes
at affordable rates. We spoke about this
idea for the whole ride, with the result that
we made the plan to rent bikes for the next
weekend and give it a try.
The bike rental for a Silverback fatbike
which is priced at 6,900 AED is only 150
AED for one day or 250 AED for the

weekend. If you want the bike delivered and
collected from your home, you can do that
for an extra delivery fee of 100 AED.
OutdoorArabia also offers to rent bike racks
or a trailer for the bikes, so that you can
really be independent when choosing where
to use the bikes.
So a phone call later, all was set, the bikes
were booked and the endless opportunities
of the desert were awaiting us.
As a start and for a first trial of the bikes,
we decided to not tackle the big dunes
but follow one of the routes provided by
outdooruae.coms routes feature around the
wildlife sanctuary at Al Qudra. The area is
easy to reach and is very diverse with hard
sand tracks around the lakes and nice dunes
in the surrounding areas. We started off on
the gravel tracks where the bikes handle

like a normal MTB if the tire pressure is
not too low. When we entered the dunes,
we deflated the tires as soon as the dunes
got steeper and to my surprise, the bike
functioned really well in the sand. I know
everyone repeats this judgement and I have
heard it many times before, but hearing it
and experiencing it are two different things.
When I read on Facebook that guys went
for a 10k ride, I always thought that this
was very short and not even worth going
out for such a short ride, comparing it to
the distance you do on a road bike. But the
steeper the dune, the softer the sand is, and
you will be slow and might even sometimes
average a speed as low as 5kmh. This might
sound boring, but it is the absolute opposite. Moving silently through the desert
and the dunes gives you a completely new
perspective. You see more, you hear more
and you smell more. Especially around the
sanctuary, you can see a lot of wildlife which
is usually very rare.
We spent a whole morning on the bikes,
exploring the dunes of an area we thought
we knew but saw from a new perspective
which was an amazing experience. We only
rode a total of 30km, but it felt like a 100km
ride on the road.
For now Im not thinking of buying a bike
but the first seed is planted. We will soon go
again and rent some bikes, this time with a
few more people who also want to try it.
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
T.L.R.D
Episode 3
The Land Rover Diaries
Words By: Theo Measures

Photos By: Neil Walton
The desert is natural; when you

are out there, you can get in tune
with your environment, something
you lose when you live in the city.
- Robyn Davidson
The first 20 minutes after camp had been
set up were the hardest, because although
there was nothing to do except enjoy the
vast expanse of beautiful nothingness, I
seemed incapable of simply sitting down
and switching off a symptom I have come
to recognise of having been too long in the
metropolis.
If you caught last months story, then you
will know we were unable to get out for
our dose of wilderness therapy for almost
a month due to the cars requiring a monumental amount of rehabilitation. This clearly
had a profound effect on both of us because
as soon as we were able, we packed up our
rejuvenated dune bashers and headed out

in search of the revitalisation and sense of
perspective we have learned only new experiences and new challenges can give us. We
were in total to spend five nights under the
stars this month.
I was the first to head out alone save
for my two dogs, to camp in the desert.
Experiencing a night of solitude, silence and
detachment is something I have wanted to
do for some time. To defy the potential fear,
risk and loneliness I believed I was subjecting
myself to was a purpose in itself, but not the
only one.
Being solitary is being alone well: being

alone luxuriously immersed in doings of your
own choice, aware of the fullness of your
own presence rather than of the absence of
others. Because solitude is an achievement.
- Alice Koller
If you live in a city thats described as having a high quality of life then by definition youre separated from the basic tasks
associated with self-preservation, because
everything is outsourced. Its easy to forget
how rewarding and grounding acts of selfreliance can be the taste of a freshly cooked
meal for example is all the more satisfying if
achieved by your own hand.
I used to sleep in the desert once every

week, now it is every two weeks, most of the
time alone. Its beautiful. What I enjoy is taking my food and cooking for myself.- Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Spending a night in the desert without human contact was, as the above quote notes,
utterly beautiful. I was so comprehensively
relaxed that I never wanted the night to end.

With nothing around my crackling campfire
except for the strangely comforting dunes,
my tent and my moon-bathed old Land Rover, my mind was vacated of any city-forged
concerns no work, no bills, no noise.
I miss that feeling.
Instead of worrying, I read a book I hadnt
found either the right time or frame of mind
to entertain for weeks. I smoked and cooked
my own delicious food on a BBQ dug into
the sand and fuelled by wood I had collected
from nearby dead trees. I stargazed for what
seemed like hours but never became bored
I clocked six shooting stars and felt as
elated as a child at each ephemeral sighting.
I thought deeply about the people in my life
and I bonded with my treasured dogs: Archie
and Sophie, in a way I had not in a long
time. I felt as though this was the way life is
supposed to be, the whole experience was a
meditation.
Solitude shows us what should be; society

shows us what we are. - Robert Cecil
The next trip would be one we embarked
on with both cars. Leaving Downtown at
14:00 we made it to our destination, Fossil
Rock, by 15:15. It is as always remarkable
to find somewhere so close and so worth
visiting, yet most people in Dubai seem not
to have even heard of! The area offers opportunities for some authentically technical
driving if you are brave enough to sail up
the rock, away from the flatter dunes below,
which offer a good training ground for virgin
off-roaders but, as always, we were looking
for a challenge.
Twenty years from now you will be more
disappointed by the things that you didnt

do than by the ones you did do. So throw off
the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover. - H. Jackson Brown Jr.
As usual, we quickly found ourselves in
circumstances that sharply tested our nerves.
After a series of poor decisions that saw us
nearly stuck in what would have been
incredibly difficult to escape places, we
stopped to collect ourselves and plan a route
across the rocky dunes to our proposed
campsite something we should have done
from the beginning. Every overlanding experience is a learning opportunity if you pay
attention and Fossil Rock was a day of many
lessons.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow.

Learn as if you were to live forever.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Camping at Fossil Rock was a mixed
experience we love to camp, so were
grateful just to be there, but the experience
was marred by large areas of rubbish, which
can ruin the experience if you let it, and the
fact that we couldnt seem to find a spot far
enough from either the noise of the Sharjah

Kalba road or the ubiquitous ATVs.
After a night back in the city, Neil and his
girlfriend Hanna set off to camp in the Hajar
mountains whilst I stayed behind another day
for my friend Andrea, who had never camped
in the Arabian wilderness before, to finish
work for the week. It was worth the wait, as
although I longed to get back into the mountains, introducing someone to the experience
for the first time allows you a window through
which to see it afresh again. Andrea and I met
Neil and Hanna in the dunes at the foot of
the glorious mountain range for their second
night of freedom.
That night we watched a magnificent
sunset from atop the highest nearby dune
and, with our campsite camouflaged by regal
Acacia trees, ate food preferable to that of
any restaurant, exchanged stories and ideas
such as only a campfire can encourage,
laughed, stargazed, then after a perfect sleep
awoke to a charmingly bright yet cool desert
morning, that accompanied by a superb cup
of English tea and a BBQ breakfast, seemed
like our own little hidden sanctuary.
We plan to make the most of the
camping-friendly weather over the next few
months and are in fact heading out again this

week to introduce two more virgin campers
to this most natural and magnificent of
experiences. I encourage all of you to
#GetOutThere and do the same!
We need the tonic of wildness... At the

same time that we are earnest to explore
and learn all things, we require that all things
be mysterious and unexplorable, that land
and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed
and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.
- Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in
the Woods
Theo and Neil are two overgrown
children who love nothing more than
climbing into their heroic old Land
Rovers and pursuing adventure in the
beautiful UAE landscape. A passion for
documenting their exploits has been
joined by a motivation to inspire others
to explore, in turn promoting both awareness and appreciation of the United Arab
Emirates natural treasure chest. Stay up to
date with all their latest adventures by
following their Instagram account
@TheLandRoverDiaries
OUTDOORUAE
21
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Searching for Santosha
The Santosha Society Sri Lanka Surf and Yoga Escape
Words By: Kori Hahn

Photos By: Nick Green
Travelling the world is a dream

to many. Seeing the most beautiful
places, exploring exotic cultures
and learning about the history and
way of life in a land far from home
are just a few of the reasons I have
found myself living on the road for
the past 15 years. In the beginning
I loved the independence and confidence I found travelling alone.
After six months travelling through Sri
Lanka, from the mountains to the beaches, I
yearned to share the experience with
others. I wanted to surf and practice yoga
with friends, yet I didnt necessarily want
to join a surf camp or a strict yoga retreat.
I wanted a beautiful place to lay my head,
incredible Ayurvedic local food to eat and
nice friendly people to share it with me. So a
few months later Santosha Society was born.
As a yoga teacher, a surfer and a world traveller, I designed the escapes to include all
the tools in life that have made me a happier
and healthier person - surf, travel, yoga and
meditation.
Last month, the dream became a reality. A
group of wanderlust travellers arrived one by
one at Colombo International Airport. Some
came with surfboards and others with yoga
mats, all headed south along the coast to

the tranquil little surfing village of Madiha.
For the week our homes were two stunningly
beautiful beachfront villas offering two pools
on a spacious lawn full of towering palm trees
and hanging hammocks. Just out front were
some of the best waves in the area. With a little Zen yoga pavilion sitting in the middle of
the spacious lawn, the location couldnt have
been more perfect.
We started every morning with a peaceful
meditation followed by an invigorating yoga
class for all levels. With the soothing sound
of the sea and the simple shade of towering palm trees, the yoga only amplified the
peace we were already experiencing.
With a happy mix of surfers, yogis, old
travellers and couples, we wanted everyone
to feel free to do whatever it is they came for.
Like choosing a flavour of ice cream, decisions were hard to make as the options were
just too good. Some dedicated the week to
rejuvenation and health, taking advantage
of the yoga classes before heading off to try

the Ayurvedic massage treatments available
in the area while others were here strictly to
surf. Cyndy, my mother, and her jovial friend
Suzanne made it a point to get a massage
every single day after a long walk on the
beach and a refreshing swim in the turquoise
waters. Many actually managed to do it all
two yoga and meditation sessions a day, surf,
and more exploration in between.
Sri Lanka is home to a stunningly beautiful coastline that offers surf breaks for all skill
levels. With perfect peeling waves crashing
just a few meters away, there were a few
glassy mornings the surfers couldnt help
themselves. I saw Chrystal tiptoeing through
the yard, board in hand to the ocean. With
surf this good, the yoga must wait. The surf
was incredible. With two breaks just out front,
the longboarders and less experienced surfers enjoyed a nice mellow right hander while
the more advanced surfers chose the fast and
shallower left.
After a day or two of spectating, two of the

visitors - Vilia and Mareike decided to give
surfing a try for the first time. So off they went
to Weligama for a lesson with the same local
surf coach who taught me. All of us cheered
them on as we watched their faces light up
after catching their first wave. Another two
visitors who came all the way from Alaska,
Jason and Kasha, searched out the quieter,
more romantic surf spots. They might have
spent more time kissing than catching waves,
but they left the water feeling satisfied
nonetheless.
Throughout the week each of us experienced the spicy culture of Sri Lanka. Cruising
around in colourful tuk-tuks, we explored
ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples, the lush
green tea plantations, and endless deserted
beaches. Enroute we stopped at Ayurvedic
shops, local markets, and even a rundown
little snake farm. For lunch, visitors would
indulge in all the local culinary options like
rotti, kottu, steamed chickpea, king coconuts,
rice and curry.
Every evening as the sky darkened and
the stars appeared, one by one the tuk-tuks
would slowly roll back onto the property just
in time for the class after sunset. With two
yoga teachers available, we had two timeslots and two styles. Evening yoga was usually
focussed on relaxing and slowing down.
Many visitors had never tried Yoga Nidra, Yin
Yoga, Yoga for Surfers or Restorative Yoga,
so it was the perfect opportunity to introduce
them to some healing techniques they could
take with them on their travels or back to
their homes.
After yoga, it was my favourite time of the
day - dinner time. The table overflowed each
night with the most incredible vegetable and
seafood dishes, salads, soups and desserts.
One of our visitors, Vilia, a popular German
food blogger, could always be found in the
kitchen watching the staff prepare our delectable dinners, learning about Ayurvedic food
and how to prepare them. During the week
we all experienced something new, with an
assortment of local tropical fruits to try or the
Kola Kanda green porridge for breakfast, and
cashew nut and beetroot curries for dinner.
The food could easily be the highlight of the
trip for me.
With only a week to experience the country, it is understandable to feel like you just
dont have enough time. Dinner was a great
antidote to that as everyone had a story to
tell about their own personal day-to-day adventures. While time might have limited us to
go everywhere we would have liked, through
the dinner conversations we shared, I felt
like I lived 12 lives in one day. It was a lovely

way to experience more than was physically
possible. It was also where we really had the
chance to get to know each other a little
more each day.
As the week came to an end and the last
visitor waved goodbye from the window
of the fast moving northbound train, she
shouted to me, See you in Morocco! I
smiled and shouted back I sure hope so.
After years of being an independent traveller, I now look forward to trips with fun-loving
friends (some who I just met for the first time).
I love world trips where you just show
up and have a great time. No hassling or
negotiating for prices, no searching for
the perfect location only to find its already
booked. Taking the pressure off of organising
transportation to a dinner spot that you have
no idea how the food will be, leaves more
time for unforgettable memories. More time
spent surfing, stretching, eating, laughing
and hanging in a hammock.
Travelling alone is still important to me, but
sharing an experience like this with a group
of likeminded individuals is truly a beautiful
way to travel in a new country.
For now I return to the life I was so familiar
with, where modest accommodation, one
course dinners and reading a book at the
dinner table is the norm. The sounds of
belly laughter and Lexs ukulele are all just
a memory now. I reminisce of the amazing
week that was once just a dream.
The truth is yoga is less likely to happen

when it isnt offered just out your front door
and having a group of friends to surf with is a
lot more fun. By surfing, stretching and travelling together, we inspired each other and
learnt from one another. I learned a Buddhist
chant from Anna. Vilia taught me all about
being a vegan on the road. The list of places
I want to travel grew exponentially after talks
with Mareike and Freshteh, both well-travelled. I surfed nearly every day with Chrystal,
Ishita, and Vanessa. I loved waking up every
morning to share a cup of coffee with Kasha
and Jason. But more than anyone, Cyndy
and her fun-loving friend Suzanne taught me
that its important to grab a girlfriend and get
away from it all, even when it seems impossible to leave behind your husband and kids.
That getting away and experiencing the
world with someone you love is important no
matter you age, nationality, abilities and
situation. If you dream it, then you must do it.
Most of all, I feel that I made a lot of
friends like-minded, adventurous, motivated and inspiring friends. The buzz of excitement that came from the Sri Lanka Surf and
Yoga Escape left me inspired, motivated,
and, well... feeling content. This one week in
paradise, we created a little society; a society
passionate about surf, yoga and travel.
Santosha is the Sanskrit word meaning
contentment. So now back home, all
surfed out, stretched out, and exhausted
from adventuring, I believe during this week
we created a society who were not only
searching for a little santosha, but amazingly
enough, I think most of us found it.
Santosha Society is a travelling
community of surfing and yoga
aficionados that find love and peace in
the calms and rapids of the sea. Started
off by four lovely women, the Society
today invites people to the seas with
their journeys for solace around the
world. For more information or to say
hello, visit www.santoshasociety.com
OUTDOORUAE
23
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Four Seasons
of Romanian Camping
Words By: lleana Buzoianu
What does to camp mean? To

camp is to live for a while in a tent.
As simple as that! It started before
military wars were more frequent
than now, but people also used this
activity driven by their desire to
escape the urban regions and their
busyness and have fresh air, silent
nights and no social constraints.
Thus, people started going camping
for recreational purposes.
Camping is for any season and any land
form, but the whole preparation depends
on whether you go on mountains or at the
seaside, whether you prefer sunny seasons
or cold ones. On these criteria, you must get
ready differently.
Due to the fact that Romania has four
seasons that are still well-defined, you can
camp anywhere and anytime there.
If you prefer warm seasons, at the seaside
or any other low altitude regions, there are
lots of public campgrounds you can use
which have some facilities as well. When
choosing a campground you must take into
consideration the following: the surface of
the whole campground, the opening hours,
pet access, car parking conditions, water,
power supply, nearby lakes, rivers, pools,
sea, etc.
The tent you use for camping has to
accomplish certain specifications
24
OUTDOORUAE
regarding fabrics, dimensions, weight, protection, ventilation and pitch difficulty.

No matter the region you go camping (either seaside or mountains), the tent
should have a high grade of impermeability
(minimum 3,000mm water column for outer
foil and minimum 5,000mm water column
for floor foil). You should also bring with
you foam mattresses and one to two season
sleeping bags with a limit comfort temperature of about 0C. Another important thing
is to use a tent calculating the number of
persons going camping plus one more. You
will have additional space for your luggage.
In your travel equipment, dont forget to
add a first-aid kit, a head light, a pocket
knife, matches, some rope, water recipients
and waste bags. You should also take care of
the clothing you choose to wear. It has to
be adequate for both day and night
temperatures. So, before going camping,

inform yourself of the weather forecast of
the period and region you want to travel to.
If you go camping in the mountains, you
have to be much more aware of the temperatures, no matter what season it is, as mountains are unpredictable. In addition to the
equipment mentioned earlier, the tent must
have an even higher level of impermeability
(5,000mm water column for outer foil and
8,000mm water column for floor foil). The

material of the outer foil should be a silicon
coating as it is the most efficient in the case
of any extreme weather phenomenon. The
poles have to be of duraluminium and the
recommended thickness is 11 mm. They are
resistant to extreme conditions.
The best shape of the tent for mountain
camping is the geodesic tent. It has a minimum of five intersections of poles which offer the best stability under extreme weather
conditions. Moreover, you should have a
thick foam mattress and some lightweight
sleeping bags with goose down fill and a
limit comfort temperature of about -15C.
Take a GPS with you as well and your clothing should be technical: technical T-shirt,
3-layered soft-shell pants and jacket and
mountaineering boots.
When camping in the mountains, you
have to carefully choose the place to pitch
your tent. Do not pitch it in the forest and
do not pitch it around an avalanche passage. Try to find an open, flat area, but not
too exposed to winds and rain.
In Romania, there are both private and
public campgrounds around mountain
regions starting from the oldest mountains
the Mcin Mountains (dating from the end
of the Paleolithic Era) to the most imposing
ones Fgra Mountains (2,544m).
As over 30% of Romanias surface represents mountains and forests, the foreign
tourist is recommended to take a local
licensed guide on their journeys. They can
guide you towards the most picturesque
places, interesting spots unmapped officially, tell you stories and legends and give you
adequate traveling advice. One breathtaking place to camp in Romania is the Ceahlu
Mountains. The surroundings of Dochia Hut
(1.750 m) offer a perfect environment for
camping while exploring the mountains. This

also offers you the chance to experience a
magnificent sunrise from Toaca Peak (1.904
m). That moment of silence when you see
how light turns everything from simple outlines to colour, shape, energy, life.
Here, you may also see an interesting
phenomenon: the shadow pyramid. This
effect is an optical illusion, which is formed
because of the positioning of two mountain
peaks, combined with the clouds of mist,
including particles of water and sunlight.
It looks like a pyramid with a square base,
a figure considered to be extremely rare
in nature. The phenomenon is unique in
the world and appears yearly, especially in
August.
The Danube Delta is another fascinating
place to camp. It is the second greatest
delta in Europe after the Volga Delta (Russia). It is another type of land form.
Camping is somehow restricted to warm
seasons despite the fact that the temperatures are pretty high. But foreign tourists
from hot countries will accommodate easily
and those who are not used to such
temperatures will be marvelled by the
deltas grace.
Theres no doubt that the impressive
range of habitats and species which occupy
a relatively small area makes the Danube
Delta a fundamental centre for biodiversity
in Europe and a natural genetic bank with an
inestimable value for global natural heritage.
In order to have a full experience of camping, the last place to recommend is a cirque
glacier called Mlieti, in the Bucegi Mountains. The corrie is surrounded by 2,500m
height stonewalls. There is also Mlieti
hut (1.720 m), but with a limited number of
beds. However, if you reach Mlieti and
have to stay overnight, there is space to
pitch your tent. The area offers astonishing

views, a place for relaxing thoughts and
peace. Its just you and the imposing nature.
Yet, it is much safer for you to hike guided
by a professional. For that Oxygen
Association (www.asociatiaoxigen.ro/en/)
offers you some of the best mountain
trainers in the matter. Explore, dream,
discover Romania!
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
A Sea Full of Surprises

Words + Photos By: Rasmus Ovesen
The Mefjord, which is

beautifully situated on Norways
second largest island, Senja,
boasts some incredible specimen
fishing with the possibility of true
monsters in the shape of cod,
coalfish, ling and halibut.
THE GLISTENING STAINLESS
STEEL JIGGER whirls towards the bottom like a piece of free-falling wreckage. It
disappears into the abysmal water masses
underneath the Mefjords towering cliffs and
the fading blue backcloth of the sky. It never
reaches the bottom though. About halfway
through the water column a small bump
permeates through the braided line, which
is subsequently slackened. I put the reel into
gear and abruptly lift the rod, which consequently cringes and goes into carbon-convulsions. There is no doubt! Another feisty
coalfish has thrust itself upon the jigger, and
it now thrashes about in the depths attempting to get rid of the treacherous lure.
Ten minutes later, after several surges,
runs, and some stubborn tug-of-war, the fish

manifests itself in the flickering water along
the boat side. Shortly after, I bring a coalfish
in the vicinity of 12 kilos into the boat. Its an
impressive torpedo-shaped fish with chrome
flanks, soulful eyes, and powerful jaws. The
guide, Dominik Engelbrechter, shoots a
series of quick pictures and the fish goes
back into the chilly water masses. Having
caught such a beautiful fish on light gear
makes it difficult to get my hands down. If
they hadnt been so fatigued from the fight,
that is!
FIVE CASTS have resulted in three nice
coalfish and a couple of cod - of which the
biggest must have weighed more than 10
kilos. Now its time to try something new! I
prepare my 9 10-weight fly rod, and mount
it with a fast sinking WF fly line, a sinking
poly leader and a big, weighted silver-flash
fly. I place a cast in front of the boats drifting direction and give the fly line plenty of
26
OUTDOORUAE
time to sink. It isnt until the boat has drifted

all the way over the cast that I start
retrieving the fly from the depths with short
and abrupt strips.
All of a sudden the fly line is almost pulled
out of my hands, the fly rod bends submissively, and all the loose line begins darting
through the guides. Shortly after, the salty
sea air becomes saturated with the hoarse
screams of my fly reel as fluorescent backing
aplenty starts peeling off and disappears
into the depths.
It feels as if some mean-spirited prankster
has tied a ferry-anchor to my fly line, but
after a while the backing finally stops gushing

off the reel, and I gain a foothold in the front of
the boat and start applying some pressure. Now,
the fight enters a new phase where every single
carbon fibre in the fly rod gets a serious workout.
The fish is reluctantly pumped towards the
surface metre by toilsome metre, and even
though the fish saves up energy for an additional
couple of short but irresistible runs, the battle
is lost. 117 turns on the fly reel later, a beautiful
coalfish materialises at the surface with the fly
firmly anchored in its jaws, and with a little help
from the guide the fish is brought on board for a
couple of pictures.
That was cod and coalfish. What now?
THE MEFJORD AND MEFJORD BRYGGE to the
North of the beautiful island, Senja, is the basis
of this summers trip to northern Norway. I have
dragged along my family, and I have managed to
negotiate two full days of fishing. I spend these
two days in the fjord and out to sea, and along
the way Im reminded of the wealth of fish species
that lurk in the depths.
There is no doubt that you can fish effectively
up here on your own, but it turns out to be a
great experience to be out with a local guide. He
knows the fjord and the open sea like the back
of his own hand, and he knows at exactly at what
depths and in which spots the different fish species are to be targeted. I only have to mention
that I have never caught cusk, wolffish or ling, and
the guide has set course for new fishing spots.
And in three quick fishing sessions I have added

three new fish species to my resume and in the
right running order. We find the cusks in about
70 metres of depth along one of the ridges of
the fjords northern shores. The wolffish, we find
in 40 50 metres of depth in a sandy bay inside
the fjord, while the ling frantically attack our lures
close to a drastic drop off in the western end of
the fjord.
DURING THE COURSE OF TWO FISHING
DAYS, which focuses more and more on light
spinning and fly fishing tackle, I caught 10 different fish species: cod, coalfish, haddock, cusk, ling,
wolffish, mackerel, redfish, plaice, and shorthorn
sculpin.
In the waters surrounding the Mefjord there are
also pollock, gurnard, monkfish, flounder, salmon,
sea trout, and halibut in addition to many others. The halibut are mostly found along the sandy
plateaus outside the mouth of the fjord and out
to sea. We spend half a day looking for these
legendary and powerful predator fish, but without
any luck. After having returned to the wharf were
reminded, however, that halibut do in fact exist in
the Mefjord area.
In the fiery golden light of the late evening,
a young German fishing tourist shows up at the
wharf with a frighteningly big halibut. He has
been anchored up just outside the fjord with his
dad and a friend fishing for coalfish with light
spinning gear and a 20lb braid.
While he is fighting a small coalfish,
a mischievous and gluttonous halibut suddenly inhales the hooked fish. This marks the
beginning of a brutal fight that stonewalls
because of the underscaled gear. It isnt until
45 minutes later that the fish is miraculously
brought to the boat side, but this isnt the
end of all the drama. The fish is so big that
it proves impossible to haul into the boat.
Four failed landing attempts and a straightened 10mm steel gaff later; the Germans
simply end up berthing the halibut to the
boat with rope. And it is with the fish dragging along the side of the boat that they
arrive at the wharf. Here, the fish is hoisted
on land with a crane and it is measured at
218 centimetres and 150 kilos.
28
OUTDOORUAE
THE MEFJORD is indeed full of surprises!

And regardless of whether youre into hectic
fishing for ferocious and powerful coalfish;
deep sea fishing for cod, ling or colourful
redfish; specimen fishing in relatively shallow water; light lure-fishing for mackerel,
haddock, or pollock; big game fishing for
halibut; or even fly fishing, theres something
for everyone in the Mefjord area.
The amount of fish is absolutely mindboggling, so its just a matter of finding the
right techniques and methods then youre
guaranteed some hectic and captivating
fishing that will create memories for life.
Want to go to Mefjorden?
Mefjord Brygge is the perfect basis for

exploring the Mefjord and Norskehavet. The
small wharf is situated in the ambient little
city of Mefjordvr on the island of Senja
just south of Troms. The wharf can be
reached via Troms or Bardufoss, from which
theres a one and a half to two hour drive via
small and winding, but scenic, roads.
Mefjord Brygge is capable of housing

up to 100 guests in rooms, cabins, apartments, and private houses. They offer
everything from hiking, skiing, cycling, and
climbing expeditions to whale and eagle
safaris and Northern Lights tours. However, it is the sea fishing that is its main attraction. As a result, Mefjord Brygge has a
whole armada of fully equipped boats that
are included when renting a cabin, apartment or house. They are stable, seaworthy
and comfortable 19 aluminium boats with
50HP outboard motors, GPS, and echo
sounders.
The season stretches from April, where
big cod up to 35-40 kilos are targeted,
and through summer and fall, where the
fjord comes alive with coalfish, cod, mackerel, haddock, flounders, wolffish, cusk,
redfish, ling, and countless other species.
More info can be found on this link:
www.mefjordbrygge.no or be acquired via
email: firmapost@mefjordbrygge.no
or phone: (+47) 77 85 89 80
Habitually healthy
The 21-Day Paleo Detox Diet

Words By: Chef Patrick Ikinofo
Hey Guys,
Let me start off by wishing you all
an amazing 2016! I hope this year
will bring you good health, amazing
memories and wonderful food!
I bet weve all put on a few extra pounds
over the past month after all those Christmas mince pies or over indulging at the
brunch down at your local five star establishment and a few too many fun beverages
lazing about in this amazing weather weve
been having.
But hey, it only comes around once a
year so I wouldnt beat myself up about it.
Whether youve been thinking about doing it or not, a detox of the body is always
a good idea after the holiday season or
whenever you can really.
I did a bit of research and put together a
21-day Paleo Detox Diet. This cleanse, for
me, is just to reset the body into healthy
mode after an indulgent vacation. You can
take whatever part of this works for you. If
you do not have any health issues, maybe
you might decide to keep in the caffeine or
the nuts. Whatever works for you! I would
suggest giving up as much as you can.
Have a look at how these foods negatively
impact the body in ways youre not even
aware of.
What You CANT Eat
Follow the strictest paleo guidelines by

excluding these foods from your diet:
Grains
Beans and legumes (including peanuts
and soy) - Green beans in the pod, sugar

snap peas, and snow peas are allowed.
Sugar (refined, artificial, or natural) - No
raw honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar or
nectar, agave, stevia, etc. Fruit and dried
fruit is allowed, but if youre trying to lose
weight, limit your fruit intake. As always,
low-sugar fruits, such as berries are
preferable to high-sugar fruits like bananas.
Dairy - Pastured butter and ghee
included
Alcohol
Vegetable oils
To take this a step further,
I am eliminating these additional
highly inflammatory foods:
Eggs
Nightshades, including potatoes,
tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers (jalapeno, paprika, cayenne, etc.), and eggplant
(sweet potatoes and yams are okay)
Nuts and seeds, including oils and butters derived from nuts and seeds
Caffeine
What You CAN Eat
Now, you may at this point be saying, No

way! Whats left?! Well, its not all that
bad.
Meat preferably pastured and
free-range beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, etc.
Seafood, including fish and shellfish
preferably wild
Vegetables, except nightshades listed
above
Fruits - Freshly squeezed juices are okay
for making sauces or to use in recipes, just
dont guzzle down a big glass of orange
juice. As I mentioned above, dried fruits
are okay, but dont have too many. And
make sure they are not sweetened with
sugar.
Good fats including avocados; olives and
olive oil; coconut oil, coconut butter, and
coconut meat
You may think that sausages are a no-no but if they

have no additives then feel free to have some!
in fact, there are a few other things that

need to be said about it, so if youre
looking at giving it a go then I suggest you
stick it out and if you need any pointers or
tips along the way then drop me a line at
chef@thecyclehub.com. Im not some diet
guru or fitness freak, Im just your average
Joe from down the road who loves to cook
and is trying to change the world by doing
so. So dont think your questions are weird
or wacky! Im here to help! Enjoy it, embrace it and let me know how you get on.
What You Might Think You

Cant Eat, But You Can
Seafood is fine as long as it is wild
Now, there are usually some gray areas

when these detoxes, cleanses, and
challenges are going on, so just to clarify,
you MAY eat:
Pastured, nitrate-free bacon - This will be
hard to find with no sugar so if its 1-2 percent sugar, its not enough to worry about
in my book.
Sausage that doesnt include paprika or
cayenne, or other non-paleo additives
Vinegars including balsamic, rice, coconut, and apple cider
Coconut aminos (soy sauce replacement)
I could go on and on about this cleanse;
Apple Cider Vinegar is of course most welcome!
The Cycle Bistro

GPS location:
Latitude:
N 25 02.792
Longitude:
E 055 14.384
Phone:
04 425 6555
OUTDOORUAE
29
LIFESTYLE
Health
Powerhouse
Detox Holidays
Words + Photos By: Ivana Chiles
Dear readers, first of all I

would like to wish all of you
wonderful and healthy New Year.
May 2016 bring lots of happiness
and memorable moments for you
and your families. May your dreams
have no limits, but remember that
you can never achieve those once
you have lost your health. That is
why I will devote this months
section to detoxification.
We have just stepped into a New Year
and surely we have all have been
indulging ourselves in Christmas treats
without thinking. Perhaps some of you
have put on a few extra kilos, while others
just feel sluggish and unhealthy. Let me
give you a few tips on how to support your
health and feel better instantly.
Gone are those times when detox
holidays were an occasional luxury. Unfortunately they became a necessity. Health
experts are now warning that toxic overload
plays a major part in ageing. If you do not
give your body chance to detoxify, toxins
accumulated from your diet, drug use or
environmental exposure, will lead to poor
digestion, colon sluggishness or even
dysfunction, poor elimination through the
kidneys and respiratory tracts, and can even
increase the skins toxicity.
Intermittent Fasting
Surprisingly intermittent fasting is one the

most recommended steps to start with. I
suggest you choose one day a week, when
you have your last meal around 4:00 p.m.
in the afternoon. Do not eat any food for
the rest of the day until late the following
morning. Ideally, you should go for a light
workout to boost burning of fat from those
hidden reserves, which become your source
Add any green leaves into your daily juices
Eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables for vibrant health
Hurom (Omega) is my favourite slow juicer where most of

the enzymes and vitamins remain intact during extraction
of energy during fasting. But be careful not

to do heavy workouts on your fasting days.
You need to ensure you drink plenty of water to help with toxins being carried away
from your body. If you find it too difficult,
you can have a tablespoon of coconut oil or
some chlorella during the fast. That should
solve your hunger and craving issues.
Once you have got used to intermittent
fasting, you can try a full day fast once a
week, Be aware that a few hours into the
fast you will become hungry, agitated,
tired, dizzy and have possible headaches
due to the lack of sugar in your blood
stream. What you are really doing is clearing toxins from your body, neutralising or
transforming them, and clearing excess
mucus and congestion. Stay on the track
with your fast and enjoy the rewarding moment of having the first meal after your fast.
It should be a light, easily digestible meal
containing lots of vegetables and preferably no meat. You will be surprised how
your taste buds have changed! You will be
more sensitive to salt and sugar and want
to eat healthy.
Detoxification is a process that involves
not only dietary, but also lifestyle changes
An example of raw breakfast
Green juices are highly detoxifying
that reduce the intake of toxins and improve elimination. Regular exercise, walking outside, soaking up the sun, breathing
clean air and walking barefoot are all part
of the cycle.
You can support the process of detox
with some other therapies like Colon Hydrotherapy. It is a rejuvenating and highly
effective treatment of internally cleansing
the colon, that encourages the removal
of hardened and impacted waste matters,
build-ups of gas and mucous from the
body. Along with good nutrition, exercise
and relaxation, colon hydrotherapy helps
minimise the toxin load and break the destructive pattern of self poisoning. It does
not make sense to go for a one-time treatment as it generally takes days to reach the
end of colon. Ideally you would embark on
a week-long journey of full fast with two
colon therapies a day.
Green juices are certainly part of the process to a healthier you. So much has been
written, that it all sounds confusing now.
Perhaps you are wondering what the difference is between juicing and blending.
Blending means taking whole vegetables,
herbs, commonly some unpeeled lemon,
This is how we all wish our vegetable selection looked like
Blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant

levels of all fruits and are perfect low sugar fruits
green apple for sweetness, even a few nuts.

You would also add some extra liquid (water, coconut water, herbal tea etc.). The end
product is thick and creamy juice, which
you could possibly even call a smoothie.
Add some superfoods like chlorella, goji
berries, wheat grass or maca powder and
you will have a perfectly balanced meal
replacement, that should serve as an ideal
breakfast and even main meal.
While blended vegetables will keep all
the precious fibre, clear green juice will be
highly cleansing, giving your digestive tract
a break. That is why I recommend green
juices during detox.
Green Juices and Detox
Juicing, like blending, breaks down the cell

walls of raw food and liberates nutrients
for easy digestion. Besides detoxifying,
the benefits of juicing are the keys to giving you a radiant, energetic life, and truly
optimal health.
Every health authority today recommends
that we get 6-8 servings of vegetables and
fruits per day and very few of us actually
get that. Juicing is an easy way to virtually
guarantee that you will reach your daily
target for vegetables.
Cooking and processing food destroys
micronutrients and enzymes by altering
their shape and chemical composition.
Juicing will help to pre-digest nutrients
from the vegetables for you, so you will
receive most of the nutrition.
Many people eat the same vegetable
salads every day. This violates the principle of regular food rotation and increases
your chance of developing an allergy to a
certain food. But with juicing, you can juice
a wide variety of vegetables that you may
not normally enjoy eating whole.
It is important to note that vegetable
juice has very little protein and virtually no
fat, so by itself, it is not really a complete
food. It really should be used in addition to
your regular meals not in place of it.
Any herbs are packed with minerals and vitamins

and are the most detoxifying plants on earth
So unless you are undergoing some

special fasting or detoxification program, it
is probably unwise to use juicing as a meal
replacement. Ideally, it can be consumed
with your meal or as a between-meal-snack.
Points to Remember
While Juicing:
1. Vegetable juice is highly perishable so

its best to drink all of your juice immediately or within 20 minutes unless you store
it in a glass bottle and fill it up to the top to
allow minimal oxidation.
2. Juicing fruit is recommended only in
moderation. Most fruit juices simply end
up loaded with a ton of sugar because you
are removing the valuable fibre which helps
lower the absorption of the fructose in the
fruit.
3. Always add a few drops of any oil to
your juice. That way oil soluble vitamins A,
D, E and K will be released and made bio
available.
4. Drink your juice slowly! Enjoy every sip
of it, keep the juice in your mouth for a few
seconds and allow the digestive enzymes
from your saliva to mix with the juice!
Beetroot is one of the most detoxifying

vegetables and is considered a superfood
remember before you go and when you

return back. You need to start preparing
for the detox a few weeks prior to going
in order to bring your body on the alkaline
side which is your optimal state. Acidic environments promote disease and does not
encourage healing. Stop drinking alcohol,
tea and coffee, limit meat consumption and
increase the intake of vegetables prior to
detox holidays.
If your detox holiday includes colon
therapy, be aware that you will be flushing
out your intestinal microflora. Reputable
centres should offer gut probiotic replacement after your last colon therapy.
When you complete your detox, you
should continue consuming as many raw
foods as possible and then slowly start
introducing other food items back into
your diet once your gut microflora has
been fully replaced and built up. Good
probiotics will help this and you can refer to
my articles on fermenting vegetables and
using kombucha and kefir on my website at
www.ivanahph.com
Detox Holidays
Going on a proper detox holiday is a challenge and a lifetime experience. I strongly

recommend you give it a go. My experience was beyond imagination. I had a
sense of complete body and mind cleanliness, sharp thinking and an absolute body
lightness and endless energy to name a
few.
However, there are a few points to
Highly alkalizing and neutralizing juice
made out of celery, cucumbers, lemon,
ginger and bunch of parsley
Ivana on her detox holidays.
After 7 days of full fast she is
enjoying her first raw food meal
Grow your own wheatgrass at home! Use it in

your juices. Besides full mineral and vitamin
spectrum, wheatgrass is extremely rich in protein!
Make yourself this vitamin packed juice

from beetroot, carrot, lemon and ginger
and feel the difference within minutes!
Ivana has been living in the UAE for

16 years. She is a qualified Health Coach
and member of the American
Association of Drugless Practitioners.
Her passions are nutrition, organic
gardening, healthy cooking and
homemade organic skin care. She runs
weekly workshops on the above topics.
For more information, visit her Facebook
page, Health Powerhouse.
OUTDOORUAE
31
Natural History
LIFESTYLE
Dhafra Camel Festival

Words By: Dan Wright
Dhafra in the Al Gharbia

area of the western region is the
premier camel festival in the GCC
and famous for its internationally
acclaimed Beautiful Camel
Competition. It runs from the 10th
to the 31st December annually.
Located just 10kms outside Madinat
Zayed City and around 60km away from the
Liwa sand dunes on the Saudi border, the
Dhafra festival is based beside the Camel
Race Track there and boasts a huge range of
attractions for visitors and for local breeders to compete their camels, dogs, sheep,
falcons and dates in.
The Camel events consist of:
Beautiful Camel Competition

Camel Milking Competition
Camel Racing
Camel auctions (held on The Million
Road)
Other events include:
Saluki dog racing
Purebred Arabian horse race
Falcon speed trials
Sheep Beauty Pageant
Sour Milk Competition
Childrens Talent Competition
Best Photography Competition
Best Dates
Best Date Packaging
Best Handicrafts Competition
Classic Cars Competition
Artists Workshops
Traditional Handicrafts Workshops
The event is covered by its own TV network which has a central TV station on site
and roving camera and interview units. It is
also covered by local news networks around
the GCC, especially for the finals of each
competition.
The Million Road is aptly named as it
is here that the deals go down for buying
and selling camels and it is a common occurrence for the best breed lines to sell for
a million dirhams or more. These auctions
My rescuers
Camel riding
Beautiful camel with my beautiful wife
are worth the trip out to the festival on their

own and form a central part of the heritage of Khaleeji camel farming. The owner
will display the camel for sale (often with a
baby alongside) by parading it down the
road (which is not tarmacked) and tooting
their horns and playing loud music to attract
potential buyers attention. When someone
who is interested approaches they will be
with friends and all the cars will encircle the
camel and corral it in the middle. The buyers
then jump out and form up as a Yola dance
line with the cane sticks and the sellers will
form up opposite them. Then commences
the barter in which each side will sing out
their offer or counter offer and dance with
their family members in the line. When a
price is agreed, the reins exchange hands
ceremonially (the cash will change hands
A trainer makes sure the baby
camel gets its fill of milk
later) and the buyer will then parade their

prize back to their camp with much tooting
of horns, backfiring of exhausts and general
happy and celebratory behaviour. Its not
unusual to see people dancing on the roof
or bonnet of speeding Land Cruisers and its
amazing how agile the dancers are since the
roads are so rough!
In stark contrast to the loud auctions, the
falcon speed tests are quietly conducted
and the onlookers recline in beautiful chairs
with binoculars at the ready to watch their
prized falcons compete. A handler will take
the falcon to the start position and a caller
will spin a lure in the air several hundred
meters away and call for the falcon. The
falcons flight is recorded along the flat and
recorded at its fastest point. Often immature
birds will be distracted and fly off at right
angles or go straight up or just not see the
lure and fly away from it, this is why the
competition requires so much quiet from the
watchers to not distract the birds.
The saluki racing is much the same as
greyhound racing in the west and the camel
racing is a hugely popular event because
instead of robotic jockeys they have real
people and this causes much hilarity in the
audience, although they also take the whole
thing very seriously. The age categories are
based on the riders and you will see
Camping out
everyone from teenaged boys to men over 80

taking part. The older riders often wear cricket
pads, life jackets, skateboard pads and cycle helmets to protect themselves if they fall off (camels
are pretty high to fall from!). Its not unusual to
see a camel finish the race alone and its jockey
come running in several hundred meters behind
it! The camel races are accompanied by a vast
herd of cars in a dust storm that races down the
road alongside the track so the trainers and owners can shout encouragement to the camels in
voices they recognise and respond to.
One of the nicest aspects of the Dhafra festivals
is that it is so focused on the locals and traditional
cultural pursuits but they in turn make tourists so
welcome. Every family taking part has a tented
camp around the camel track and there is only
one hotel in the area - the Tilal Liwa, which is fully
booked months in advance so it is very common
for locals to walk up to tourists and invite them
back to their camps for meals, dancing and even
to stay the night. This is a culture where the guest
is treated like royalty and it is at an event like this
that you really get to experience that.
The festival is full of small tented stalls with
everything from camel harnesses to 4x4 overland
kits, and the area is a 4x4 drivers paradise with
many trails across the sands. Anytime you get
stuck, countless friendly people assist in pushing
and pulling you out of the sand! (I got stuck and
was rescued by six friendly Pakistani camel
ADAPT adventure climbing wall
herders who refused a tip and instead enjoyed a

cold bottle of water from my icebox!).
You will have ample opportunity to try out your
Arabic and you will also be inundated with small
children keen to try out their one or two English
phrases from school. The event is a melting pot of
everyone from the regions camel trade and you
will meet Saudians, Sudanese, Omanis, Bahrainis,
Qataris, Syrians and many, many more. In one day
I managed to use my few phrases of Arabic, Urdu
and French, which ended in a pigeon language
that must have sounded familiar but that nobody
quite understood!
Al Dhafra also boasts its own complete adventure camp as part of the VEDC Heritage Camps,
which this year was run by ADAPT, the outdoor
education camp based out of Ras Al Khaimah.
The camp runs adventure activities in three day
blocks for upwards of 500 students at a time and
this facility is provided to schools in the UAE for
free! Every student is taken on trips around the
cultural aspects of the festival as well as having
the chance to take part in fun activities like the:
challenge course, climbing wall, SUP boards,
inflatable assault course, archery, Bedouin survival
and many more fun and challenging events.
If you do decide to head there in 2016 then
make sure you pack for a long trip! It takes a good
three hours from Abu Dhabi and for me from Ras
Al Khaimah, it took six hours in my 1996 Land
Rover which is rather aptly a Camel Trophy Edition! The camp has many facilities including public
toilets, launderettes in a tented village and even
a Costa Coffee and several small food shops and
lots of traditional food restaurants. You can camp
pretty much anywhere and the police are more
than helpful if you stop and ask them where to
go. You can get additional information on event
timings and locations from the administration tent
beside the heritage village and from the website
at www.aldhafrafestival.ae
Dont forget if you get stuck in the sand youre
never far from a team of rescuers who are only too
happy to help!
Dan Wright is a freelance Wilderness Guide
in the UAE and Asia. He has a degree in
Environmental Science. Dan has been
on several International wildlife and
exploration expeditions with UK Radio
stations and writes for a range of
publications in Asia and the Middle East.
His wife is the former Nepal National
Mountain Bike Champion, Nirjala Tamrakar.
They live in Dubai with their son Percy and
spend all their spare time exploring the UAE!
LIFESTYLE
Outdoor Flicks
Omans Hidden Gems
Words By: Keith Perea

Photos By: Read Macadam and Tara Atkinson
Here at Outdoor Flicks, were

always looking for the best in local
talent. Films that are made within
the region speak more truth and
have more detail than say a
western depiction of it. That is why
we were ecstatic to attend
when Petzl Roctrip veteran Read
Macadam showed his film Valley
of Giants on 14th of December at
the Jamjar in Al Quoz. Suffice to
say, it proved our initial statement
to be true.
What I first noticed about the film is that
it is completely raw in the sense that there
are no grandiose visual effects - the voices
of the characters appeared and disappeared
into the distance - but instead of being an
impediment, it acted more to the advantage
of the film because it highlighted the visual
Film: Valley of Giants

Director of Photography: Miguel Willis
Producer and Editor: Read Macadam
Starring: Read Macadam, Philippe Ribire

and Dan Bates
magnificence of the films subject: the surreal

boulders of Oman. It starts off quite naturally
with a regular first person GoPro footage taken at the 7th Hole Cave in Oman, and then
moves and adds a sort of dramatic vibe as
the audience sees one of the protagonists
playing their guitar deep inside the hole. This
I believe is one of the most majestic stills in
the entirety of the film. The cinematography
is perfect, as it provides a healthy dose of
Omani vistas and angles that dont cram a
lot of subjects into the frame but rather gives
the audience some sort of breathing space to
appreciate the environment that is presented
to them.
Going towards the environment, it is
completely spot-on. Sometimes the film
feels like it is found footage but it takes it
back after some time with a display of the
landscape. I find it hard to believe that such a
majestic place exists in Oman. Another thing
worthy of note is that the film goes the extra
distance to display the hardships of the characters the many attempts to reach the top,
a lot of which resulted in landing on the crash
pads; theres the frustration from having to attempt countless times and still not getting it;
or that almost there feeling that eventually
gets shut down because of a little miscalculation in the climb.
Throughout the film, there are some small
scenes presented about the trip and there

are also scenes outside the climbing area,
and these are masterfully placed so that it
provides a small buffer when the audience
would seem to be saturated by boulders.
It provides some sort of comedic
relief slapstick even as the audience sees
the protagonists parley with local vendors
and learning a bit about Omani culture. A
poignant moment that I personally liked
was when they were teaching local kids to
climb and then after the film Read answered
that they only needed the ropes most of the
time and they came across to these kids as
crazy- nothing truer could be said about
outdoorsmen.
Overall, the film is more about the destination rather than a journey. It can also be seen
as a film version of a travel blog that tells
and recommends a new location for
climbers to take on. The characters are as
human as can be and all have their stories
to share. Philippe, Read and Dan are three
extremely different people bonded together
by the spirit of climbing and it shows
healthily. The film does its job of becoming a
visual statement of bouldering in Oman while
also being a genuine look into the struggles
and successes of being a boulderer.
T R&I E D
TESTED
ODUC
THIS PR
OV
T IS APPR
TDOO
ED BY OU
RUAE
Words By: Simon Marshall
This September I was lucky

enough to spend ten gruelling days
in the magnificent French Cvennes
Mountains riding the Silverback
SBC 2.1. The countryside and
autumnal vistas were the things
of dreams, where as the climbs
and descents was the stuff of
nightmares.
With twelve riders from Team LMT, the

ten-day trip was to raise funds and awareness
for the Lucy Monro Memorial Trust, a
charity founded in memory of Lucy Monro,
the founder of Team LMT who tragically died
on the UAE Coast to Coast ride in early 2015.
Each of the ten days averaged 200km with
over 3,700m of climbing (and descending),
making a total trip distance of 2,000km
with 37,000m of climbing. To put that in
perspective, that is the same amount of
climbing that riders complete in the Tour de
France in two thirds of the distance. However,
whereas the Tour guys do it in 23 days, we
had a mere 10 days brutal doesnt even
come close.
But what better way to put Silverback
Bicycles flagship ride through its paces. Lucy
would have been proud.
So what about the bike? My steed was the
Silverback SBC 2.1 bike - A graceful beast in
the signature matt black carbon and
fluorescent green livery. The frame is based
on Silverbacks award-winning Scalera model
(Eurobike Gold Award) but has a more refined
and optimized carbon layup.
The bike was equipped with a full Dura-Ace
Di2 9000 group set, ZIPP 404 rims (although
Id opted to swap these out for standard box
rims due to my dubious descending skills),
Deda carbon seat post and a massive
gloriously oversized Deda 35mm handlebar
and stem.
The first impression of the bike is imposing.
From the front, with the massive oversized
head tube, down along the aero profiled
down tube to the equally impressive

oversized bottom bracket, the bike radiates
an air of confidence. The rear displays more
finesse with elegant and slender wind
cheating chainstays.
So how would the bike cope over the next
ten days? The morning of the first day was
pedestrian compared to the rest of the trip.
Nothing too taxing, but the bike had already
started to show its colours. The aerodynamic
attributes of the bike had me zipping along
on the flat with considerably less effort than
I would have expected at 35-40kmh. The
handling through some sweeping turns was
exceptional.
It was after lunch on the first day that the
big climbs began. The majority of the days
4,400m lay in store for the afternoon with
gradients of up to 22% over the Col Du Vent,
Col De La Lusette, Mont Aigoual and Col
De Solprire. This is the terrain where aero
frames normally start to struggle.
Thankfully the designers of the Silverback SBC
had decided to do away with the traditional
stereotype and the Scalera inspired frame is
as stiff and responsive when climbing as it is
fast on the flat. The higher we got, the better
the bike performed. On the hills, you want
every pedal stroke to count, there isnt room
to waste any energy. The SBC continued to
deliver in spades with every ounce of effort
being rewarded with relentless progress up

the mountain.
Inevitably, what goes up must come down.
And just as every cloud has a silver lining,
every climb has a descent. For most people
this is true, the descents are the reward for the
effort of the climbs. For me, the descent is not
a reward, it is punishment. In all honesty, the
descents were the part of this trip that held
the most dread for me. I dont mind going
up the hills, but I have a deep-rooted fear of
coming down them. I have worn the label
of mountain snail for many years with good
reason. Therefore, when the roadbook shows
a descent of 30km on damp and wet roads
strewn with gravel, it sends a chill through me
much colder than the summit temperature of
three degrees.
After we crested the high point of the day,
I had prepared myself for the usual terror
and anguish that can only be understood
by someone who shares my loathing for
downhills. Yet for me, it was on the descents
that the SBC played its trump card and really
showed its design pedigree. The bike was so
planted and so stable that I felt comfortable
going through bends and corners without the
need to constantly ride the brakes. This was a
truly liberating experience. The bike enabled
me to conquer many of my descending fears
and turned me into a better rider. I am not
saying for one instant it turned me into a
good descender, but the bike gave me the
confidence to descend with some credibility.
At the end of day one, the bike was a
revelation, much better than I had ever hoped
for. Through the remaining nine days, I
summited over 100 mountains, battled
against eight hours of gale force winds,
storms and driving rain that had sadly claimed
the lives of so many in southern France, came
across roads blocked by landslides,
descended roads of 25% that were nothing
more than muddy gravel tracks, hit climbs
approaching 30%, found probably the best
cycling road in Europe and saw some of the
most memorable landscapes that France has
to offer. Through all of this, my Silverback SBC
didnt falter, complain, breakdown or
puncture it simply devoured the road. It is
without doubt one of the best bikes I have
ever ridden. Quite simply a masterpiece of
bicycle design.
OUTDOORUAE
35
PRODUCTS
A ROUND-UP OF QUALITY PRODUCTS AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE IN THE UAE
Wanabee Double Camping Airbed
Wanabee Atacama 4 Tent
Available at all GO Sport stores
Features:
Dimensions : 185 x 137 x 13cm
Weight : 2.8kg
Four-person tent
Wanabee Santorin Junior Sleeping Bag
PARAKITO Bands and Clips
79 AED/QAR, 8.600 OMR
89 AED
Available at Adventure HQ, GO Sport, Golf House and many

more retailers (store locator at www.mapyr.com)
100 AED/QAR, 10.900 OMR
Features:
Dimensions : 70 x 165cm
Weight : 700g
Comfort Temperature : 17c
549 AED/QAR, 59.700 OMR
Features:
Dimensions : 410 x 180 x 240cm
Weight : 8.35kg
Number one natural prevention against mosquito bites,

PARAKITO refillable bands and clips offer a very unique
combination: natural ingredients, patented technology, original
designs, with an extremely easy use.
The PARAKITO pellet is soaked with essential oils extracted
from plants selected all over the world. You just have to insert
it in a band or a clip (each one is sold with two pellets) to be
naturally protected against mosquito bites, during 15 days.
PARAKITO is suitable for everyone, because it doesnt touch
the skin. The protection is optimal under all conditions: sweat,
water, hot and cold environment.
Proven efficiency and economic, PARAKITO is THE solution to
stay protected from insect bites when doing outdoor activities.
36
OUTDOORUAE
T R&I E D
TESTED
ODUC
THIS PR
OV
T IS APPR
TDOO
ED BY OU
RUAE
2XU Mid Rise Tights
I continued
to wear them
for the remainder
of the morning
for post-exercise
recovery
Words By: Anna Roberts
After hearing that the new 2XU

range of Mid Rise Compression
Tights had been launched I was
really excited to try them out on a
few runs and sprint sessions at
the beach, including a recent
international flight. The higher
waistband meant I was able to
harness more core support as I
have always had issues with my
posture and ensured I maintained
proper technique and felt stable in
my movements.
Material
With winter now in full swing in Dubai, the

tights were warm enough for an 8:00 a.m.
training session and it did not feel like I
was overheating as soon as the sun rose. I

really like the material used as it is not sheer
around the knees or backside when you are
bending down or extending and still feels
breathable.
Cut
The cut favoured my body shape, meaning

the tights did not move around at all through
a series of stretches and during interval
training. I continued to wear them for the
remainder of the morning for post-exercise
recovery. They felt fitting and snug, but not
restrictive at all to my movements or
breathing.
The benefits of wearing 2XU Compression:

Greater oxygenation of blood for faster
recovery
Reduced fatigue through less muscle
oscillation
Reduced muscle soreness
Reduced long-term overuse injuries
Faster muscle warm up pre-exercise
Greater power output
Heightened proprioception awareness of
limb placement for agility
Colour
I love the colour choices in the range; purple

and black with a reflective X are my
favourites, but the blue and pink are a
welcome addition to break up my mostly
black compression gear wardrobe. The
limited edition tights for 2XUs 10-year
anniversary also come in the mid rise cut
and the designer pattern and colours used
are really great and eye-catching.
Uses
The tights are also ideal for travelling or

when you might be sitting for a long time.
The newly styled waistband allows you to
be comfortable in the air and hit the ground
running, without the nasty effects of swelling
or tight hips, which is usually associated with
long haul flights.
The 2XU Mid Rise Tights are available

at Beyond Fitness in City Centre
Meaisem Mall and all GO Sport stores
for 430 AED
OUTDOORUAE
37
PRODUCTS
Polar M450
The GPS bike computer
950 AED
Available at GO Sport Mall of the Emirates, Adventure HQ
YAS Mall and Sport In Life
A bike computer designed to support all riding styles and
goals. Stylish, customisable and value for your money.
Features include:
GPS: Track your speed, distance and
route with state-of-the-art GPS
powered by a fast satellite connection.
Precision Barometer: Integrated
barometer to ensure precise
altitude functions.
Heart Rate Guidance: Heart rate
is your most reliable fitness
indicator. Monitor your heart rate
to train effectively.
Tests: Learn to know yourself by
measuring your condition and
progress with fitness and
orthostatic tests.
Training Load and Recovery Time:
Find your limits by following your
training load and learn how much
recovery time is needed after the ride.
Safety Focus: A smart visibility front LED light for your safety.
Alpinestars Tech 10 Boots
Price: 2,500 AED | Now: 2,250 AED/QAR

Available only at Al Yousuf Motors across the UAE
Features:
The Tech 10 boot is CE
certified.
Exclusive dual compound
sole is seamlessly
integrated to the
multi-density foot base
structure with built-in
support. The sole offers
superior durability, grip
and feel while riding.
The central sole insert
is easily replaceable.
New buckle closure system
includes high-impact
aluminum bridge closures,
with memory and a quick
release/locking system with
self-aligning design for easy, precise
closure and improved riding performance and security.
Soft microfiber gaiter helps seal out excessive water
and dirt entry.
Poly-fabric lining with 3D open cell foam incorporates
anti-slip suede on heel area to keep foot located inside the
boot.
38
OUTDOORUAE
Mens and Womens Gravity IV

Limited Edition
775 AED
Available only at Adventure HQ, Times Square

You just have to try these on because they will feel like nothing
you have ever worn before. They will feel like they were made
specifically for you.
How does Newton
Running know this?
Because Newton
made them specifically
for you. #FeelNewton
Perfect for : For runners
who crave the extra mile
and demand a shoe
that gives back what
they put in.
Likes : Limitless,
endurance
training and racing.
Ride : Well-rounded and
power packed.
Features forefoot and heel coverage for a dynamic
ride that rewards you with every stride.
Momentum IRIDEROCKER R3
Black Green/White Orange
2,999 AED
Available at Ride Bike Shop - Dubai, Abu Dhabi;
Modells Sporting Goods - Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain;
Galaxy Sport - Qatar
Unstoppable Style. One look at those super fat tires and you
cant help but smile. Roll down rough city streets, through the
park, even on the beach. Do it all on this fun-loving fattie.
Features:
Experience - Bell, intuitive
trigger-shifting and cup
holder enhance
the experience
Tires - Wide 26x4.0
tires are smooth and
stable on pavement,
dirt, sand or snow
Drivetrain - Wide-range 7-speed
drivetrain helps riders tackle
hilly terrain
Stylish - Stylish, attention
grabbing graphics
Kickstand - Kickstand
for quick, easy stops
Brakes - Powerful disc
brakes add confidence
and control
MX10:
Known globally for its previous

NATO approval and originally
developed for demanding military
scenarios, the Nite MX10 is our
most popular timepiece for good
reason.
Nite was awarded NATO certification

on the original MX10 over 10 years ago
because of its durability, quality construction
and impressive self powered illumination
system. The MX10 has since evolved and
been developed further, surpassing its original specification thanks to developments
to a number of aspects to the watch whilst
staying true to its proud military heritage.
Ever since its entry into the UAE, Nite has
become a household name for men and
women outdoors who want a timepiece that
is perfect for their adventures day in, day
out. Gaining a large, cult following due to its
superior design, it has time and time again
proved that its fine craftsmanship and rugged practicality is well worth its price.
As a nod to all the outdoor enthusiasts in
the UAE, Nite now announces the Special
UAE Edition of the MX10 complete with all
the things you all love in the MX10 aviation grade stainless steel, thick sapphire
crystal, a Swiss Ronda movement and of
Military Heritage, Timeless Design,

Now in Special UAE Edition
Technical Specifications
Case Finish Brushed Stainless Steel
Strap Type Stainless Steel Bracelet
Crystal Sapphire with triple
anti-reflective coating
GTLS Hands & Dial
MBS No
Movement Swiss Ronda 505
Crown Type Push
Dial Diameter 32mm
Case Diameter 39mm
Case Depth 10.75mm
Weight 158g
course Nites very own GTLS illumination.
Water Resistance 100m
Other than these features, the UAE Edition
Battery Life 3-4 Years
features a revised fascia emblazoned with
the Seal of the United Arab Emirates as well
as Arabic numbers.
The UAE Edition is
available at a limited run of to
Available at
ensure that all its owners will
Instagram: @almekshah
have the exclusive privilege of
Facebook: www.facebook.com/almekshah
having the first Nite Watches
Mobile:+971 55 9898954
purposely designed for the
UAE outdoor community.
OUTDOORUAE
39
OUR EXPERTS
Women
n Wheels
Womens competitive cycling is born
Words by: Helle Bachofen von Echt

Photos by: Anton Vos and Usman Oluwaseyi
The sixth edition of Spinneys

Dubai 92 hosted the largest elite
womens field to date with 36
finishers. In addition, 124 female
riders competed in the open category. This is a result of a big boom
in womens cycling, especially in the
last year.
Emma Woodcock, founder of Velo Vixens, a
UAE womens cycling group, reveals a growth
from 160 female members to 540 in just one
year. In addition to welcoming more women
into cycling from a social and exercising
aspect, the Urban Ultra womens only competitive cycling league has been set up in collaboration with the UAE Cycling Federation.
This has prompted female cyclists in the UAE
to form competitive teams; some of which
have been able to get sponsors onboard. In
order for women to participate in these federation races, they must, as riders, belong to
one of these teams. As a direct result of this,
more female riders than ever are signing up
for cycle races and challenges in the UAE.

On the back of the implementation of this
female league , more female riders than ever
before in the UAE feel confident, more experienced and well looked after in their respective teams, to take on challenges such as the
Spinneys Dubai 92.
In the 2015 edition with 35+ elite female
registrations, women were allocated a female
only start for the first time, and while the
challenge was underway no male riders were
allowed to merge with the female elite riders
and vice versa. In order to qualify as an elite
rider for the Spinneys 92, a rider must hold a
UCI UAE or UCI International license.
On 11th December, nine teams from the
Urban Ultra league took to the start line in
the Autodrome early in the morning prior
to sunrise. The teams were Liv, Team TREK
Tigresses, Velo Vixens, High5, Wolfis Contessas, BeSport, The Cycle Hub, Urban Ultra
and Souplesse Cycle, along with a couple
of riders from Revolution Cycles and from
outside the UAE. This made it the largest elite
female field witnessed to date. In addition to
competing for first place and earning the title
of Elite Female Winner 2015, every rider and
team registered with the Urban Ultra Cycle
League also competed for points for the overall league leaderboard. This gave most riders
in the challenge an incentive to perform to
their best ability for their respective team. The
Spinneys 92 is just one of the cycle challenges
selected as part of the league calendar, in

agreement between the league organisers
and team leaders.
As the Challenge Unfolds
At 6:00 a.m. the elite male category were sent

off on the 92K route, competing for the 2015
title. Two minutes later it was the elite female
categorys turn to start their engines and
begin the challenge. Snaking out through
the dark and bendy race track, visiting Danish rider, Josefine Huitfeldt from the Danish development team Rytger, took to the
front, picked up the pace and lead the pack
through the dark. Before exiting the F1 track,
the group had separated into two pelotons,
with 22 riders making it out with the front
group. Despite some break away attempts,
mainly by Wolfis Contessas, the front peloton
remained the same size almost until the end,
with strong riders from The Cycle Hub and
BeSport team on a mission to close any gaps
that were created. Towards the end of Hessa
Street and only 3km before the finish line, the
elite female front peloton was caught by the
front group of Male A riders (who had a start
time of 10 mins after the female group) and
this resulted in a bit of chaos as the female
riders were swallowed and merged with the
male riders. In a moment of slightly chaotic
decision making, the female riders attempted
to remain on the right side of the male peloton, but whilst still seeking to benefit from
any drafting off the male group. Closing in

towards the finish line inside the Autodrome,
the combination of all these riders unfortunately left very little space for the females to
have their own sprint finish. Aimee Wright
from The Cycle Hub team took the winning
title for 2015 (and maximum points for the
womens league table), while two riders from
Wolfis Contessas finished second and third,
within a second of the winner.
Team Tactics and Strategies
With teams in place and a few league races

under the belt, we are starting to see the elite
women implementing or attempting some
race strategies. One of the more experienced
and bigger teams, Wolfis Contessas, were
trying out some different team tactics; keeping a high-steady pace and launching breakaways in order to avoid a sprint finish. They
wanted fewer riders in the final sprint and
they wanted to tire out sprinters from other
teams so that they didnt have such fresh legs
in the end, as their team leader later revealed.
Given that this is a new role for her and her
team, she was happy with the team communication and their three breakaway attempts.
Aimee Wright, winner and team leader
of The Cycle Hub team, tells me that their
strategy was to react on any attacks launched
from other teams. Otherwise, the plan was to
sit in the peloton and wait for a sprint finish;
which worked out well as they took the win.
One of the less experienced teams, Team
TREK Tigresses, explained that their objective
was for each team rider to finish in the best
time possible for team points. They wanted
to attempt to start out more aggressively than
usual to remain in a peloton. Four riders of
five succeeded and finished with the second
elite peloton.
Riders Experiences
The general feedback on the Spinneys 92

Cycle Challenge, from the elite womens point
of view, was that it was an enjoyable, educational and successful event, with all female
riders staying safe. The challenge offered opportunities to try out different race tactics too
and for the teams to bond. Also adding to the
positive experience was event organisation
such as the venue and volunteers.
Dee Boys, leading the Liv team, enjoyed
competing in a more professional manner and adds that having a womens only
category makes the womens race fairer and
more competitive, while Amber Mirza, heading up Team TREK Tigresses, tells me that her
team members, all being new to competitive
cycling, are learning an immense amount
from every race they take part in, anything
from personal limitations and race strategies,
to how to fuel before and during events. The
team is continually learning and evolving and
this is resulting in growing strength from one
challenge to the next.
As the team leader of the BeSport team
and a contender in the front peloton, I believe
this was a very successful attempt by most
teams, whether taking an active or reactive
approach. With an almost entirely flat course
and no strong winds on the day, it would be
hard for any team to implement active strategies to split the peloton further. On this type
of course, riders also have the opportunity to
practise positioning within the peloton.
Womens Only Category How Will

That Influence Womens Competitive
Cycling in the Future?
Ruth Foley, from team High5, shares her views

saying, This will only serve to improve all
riders; encouraging more women to race will
help increase competition at the front. For
the less experienced group of elite riders it
provides racing experience, something that
somebody relatively new to cycling, like me,
is not used to.
Tiina-Maija Bergman adds, We believe it
will encourage more women to take part. The
atmosphere in Spinneys 92 was, as always,
supportive and positive and the passion we
feel for the sport and ourleague is infectious!
We are proud and happy to be part of this
history making, bringing a UAE womens

cycling league to reality.
From my personal point of view, I would
also like to hope that these women only
events will build the foundations and inspire
younger talented female riders to embrace
the sport and create a safer, more attractive
and supportive environment for their development. Furthermore, as we already have
some Emirati riders embracing the competitive side of cycling in the UAE, we also aim
to create a friendly, female-oriented setting
for any local girls, inviting not only to take up
cycling as a form of exercise, but also offering
an opportunity to develop as an athlete in a
female environment.
Lastly, Dee Boys of Liv and Helen Rodd,
team leader of Velo Vixens, agree that beyond the competitive aspect, an event like
Spinneys Dubai 92 also creates excitement
and fun for the participants, which helps
promote women and health. It will encourage
more women into the sport of cycling.
You can follow these women again as they
compete in the spectacular scenery of Liwa
on the 22nd of January 2016 on a very tough
course which undoubtedly will unfold
differently to the Spinneys 92 challenge
and put all riders through a tough strength
challenge.
Helle Bachofen von Echt is a
Dubai-based sponsored Elite Road
Cyclist competing in both local and
international events. When she is not
training, she is helping others achieve
their health and fitness goals by running her own personal training services
as well as giving indoor cycling classes.
Helle loves travelling with her bike
and you can follow her adventures and
racing on Instagram
@thegirlwhocyclesinthedesert.
OUTDOORUAE
41
OUR EXPERTS
Looking for Love

Words + Photos by: Kit Belen
Since the summer, a few friends

and I have been looking for an
easier way to go fishing. The main
challenges we face are piling up
each year only to find that some of
our spots that are closer to the city
have been closed down for development and those that have easy access to most of the populace have
turned into mini rubbish dumps.
Overcrowding, as well as a rampant disregard for cleanliness and the downright lack
of recreational fishing locations (a fishing
pier off Jumierah 1 would be nice!) in the
UAE has forced anglers, such as my friends
and I, to look for remote places that require
a lot of travelling and to find alternative species to target.
After a few trips we found a some places
that hold fish that were perfect for light and
ultralight tackle, exactly what we needed for
a quick fix. You would be surprised at how
these spots are peppered across the country
and seemingly empty looking spots could
yield hours of entertainment if you do the
homework.
Hirame Love
Hirame is Japanese for Flounder. Although

they are present in both the Gulf and the
West Coast, they are surprisingly not targeted a lot and mostly caught by catch by
bait fishermen. To target them specifically
is a bit technical and at times, frustrating, as
Look for beaches where there are a lot of baitfish
around, chances are they are, the flounder are there
42
OUTDOORUAE
be found all over the Gulf as well as the

East Coast. Basically, you can find them in
all of the coastal states of the UAE, Oman
and neighbouring countries. Since most
of the Gulf shores are mainly comprised of
sandy bottoms, they are fairly prolific. Finding them is a matter of finding their main
forage, which are smaller fish and crustaceans. Find the bait and you will find the
fish.
Flounder feed by using their sharp sense
of smell, so targeting them with lures is not
as easy as a lot of people think. This is what
got us to really like them, because even if
there was technically plenty of them around
and even with their good eyesight and
predatory nature, they are first and foremost
an olfactory based predator.
Trapping Aladdins carpet

Flounder can be found around the
coastal shores of the Emirates and
surrounding countries, they are not
only very sporting in ultralight tackle,
they are also very good for the table
we have found out the hard way.

Although we have seen some relative
success with them over the last few weeks,
we cannot really call it a big success by any
standard. What we initially wanted to do was
to look for species we could target when the
weather was not cooperating and at least
have some fun in shallow water and get our
weekly fishing fix.
Flounder live on sandy bottoms or sandy
bottoms with patches of rock. They can
Surprisingly, a range of lures works for them

and we have caught them with jigs and
plugs. The key factor is really trying to figure
out if they are around the spot you chose.
We use rods designed for Aji (Japanese
horse mackerel) because we find the light
tips of these rods sensitive enough to pick
up the light taps, and the soft tip also keeps
the mouth of the fish from tearing. The thin
tip is just enough to feel the bite as they
have a strange way of hitting lures their
mouth isnt positioned the way we are used
to.
A long ultralight rod to give you some
distance and a reel and line that enables
you to cast small lures are exactly what you
need. The Japanese design helps a lot in
Another fish of the shallows, the flathead might look a bit scary, but it is a strong and stubborn fish
Its not often, but sometimes, you get lucky

and catch some good ones out there
Sand Whiting also join the mix, this one bit more than
it can chew, it surprising to see this fish bite a lure
distance, line management and the rod

gives the lure the action that fish find good
enough to try and take. Braid of about
4-5kg is mostly what we use with 5kg being
the maximum. Fishing for them is certainly
not cheap because you go through a lot of
tackle from being busted off. Go one higher
than 5kg and you wont land a lot because
their mouths tend to tear. A lighter line also
makes you cast further and it gives you a
lot more time to work the lure, which spells
more time in trying to get the fish to bite.
However, since these fish rarely grow to
titanic proportions, a good ultralight setup is

more than adequate for fish of up to about
2kg.
There are other species of fish that swim
around in the same spots as the flounder
and you will catch a few of them. We have
caught flatheads, sand whiting (locally called
Ladyfish), a few species of bream, and the
occasional grab and go tactics of cuttlefish will leave you wondering what it was.
For now, the love affair with the Hirame
continues and we are looking forward to
fishing for them on weekends and hopefully
Sometimes you get lucky and

end up with a sizable ones
find methods that are more effective than

what we are using at the moment.
Till then, tight lines and screaming drags,
Kit
Our fishing pro who shares
his experiences and
expertise with OutdoorUAE
through his regular column.
thefishingkit@gmail.com
GET OUT AND RIDE !

AIR
Photo: F . Berthuot
SERIES
Inflatable All-around Cruising/Racing
ONE 126
GLIDE AIR
110
MANA AIR
910
NALU AIR
102
NALU AIR
110
ALANA AIR ALANA AIR

106
116
NaishStandUpPaddling
Learn more at naishsup.com
Ocean Sports FZE: +971 (0) 55 935 2735 - enquiries@kitesurfsup.com - kitesurfsup.com
OUR EXPERTS
Keep Calm and Lets Run

100km to Celebrate the
44th UAE National Day
A solo challenge to celebrate UAE history in the Emirate of Dubai
Words By: Nico de Corato
Photos By: DubaiBlog and Desert Academy
100km. Its difficult to even just

mention it. I still remember when, after
finishing a 15km run in the desert around
Al Maha about a year ago, I gave myself
the goal to run a marathon in the desert
within two to three years and at least one
ultra-marathon of 50km.
Instead less than six months ago, I met
Max Calderan, founder of the Desert
Academy, and today under my belt I have: a
marathon in the desert (a few days after our
meeting and with no planning), several training sessions in the desert of Rub Al Khali, a
50km solo run at night with a 10kg backCooling down after a run
Celebrating the arrival with the UAE flag, after 20h 10min at the Bab Al Shams
pack, all leading up to this 100km run.

It was a challenge Max gave me after the
first 42km in the desert; the Big Jump he
called it. First the marathon, then 50, then
70, then 80 NO
Lets shoot for 100 right away, by the end
of the year. You can do it. You must do it.
So the preparation started; not just training, but also nutrition, advice, tips to reduce
thirst, hunger and sleep deprivation (needed
for such a long race). We looked for the
right itinerary and the right date.
In the beginning, we thought of Rub Al
Khali (the second largest sand desert in the
world), where many training sessions were
staged. We thought about running the distance in the middle of November, as soon as
temperatures became easier, at least for this
first attempt. In July, I trained for 40km with
temperatures as high as 52 degrees, but

100km is a completely different story.
Then a series of meetings and situations
shaped the idea into a project: running
100km for the 44th UAE National Day.
December 2nd marks the celebration of the
unification of the seven emirates back in
1971, a date which allows the UAE to think
about its past, present and future and commemorate their rich heritage, civilization and
perseverance in all sectors.
The Meydan Hotel and Hospitality group
assisted us by offering logistic support at
the start and finish. We decided to start on
the 1st of December at midday from the
Meydan Hotel and Racecourse, the prestigious location that also hosts the annual
Dubai World Cup. Arrival was expected on
the following day National Day - at Bab
Nico de Corato and Max Calderan before the start of the 42K
Last km before ending at the Bab Al Shams
Al Shams, after 20-24 hours. Both Max and

I liked the course: from the present (hotel,
facilities, city) to the origins (desert), to
celebrate where it all began. It also gave me
the chance to explore some different locations in Dubai along the way.
Days went by and the moment arrived.
A few pictures, then I was on my way at
12 oclock sharp. I decided to leave in the
warmest hours so that the hardest part
would be tackled while I was still full of
energy. And, in fact, the beginning was the
hardest, especially in terms of motivation.
Leaving the city meant crossing streets and
highways, not the greatest landscape at
times. Within 10-15km the road began to be
surrounded by sand. It was getting more difficult for the articulations in a way, especially
on long distances. The first few hours were
the hottest, so it became essential to manage the energy expenditure and prevent
dehydration and early tiredness. Kilometres
passed by, slowly. More and more sand
less asphalt. After approximately eight hours
I was halfway. With only 2l of water, some
dates and a couple of refills along the route,
I was doing better than I expected.
The 50km mark was at Inflight Dubai
where we planned a rest stop. Some food,
water and rest for the muscles and the mind.
After resting a bit, I wore my night gear, and
continued with the run.
The break helped. I breezed through the
next 10 kilometres to the next checkpoint
(the night is the most critical moment,
therefore checkpoints were set every hour
or 10km; I also had car support now). In less
than 55 minutes, I was well into the Al Lisaili
area. A quick stop and I set off again. Ten
more kilometres went by quickly I was
now at 70 km. I couldnt believe it, but I was
also starting to feel tired.
It was a better landscape compared to the
city, but it was also dark, and I couldnt see
anything but the rare headlights of a few
cars stopping to see if I needed help. There
were a lot of horse-riding schools around
here, and I could hear the horses neighing.
It was really dark and the road seemed to go
forever, but the moon helped in that I did
not have to use a light. However, my rhythm
was slowing down and I was getting tired.

With effort, I made it to the Al Qudra
roundabout, where I bent round towards the
desert and then down to Bab al Shams, the
final destination. Seventeen hours and 40
minutes had gone by, and I was 10 kilometres from the end. I was elated by the
thought that I would be arriving sooner than
expected.
But the last 10 kilometres were endless.
A long file of lights that are now off due to
the hour of the day was separating me from
the end. Sometimes I stopped for a few
minutes, leaning on a palm tree or a rock to
rest my legs and back, even just for a few
seconds. I was not cramping, but my back
hurt everywhere. When the end is in sight,
you always try to run, but my mind was not
letting me as I was not sure how far from
the end I really was. I continued walking for
a few hundred metres, and stopped again
briefly. All the while, time is passing; I am at
20 hours.
Suddenly, a car driven by Willem Duplooy,
sports and recreation manager of the resort,
who had come looking for me, arrived and I
heard him scream, Youve almost made it,
dont give up!
My mind gave me the signal, and I began
running again for the last 2-3 kilometres. The
With Coach Max Calderan before the start at the Meydan
roundabout, the side street, the entrance to

the resort, the security man that welcomed
me and asked if I am the man running from
the Meydan, the indications for loading and
unloading the final street is uphill, but I
finally see the sign to the reception a few
meters away. I made it - 100km in 20 hours
and 10 minutes. I cant help but cry.
I was in pieces. The next few hours went
by with breakfast, a trip to the spa, rest
and lunch with friends. Everything seemed
so surreal. I still didnt realise that I really
made it, but I started focusing in on some
aspects of this feat, thanks to the questions
I was getting (some of the people around
me were sports professionals). I drank less
than four litres of water and I didnt struggle
to stay awake, thanks to the micro-cycles
at fairly regular intervals. Hour after hour I
regained my normal motor functions and,
although tired, I could almost walk effortlessly. I had breakfast and lunch without too
many metabolic problems.
I spent the afternoon at Bab Al Shams,
who had organised a small celebration. I
wore my running gear again and re-ran the
last kilometre for the official ribbon cutting.
Incredibly, I felt almost no pain and could
still run up and down the dunes around the
resort. One hundred metres to the end, I
heard the speakers announcing my arrival,
and people clapping a nice feeling for
a non-professional athlete. I felt emotional
when Willem presented me and gave me
the UAE flag.
I would like to thank all those who have
been close to me before, during and after
the event, including the Meydan Group and
the Bab Al Shams Resort for the logistical support and the celebration; Renia for
videos and pictures during the competition,
and of course Max Calderan and the Desert
Academy. Its true I was a solo runner for
100km, but it wouldnt have been possible
without him. Just a few months ago, my
goal was to run 42km in the desert within
two years
Keep calm and stay tuned for next challenge!

For further reading, check Nicos website
www.dubaiblognetwork.com, contact
him on social networks or via email at
admin@dubaiblognetwork.com for information about this article or just to say hello.
OUTDOORUAE
45
OUR EXPERTS
New Year, New Hobby:
Scuba Diving
Words + Photos by: Jake Lyle
Each January, people all over

the world resolve to better themselves or their lives in one way or
another with a New Years resolution. These can range from get fit
and lose weight all the way to get
out of debt and save money, but
the percentage of people who can
actually maintain these resolutions
is frighteningly low.
The key to maintaining a resolution is
enthusiasm you need to be motivated and
passionate about it, the whole year round,
and you have to want to sustain it, and not
just feel like you have to. So the easiest way
to articulate a resolution that youll succeed
with, is by choosing something that you
want to do, not something that you feel
you need to do. The best way to do that is
to choose a new hobby, and the greatest
hobby to choose for me is diving!
Diving cannot be compared to any other
hobby, because it is unlike anything else out
there. Its a transcendent experience that
takes place in another world a world where
the laws of gravity, motion and dominance
are all vastly different to life above the
surface. Scuba diving encapsulates such a
wide array of experiences, which can include
diving with huge schools of sharks, drifting
hundreds of meters along towering walls of
coral, or even exploring sunken shipwrecks.
There are few hobbies out there that can
46
OUTDOORUAE
provide the same adrenaline that diving

does, the same excitement that engulfs you
as you take the giant leap from the boat,
plunge into the deep, and wonder which
tiny creatures lay on the sea floor and which
larger creatures could be swimming around
you. Its a humbling experience, in which the
situation is transformed no longer are you
at the top of the food chain, and no longer
do you govern everything around you,
reminding yourself of the true natural pecking order. Scuba diving truly is unique, and
unlike anything else; its an experience that
should be enjoyed by everyone especially
if you live in a place like the UAE, that is
surrounded by perfectly temperate waters
and huge stretches of coastlines littered with
coral reefs.
The access to Scuba diving in the UAE
and the Middle East is unlimited. Much
of the UAEs coastline is lined with coral
reefs, the best spots being along the coast
of Fujairah. As well, Omans coast, all the
way from Musandam down to Muscat, is
privileged with colourful and diverse coral
reefs, that act as a permanent residence to a
plethora of underwater species. Dubai also
has a type of diving location that not many
other diving destinations can boast: artificial islands. The World Islands are another
fantastic dive spot, further demonstrating
the diversity and vastness of diving opportunities here in the UAE and Middle East.
Not only are the diving locations in the area
superb, but also the dive community here
in the UAE the people who will set up
these dives and get you to these incredible
locations is just as vast. There are over a
dozen dive operations in Dubai alone, who
can do everything from getting you certified
to getting you diving inside a shipwreck, not
to mention the operations in Fujairah, Musandam and Muscat, who will do the same.
With this overabundance of opportunity that
so few people around the world have access
to, how can you not take advantage of it?
Getting certified to Scuba dive is not a
difficult or tedious process, but it is instead
a fun and interesting experience, that will
only inspire you further to get into the water,

once youve learnt the basics. The word
Scuba is an acronym for Self Contained
Underwater Breathing Apparatus, which is
the equipment that allows divers to safely
explore the underwater world, and in the
training process of becoming a certified
diver, you learn the basics of how this equipment does its job in allowing us to breathe
underwater, and how to use it safely. One
of the most well-known governing bodies
on the rules and regulations of diving is an
organisation called PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors). This is the most
recognized qualification for the majority of
diving locations around the world, including Dubai. The process of getting certified
includes a few different steps: classroom
study, practical training in a pool and then
open water training.
The required age to learn to Scuba dive
is 10 years old, and a reasonable level of
fitness is also needed, as Scuba diving is
an active sport that requires energy and
capability. If youre of age and reasonably
fit you qualify to learn! During the course,
classroom study usually involves watching an
informational video that visually outlines the
basics of the sport, as well as the important
safety aspects. This is a great way to quickly
get accustomed to and understand the
activity and it will naturally increase your
confidence about the wonderful hobby.

As well, youll be issued a divers manual
that will help to reinforce and consolidate
your knowledge and with the help of your
instructor, you will complete the exercises in
the manual, giving you a firm grasp of the
fundamentals and essentials. Thats the extent of the classroom work, after which the
practical training will begin. With the knowledge gained from the video and manual,
it will be easy to quickly familiarize yourself
with the equipment and its functions, getting you into the pool even faster. One of
the most exciting aspects of the course is
taking your first breath underwater its a
bizarre and unfamiliar experience at first but
it will eventually become second nature, and
youll forget all about life on the surface!
The pool training encompasses the learning
of a range of new and exciting exercises, like
breathing through your primary and secondary air, how to clear your mask if it floods,
controlling your buoyancy and much more.
After spending some time underwater in the
pool, youll be dying to hit the open ocean.
The last phase of the course involves four
open water dives, in which youll practice
the same skills as previously done in the
pool, and get a feel for diving in the open
ocean. The first open water dive is just as
exciting as taking your first breath underwater in the pool, as youll finally discover that
world beneath the waves that youve only
ever wondered about. Once all four open
water dives have been done, the final phase
is over and the course is finished. Each dive
operation varies in the time they take to

carry out the course as well as the price they
assign to them. Although it can be stretched
over a few weekends if you cant find the
time to do it all in one hit, the course can be
completed over four days, costing between
2,000-3,000 AED, depending on the dive
shop.
After gaining your first diving qualification, its often difficult to stop there. Once
the Open Water course is complete, its not
uncommon for people to progress through
the diving qualifications thereafter. One of
the strongest pulls is to specialise. There
is a plethora of specialty diving courses to
undertake after receiving your open water,
including things like underwater photographer, night diver, diver propulsion vehicle
diver and a lot more. These specialties
greatly enhance the diving experience, and
make the dives themselves, all the more
exciting. Moving further on from specialties,
divers can proceed to even higher qualifications, like Advanced Open Water, Rescue
Diver or even Master Scuba Diver. This
unique sport has a limitless scope for development, which will allow you to learn new
skills all the time helping to invest your

money in quality experiences that you wont
regret or forget. One of the greatest things
about the hobby is that it has no borders,
diving is a global phenomenon, with oceans
all over the world waiting to be explored.
It will act as the vehicle to take you around
the world in search for new experiences and
unforgettable sights. Diving will inspire and
encourage travel, unlike any other hobby
out there; it will take you across continents
and oceans, from country to country and
dive to dive. The potential is limitless.
Choosing a new years resolution is something that everybody begins to think about
come late December. People think what
should I do better this year? or whats a
sensible change to make for this year?
why limit the resolution to just one year?
Why not choose a resolution that will affect
the rest of your life, something that you will
start this year and continue to do every year
after that; something that will better your life
but also sustain your enthusiasm for it. The
obvious choice is a new and exciting hobby,
a hobby like diving, that will have you
hooked from the moment you plunge into
the deep and surround yourself in an alien
world that so many people are unfamiliar
with. Even if none of your friends or family
have ever undertaken the endeavour be
the pioneer. Diving is seldom something
that you can do once and never repeat. Its
something that will have you planning your
holidays around - checking water visibility
levels, dive shops in the area, whale shark
migration seasons and everything else to
ensure you get your perfect dive.
We live in a unique part of the world,
where the buildings are the tallest and the
cars are the fastest, but too often people fail
to realise that the oceans are the liveliest.
With idyllic dive locations scattered around
the Arabian seas, and a surplus of dive
shops waiting to issue qualifications, theres
never been a greater time to take up this
hobby, and sit back and watch it change
your life.
OUTDOORUAE
47
OUR EXPERTS
Old Path, New Friends

Words + Photos by: John Basson
It was almost to the day, one

year ago, that we had the last
RAK Attack, a popular quad/bike
ride from Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah
organised by Just Gas It. As they
were committed to other events
this year they could not host the
event this time round. However, as
I have stated so many times; Dont
wait or depend on others, just do
things yourself.
The major problem with the RAK Attack
is the logistical problem of getting your
vehicle (and trailer) from the start to the
final destination in RAK. Again this task was
negotiated with Mommy. If you take the
pick-up and trailer, Ill sponsor us a weekend at the resort is pretty much the
long and the short of the negotiations, and
Mari enjoys being on the beach. However,
without this kind of support riders are often
limited to rides that start and finish at the
same point.
48
OUTDOORUAE
We were a small group this year, as it was

planned with short notice, and by the time
my invitation went out, the resort was
already fully booked
The only changes that I had made from
the original route was a detour around the
camel farm area. Apart from that, it was
the same route as before. The RAK Attack
was the first ride of more than 100km that
John-John did and he was barely eleven at
the time. His riding has obviously improved
since, and this year I could increase the pace
quite a bit.
Originally we were to be about eight riders, but the logistical complications (and a
fully-booked resort) reduced the number to
four. As my riding is by no means commercial, the numbers dont matter but having
fun does. Now dont ask me why, but there
is just something different about a ride that
goes somewhere compared to a ride
starting and ending at the same point. On
a normal ride the closer you get to the end
the more you realise that the ride is almost
over, but riding to a resort, the closer you
get the more excited you get.
Another thing that I enjoy on these longer

rides is the navigation part of the ride. Many of
my rides in Oman and locally might include more
than thirty waypoints for the day, most of them
only a point I selected on Google, and had never
actually been to prior to the ride. Finding these
turning points whilst maintaining a good average
speed adds to the overall satisfaction of the ride.
Some might say that having a GPS, makes this a
simple task, but they obviously have not used a
small GPS, strapped to their bikes handlebars, at
high speed in the desert. The GPS I use does not
know about fence-lined roads, barriers, farms and
more. It just points in the direction I need to ride
to get to the next point. Often one would have
to go quite far off-track just to try and stay on
track.
This year Kevin and Arkaitz joined us for the
ride. Arkaitz is rather new to the desert riding
scene but when the bug bit him after his introduction ride earlier this year, it bit hard. His Honda
CRF 450X still smelled like the showroom and
he was very excited to join us on the ride. Even
though we were on the quads, the terrain we rode
made no difference whether you were on quad
or a bike and he did well for his first long ride. As
we were all keen to get to the resort and join our
families we only stopped to take the customary
photos at the same spots we have been taking
photos at over the last three years, and limited
the time at the refueling stop. Looking at the ride
three years ago, we have knocked off almost one
and a half hours from the 1st year. (Ok, ok, we did
have some technical issues with one of the quads
on that ride, but no need to spoil a good story
with facts.)
There is only one refueling stop on this ride,

but it is almost midway and most bikes with their
standard size fuel tanks should be able to make
it to the garage. Every year, at some point I have
heard about riders (on off-road bikes) being
declined petrol at some station. This not due to
the fuel company but the authorities instructing
them not to give us fuel as our vehicles are
not registered and thus should not have been
allowed to enter the station via the road. Keep
this in mind: They might not fill your bike, but
those red plastic fuel cans are being sold at every
ADNOC petrol station and they will certainly fill
those. Keep 50 AED extra in your riding bag just
in case you need to stop behind the station, and
walk-in to buy fuel.
As with the previous RAK Attack rides this one
also ended on the beach, with our families and
some cold drinks. Life is good and what YOU
make of it!
Ride Safe and Go For Gold,
Regards,
JB
QATAR EXPLORER
FIA WTCC DHL Race, Qatar
A debut at night, for the Middle East and Nassar Al-Attiyah

Words By: Eulogy van Dyk
Photos By: QMMF Photographer
The chase for the FIA World

Touring Car Championship (WTCC)
success reached its climax at the
end of the year in Qatar when the
curtain came down on the 2015
season, jam-packed with action,
drama, excitement and the odd
dose of controversy. It was a
historic occasion with Losail
International Circuit staging the
WTCCs maiden night race and the
Championships first visit to the
Middle East.
But to top it all, and maybe the main

attraction for most of the local residents in
Qatar, Nasser Al-Attiyah, Qatars favorite
Dakar rally driver and a Middle East sporting
icon, also made his FIA World Touring Car
Championship debut on home soil for the
inaugural WTCC night race.
The evening started off with a pit lane
walk where everyone could get up close
and personal with their favourite drivers. It
looked like a grand parade with fans walking
up and down snapping selfies and getting signatures. Naturally a bigger crowed
formed around Nasser Al-Attiyahs pit and
it was amazing to see how he tried to give
personal attention to each and every fan!
As the time drew closer to the start of the
official racing, the track was cleared and the
fans had to take their seats. You could see
all the drivers getting ready and hear all the
Nasser Al Attiyah in action
S. Loeb in action
M. Bennani in action
Moroccan fans at Losail International Circuit
JM. Lopez in action
engines start with a great rumbling noise!

Two races were scheduled and it was going to be tough from the start for the drivers
competing as just five points separated
French Citron pair Sbastien Loeb and
Yvan Muller in the fight to finish runner-up
in the final WTCC standings. The Yokohama
Drivers Trophy, for independent racers, was
also up for grabs with Norbert Michelisz
seven points ahead of season-long rival Mehdi Bennani - the only Arabic driver to have
won in the WTCC.
Race One Round-Up: Lopez Equals

Record with Victory Number 10
After surviving a first-corner attack from

team-mate Sbastien Loeb, Jos Mara
Lpez was able to sprint to an impressive
victory ahead of Mehdi Bennani and Hugo
Valente. By winning the Yokohama Drivers
Trophy category in second overall, Bennani narrowed Norbert Micheliszs lead in
the battle for the independent racers title
ahead of the season finale to two points.
Loeb, who started third, fell to fourth and
fought back ahead of Valente for third
before dropping back at Turn 1 on lap two.
He hassled Valente for the remainder of
the 12-lap contest but ultimately settled for
fourth, a result that nevertheless enabled
him to extend his advantage to 12 points
over Yvan Muller in the fight to be WTCC
QMMF President and Nasser
Pit walk with M. Bennani handing out signatures
vice-champion. Muller finished sixth behind

Ma Qing Hua with Michelisz seventh ahead
of fellow Honda driver Tiago Monteiro, who
overtook LADAs Nicky Catsburg for eighth
on the penultimate lap. Stefano DAste completed the top 10, while Gabriele Tarquini
recovered from a handful of spins to beat
local hero Nasser Al-Attiyah to P16.
Race Two Round-Up: Muller on top

as Independent Racers Shine
John Filippi gave his all to keep Yvan Muller

behind on the charge to the first corner.
Although Muller initially got ahead, Filippi
fought back at Turn 1 to hold a lead that
would last for five laps while the safety car
circulated following a collision between
Nicky Catsburg and Stefano DAste. When
racing resumed Muller seized his opportunity at T1 as contact with Filippi sent the
youngster spinning to the side of the track,
while Muller just did enough to keep Ma
Qing Hua at bay as he battled to regain
control of his Citron. Even if Filippi had
kept Muller behind, his tenure of top spot
wouldnt have lasted after officials deemed
Podium Race 1
the 20-year-old had made a false start,

which earned the privateer a drive-through
penalty. While Muller gradually increased
his lead over Ma, Loeb was unable to pass
Norbert Michelisz for third and the points
he needed to secure the runner-up spot in
the final table in what is likely to be his final
appearance in the WTCC. Mehdi Bennani
took fifth with Hugo Valente sixth, Gabriele Tarquini seventh and Jos Mara Lpez
eighth after opening-lap contact sent him
off track and down to P12. Tiago Monteiro
and Nicolas Lapierre completed the top 10
for Honda and LADA respectively with Tom
Coronel P12 behind Grgoire Demoustier
after starting from the pit lane when an oil
leak was discovered during the OSCARO.
com Repair Time. Tom Chilton fought back
from a trip through the gravel on lap one to
finish P13 ahead of Nasser Al-Attiyah and
Filippi. Rob Huff pitted his Lada with five
laps remaining.
After the race, Nassar Al-Attiyah, spoke
about his experience: It was very important to me to finish the two races because
I dont really have any experience of this
Pit walk with S. Loeb handing out signatures
kind of racing and I am really so happy to

be with these top drivers and watching from
behind, learning a lot. This was a fantastic
weekend and a really good experience for
me but never do I sweat like this, not even
in Dakar.
Podium Race 2
Nasser Al Attiyah
OUTDOORUAE
51
LOCATIONS
Words + Photos By: Pavel Bafeel
December may sound a bit

cold for any outdoor activity, but
not in the GCC. Here, it seems to
be the perfect time of the year for
any adventures out in the open.
Early in December I joined Justin
for a climbing trip in Jebel Shams.
We were promised a 160 metre
abseil with great views, and, as a
cherry on the top, Via Ferrata on
the way back.
Edge of the 160 metre abseil and our

instructor Joe from Oman Adventure
Grand Canyon of Oman
Jebel Shams is one of Omans most

spectacular areas. The highest point, Jebel
Shams (Mountain of the Sun), is around
3,000 metres (around 9,800 feet) high and
offers an absolutely stunning view. You know
instantly why it is call the Grand Canyon of
Oman. We met there early morning and at
around 9:00 a.m. took all the gear and went
about half a kilometre towards the edge of
the cliffs. To get to the big abseil wall, you
can either climb down via ferrata or you
can abseil for 30 metres. It depends how
experienced you are and on the suggestion
of the instructors I took the abseil which was
great as I was able to refresh my skills and
technique.
The Real Adventure Starts NOW
The view is absolutely magnificent. Its hard

to imagine that there is a 160 metre vertical
stone wall under your feet which youre
about to conquer. After everyone got to
the meeting point below the first cliffs, we
sat down and talked through the upcoming
abseil while preparing ropes and especially
our minds! For security reasons we used two
ropes, together with the ASAP, which can
hold you in case something goes wrong.
The hardest part is always getting over the
edge and stabilising. Afterwards, just enjoy
the adrenaline rush and keep going down
smoothly. It took us approximately 5 to 10
minutes each to get to the bottom where we
ate snacks and chilled around a pond with
fresh water.
The second half of our trip was climbing
the Via Ferrata back to the top. It took us
a little bit over an hour to get back up. It
didnt challenge me very much (note that
Im 6ft.7in, so grabbing for support really is
not an issue in my case), but according to
my colleagues, the difficulty was alright. We
came back to the top around 3:00 p.m.
Entertainment for Others
In case youd like to take this trip, but you

are travelling with family or friends, who are
not really into adrenaline activities, there is
no need for them to wait by the car until you
return. They can come and meet you easily
at the bottom of the abseil. They need to
Going down the first 30 metre abseil

and having no idea whats awaiting us
Via Ferrata on the way back up.
drive to Al Khitaym, the last village at the

end of the dirt road, and take a hike around
the cliffs which will lead them to the abandoned village of As Sab. Here, they need to
climb few rocks and after a while they will
arrive at the spot. The hike takes around 45
minutes to an hour, and a bit longer to get
back.
Overall, this one day trip is great if youre
looking for some adrenaline activities in the
area. You can stay until the next day and
camp out, however just keep in mind that at

this time of the year, the evening temperature can come down to around 10 degrees
Celsius. In our case, we drove down to Wadi
Damn and took the hike there the next
morning. More about that, some other time!
Again thanks to Justin and Joe from
Oman Adventures for their professional
guidance throughout the whole trip!
Check out their website to get to know
more (www.holiday-in-oman.com).
LOCATIONS
Kansas City Shuffle:
Climbing on the Prairie

Words By: Allen Kenneth Schaidle
Kansas City is situated in the

navel of the United States surrounded by rolling hills, which make
for beautiful ever-lasting sunsets,
but sadly, they dont produce ideal
features for notable hard sends.
Secretly, tucked away in the gut of
the city, concealed in the shadows
of the towering skyline, reside two
crags: Cliff Drive and Swope Park.
Both of which have continuously
fed the appetite of rock-depraved
prairie crushers with limestone for
decades.
Typically, people travel to KC for BBQ,
rarely for climbing. You wont open Rock &
Ice or Climbing to read about cutting-edge
5.15s established by Chris Sharma there, but
whats occurring is special and illustrates a
community of climbers devoted to testing
their skills in their own backyard.
Look, Im not arguing KCs climbing scene
rivals Boulder, but it does offer some notable
climbs and has a tribe invested in their
hometown. The City of Fountains has even
produced noteworthy climbers like Meridian
Line founder, first ascent guru, and adventure
artist Jeremy Collins as well as rising star
Ryan Surface who in 2015 individually placed
third and second in the team score at the 24
Hours of Horseshoe Hell.
No matter your discipline, you can experience it at Cliff Drive or Swope. Well, not ice
climbing, but there are rumours of attempts
along Blue River Rd. Similar to other Midwest
crags, its best to avoid climbing in the dead
of winter or summer. Driving in KC after a
heavy snowfall is like foreshadowing the
traffic anarchy one might imagine during the

apocalypse. Also, the heat during summers is
so intense Ive personally witnessed people
collapse because of heat exhaustion. Regardless, if the weather breaks, expect to find
climbers squeezing in a session.
KC climbers are tough. Theyll climb in miserable conditions for the pure enjoyment of
having somewhere to climb nearby and wont
utter a single complaint. Moreover, theyll
organise motor-barricades for the extended
drives to such climbing meccas as Horseshoe
Canyon, Jackson Falls in Southern Illinois,
and will even sojourn to Colorado, just for
a weekend trip. But no matter what, they
always return to their local crags, trying new
climbs whilst kindling the local psyche.
As KCs only roping crag, Cliff Drive is
something of a day-session dream, but dont
worry, you can also spend multiple sessions
here without getting bored. The majority of
climbs at Cliff Drive are under 50ft, requiring only one rope for a days fun with the
majority of grades 5.10 or harder. A mixture
of moderate climbs combined with a ridiculously relaxed approach makes Cliff Drive a
popular destination for KC climbers. On a
nice weekday evening or weekend, youll find
climbers scrambling up their favourite routes
like Chomping the Bit, graded 5.10a, trashing
skin on new projects, or training for bigger
walls out West. Before perfect conditions
settle out on monolithic walls, like Yosemite,
the walls of Cliff Drive host practice grounds
for mastering aid climbing. Thanks to recent
efforts on behalf of the Kansas City Climbing Community, Cliff Drive received a major
face-lift. KCCC rallied together in ridding the
area of trash while restoring the overall ecofriendliness of the spot. They replaced questionable rusted chains with trusty new ones,
constructed retaining walls, and cleared the
belaying zone to minimise safety concerns.
Not only was KCs economy rejuvenated
thanks to companies like Google Fiber and
Garmin taking up permanent residence, so
was the bouldering. Swopes bouldering resurgence has been something like the history
of the Royals. At one time, Swopes bouldering scene was hot with new problems, but
then steadily slipped into a cold spell. Parallel
to the recent success of the Royals, Swopes
bouldering has also received fresh attention.
My involvement with Swopes bouldering
scene started while attending the University
of Kansas in nearby Lawrence, Kansas. After

purchasing a worn copy of Sean Burns Missouri Limestone Select, I started doing solo
day trips. After hearing of new zones along
Blue River Rd., I convinced two other local
boulderers, Matt Lancaster and Mary Kate
Meara, to accompany me. Both KC natives
were hesitant because of Swopes formerly
sketchy reputation. Along with the likes of
KC good olboy Beck Johnson, we quickly
discovered KC bouldering was in an era of
rebirth. Old and new started receiving new
attention, such as the Firemans Memorial
featuring KCs only known cave bouldering,
pockets along Blue River Rd. including the
KC test piece the Last Rhino, Lake of the
Woods boulder among the proudest lines,
and some of the hardest/newest climbs residing along Oldham Rd.
The majority of the boulders are rough
limestone blocks, lending themselves to short
and unique features I havent encountered
elsewhere. After a long day of climbing you
can crush some infamous KC BBQ, but Matt
Lancaster and I swear by Jamdown Kitchen
as the best post-send meal and arguably the
best Jamaican cuisine stateside.
Next time youre passing through KC, stop
by and try a route or two. Natural climbing in
a heart of a major American city is a unique
experience. While I had to sadly leave KC
for the time being, I know the community
still thrives or as KC rapper, Tech N9ne, put
it, Thinkin they can stop the heart of the
Kansas City, but the heart of Kansas City is
beatin.
OUTDOORUAE
53
TIPS & TRICKS
Choosing a Cycling Holiday
Words By: Aime Wright
It can be so difficult choosing

a cycling holiday, especially as a
single female who is used to the
safety of the Dubai cycling
community and the fantastic
infrastructure that we have grown
so used to. So packing up my bike
(thank you the Cycle Hub) and
heading to Europe to tackle the
legendary mountains of the
Pyrenees was one of the most
daunting trips I have set out on.
Wow! I was so wrong and I left all of that
anxiety on the plane as being picked up
from the airport with lots of other riders
that I met at Toulouse airport could not

have been easier. Pyrenees Multisport is a
family-run company based in the heart of
the Pyrenees. They have converted an 18th
century farmhouse specifically for looking
after cyclists and triathletes. They have been
organising training camps and cycling tours
since 2004 and the owner, Ian, has in fact
ridden the infamous Raid Pyrenees (a 710km
challenge from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean) 32 times, so he knows this region
perfectly.
I was part of their Tour Ultime, a bike tour/
camp that took in all three of the Pyrenean
mountain stages of the Tour de France for
that year. It was like riding back to back
Etape de Tours with your own support vehicle looking after you all the way. In between
there were plenty of other rides mixing in
the toughness of the mountains with the
group social at the fantastic evening meals
that Julie provided, and of course all the
caf stops along the way, just like the Friday
morning ride.
I learnt a great deal about the different
cycling tours available during my stay in
Luscan and how to choose my next adventure in the future. Most importantly, I learnt
not to be worried about travelling alone
and overcame all those other concerns that
always stop you from doing something you
have always wanted to do like, Will I be the
last one? Will it be too hard?
Here is my short guide:
Self Guided Cycling

If you just want a gentle introduction to
cycling abroad then you can choose a selfguided cycling holiday - this may be on your
own or with a group of friends for a long
weekend or a week away. You will be picked
up from the airport and transferred to their
centre in the French Pyrenees where you will
have access to a vast array of cycle routes,
all pre-prepared, printed route cards and
GPS files. You do not even have to bring a
bike, if you prefer to rent one. If you happen
to have a mechanical or physical breakdown out on the road, there is always the
knowledge that emergency backup is only
a phone call away. So a Self Guided cycling
holiday is a great way to ride abroad in the
mountains at your own pace and with your
own itinerary, stopping when you like and
riding whatever distance takes your fancy
before being pampered on your return.
Organised Cycling Tours
All cycling tours are fully supported and this
means that you will be met at the airport by
the tour operators staff. You are transferred
either to the arrival hotel or to their base in
the Pyrenees. You will have help building
your bikes or have your rental bike provided
and fine-tuned for you. There is always a
briefing/welcome meal and the road books,
route cards and, on the Grande Tours, your
There are several types of organised

guided cycling tours but these can
be broken down into two categories:
cycling jersey, will be given to you. All accommodation, evening meals and breakfasts
are provided. Lunches will be at cafs on
route and the support vehicle will have hot
and cold drinks and snacks to be given out
on request (or just grab them when you
want). The support vehicles will carry all
your kit and leap frog the group throughout
the ride. Everything is taken care of including keeping you and your bike on the road
whenever possible. All you have to do is
ride your bike!
1. Cycling Tours
A cycling tour can be based in a single
location with rides radiating out each day,
normally with coffee stops and lunch stops,
and returning back to the same base (and
bed). Or they can be multi base tours going
point to point from hotel to hotel, or even
a mixture of both similar to the Tour Ultime
which has a few days based at their location in Luscan and a few days going point to
point through Spain and Andorra.
Both single and multi base tours are
always fully supported so you will have the
support vehicle nearby at all times with your
extra kit, food, motivational encouragement
and if it is a point to point, your luggage
too. The groups are made up of all abilities
and their 10 years of experience in supporting everyone shows through, allowing you
to enjoy the riding at your own pace with
zero pressure. They never hurry the back
markers (their support vehicle is not a sag
wagon) and they never make the front riders
wait. Each rider is there to enjoy their own
riding, whatever speed they ride at.
2. Cycling Challenges
There is a crossover between cycle tours and
cycle challenges as it depends if you would
like to ride the tour at your own leisure or to
receive an award at the end for completing
the ride. For example the Pyrenean Traverse,
their six day tour across the Pyrenees, is also
known as the Raid Pyrenean which can also
be completed over five days. This is a set
Brevet or medal challenge and in the case
of the Raid Pyrenean, you are required to
ride from Hendaye to Cerbere over 18 set
climbs in 100 hours and this is ratified by
the Cyclo Club Bearnais in Pau. You receive
an official stamp card, which is a lot of fun,
and you get a feeling of accomplishment as
it fills up over the tour. You then receive a
medal, a certificate and are added to the list
of finishers for that event.
OUTDOORUAE
55
TIPS & TRICKS
MTB Tips from David Kinjah

Kenyas top MTB rider gives us some tips to get the most out of your time in the saddle
Words By: David Kinjah
Photos By: Supplied
Cycling in the UAE, Kenya and

elsewhere is growing quickly, with
both on and off road cycling gaining
in popularity. My advice is to opt for
mountain biking, which offers an
opportunity for riders to truly
connect with nature.
1. Break Long Days Down
Into Sections
Cycling takes place both in the low lands

and highlands; and in Kenya, often at altitudes of above 2000 metres. Days of cycling
in high altitudes and rough terrain can
seem intimidating even to the most fearless
of participants. As well as strong physical
fitness levels, its a mental game too. Take
each day as it comes and then break each
day down further into sections providing a
collection of mini challenges. Working your
way through each of these challenges will
build momentum and the set of achievements will all work towards the overall goal
of completing the race.
2. Take in the Scenery and Engage

with the Communities
Make sure you take in the scenery while
en-route. The Mt Kenya Epik challenge

in particular, offers stunning views across
Kenya and the majestic Mt Kenya which can
distract from the physical challenges you
are putting your body through. The cycling
route will also take you through towns and
villages located on the slopes of the majestic mountain, so take time to engage with
the local communities as you cycle through
and beware of domestic animals; dogs, donkeys, chickens and goats crossing your path.
This is Africa: expect anything.
during and after your cycling trip can

increase your appetite for the race. Cycling
requires you to use high levels of energy
which your body wont be used to, and fuel
levels need to be constantly topped up.
Ensure that before the race, you are eating high energy foods and carbohydrates.
Throughout the race, aim to consume
energy drinks, bananas and honey and once
the race is completed, replenish your body
with plenty of recovering drinks/gels, and
water to rebuild muscle damage.
3. Get the Right Gear
5. Communication is Key
A simple preparation which can make a

huge impact on your race results. Wearing
suitable clothing for your race is imperative. If you wear too many layers you will
be prone to sweat more and will need
significantly more replenishing stops, which
will slow you down; or if you go without a
waterproof coat when there is rain scheduled, your clothes will be heavier and make
the journey even more challenging.
4. Breakfast of Winners
Carefully choosing the right food before,
56
OUTDOORUAE
Cycling with someone else or a group can

give you additional support as well as push
you into territories you might otherwise be
afraid to enter on your own. Strong communication is needed all the way through
to ensure you both reach your optimum
without over-working yourselves. In addition to the physical challenge of the terrain,
there is a threat of encountering wildlife on
your tour, so it is critical that you listen to
and adhere to the rules and regulations set
by the wildlife rangers during briefing and
remember, animals have right of way.
For 25 years, Indoor Cycling has pretty much been the

same, but here is a new kid on the block to show us whats
been missing! We sat down with Andy Joseph, one of the
most charismatic and powerful indoor cycling presenters
in the region for the past 9 years and master trainer for
RealRyder in the Middle East since Nov 2013, to find out
what Souplesse Cycle has to offer. As it turned out - a lot!
What Exactly is Souplesse Cycle?
It is a boutique-style indoor cycling studio

and a hidden gem right in a heart of Dubais
cycling hub Motor City. Every client is a
member of our growing RealRyder family and
the bonds and friendships formed in these
early stages of Souplesse Cycles life will be
carried through for years to come! The loyalty
and enthusiasm they bring after experiencing the joy of riding on the best bike on the
planet is truly incredible.
Indoor cycling is a group exercise and the
atmosphere during the classes is amazing.
Participants ride under the Starry Night Sky
a signature feature of the studio that all our
participants love.
About the name Souplesse comes
from the French word meaning suppleness
and describes that great feeling of fluidity the
rider achieves on the bike when in motion.
It is a holy grail of those of us in the world of
cycling!
Andy, that brings us right to the

question about the uniqueness of
RealRyder Bike. Tell us more about it.
Let me introduce you then to Colin Irving

first, the inventor of the bike. Coming from
the Rockies in Colorado, Colin is a competitive cyclist himself conceived the idea of the
bike when winter weather prevented him
from training outdoors. He envisioned the
concept of an static indoor cycling machine
cardio workout is an excellent way of burning

large amounts of calories and shifting those
unwanted kilos. This was confirmed by the
largest randomized trial conducted by Duke
Researches with the study appearing in December 15th 2012 in the Journal of Applied
Physiology.
And not to forget about endorphins! Indoor cycling sessions bump up the
production of the brains feel good
neurotransmitters during the periods of
increased exertion. As we regularly shed daily
tensions though movement of this physical
activity, resulting energy and optimism helps
us remain calm and clear in everything we do
and contributes to the overall feeling
of happiness!
What about the classes?
which would better replicate and support

a real road cycling experience. After years
of developing the design, working with the
industrys top professionals, the RealRyder
bike was born and revolutionized the world
of indoor cycling!
Its been the answer to our prayers really,
and for those of us who for some reason cant
ride outdoors, its pretty awesome. Participants can now experience all the joys of steering and leaning using the 3Dimensional range
of motion, engaging muscle groups of the
upper body and core for the cohesive, total
body workout greatly improving strength, stability and coordination. You burn almost 20%
more calories and it is without a doubt one of
the best cardiovascular exercises out there.
Andy, we know you were presenting

recently at the Etisalat Fitness
Festival 2015 on the subject
of the benefits of cardio.
There are literally dozens of benefits and

I would like to highlight three. We all love
to combat aging and look young! The
earliest research by the University of Harvard
published in the New England Journal of
Medicine in 1986 revealed that there was a
scientific link between cardio exercise and
increased life longevity. Many studies confirmed this initial assessment since then.
Weight Loss! With the alarming statistics
on the obesity and diabetes in the UAE,
Typical class is 45-50min and includes

warm-up and cool-down. They are suitable
for the beginners as well as elite athletes; the
participants control their individual pace and
resistance. Our certified RealRyder Rockstars
are leading the class and there is no limit to
how the sessions are structured, including
sprints, intervals, climbs, and various other
techniques. Its very result-oriented and a
great workout.
We meant to ask about

the Rockstars!
They really are! Up on stage killing it in front

of a hyped up audience!
Dubai is such a diverse place, so we really
caught the vibe of the city and picked our
Rockstars from all corners of the world and
they are one great team! They use their
previous knowledge blended with RealRyder
principles to enhance the participants
experience.
The only way to find out more is to come
and try for yourself. Join the Movement and
be part of the future today!
www.souplessecycle.com
UAE Dubai Motor City Apex Atrium Rooftop
rydereal@souplessecycle.com
+971 4 554 7346
First Session is on us!
OUTDOORUAE
57
TIPS & TRICKS
Words + Photos By: Marcel Viljoen
Speak to any runner, triathlete

or cyclist who includes strength as
part of their weekly regime, and
they will give you one or more of
three reasons for embarking on
such a program. First and foremost, strength training is good
for improved performance, also to
reduce risk of injury, and of course
to look good, although the latter is
not always admitted out loud!
According to Bompa and Haff (Periodization, 2009), strength can be defined as the
maximal force or torque a muscle or muscle
group can generate. It is also the ability of
the neuromuscular system to produce force
against an external resistance. Modern
sports science suggests that high levels of

muscular strength is significantly related to
sporting performance. Therefore, the appropriate application of resistance training can
alter the neuromuscular system in a way that
improves the athletes capacity to produce
force and improves sporting performance.
In plain English if you

dont do strength training
you are missing out!
My first recollection of formal strength or

gym training was in my final year of high
school. As soon as my running coach said I
was old enough to start doing some weights
I was off to the local gym to sign myself up
for membership. Back in the eighties, before
the information revolution and the internet, access to strength training information
was restricted to magazines, body building
books, and the local gurus at the gym. All
of these advocated a body building type
regime where the focus was on developing
different parts of the body with focused,

repetitive and highly concentrated regimes.
Commonly known as split training programs,
the emphasis is on muscular growth by training different body parts on different days.
You want strength you have to pump iron!
The results of this type of training are quite
clear. All you had to do was visit a body
building competition or browse through the
pages of a muscle magazine! I still find the
mass these guys are able to build genuinely
impressive.
Not for a minute though was it my intention to look anything like that, but rather
to enhance my running performance and
goals of getting fitter and faster. The female
instructor gave me a tour of the facility
and showed me how to use most of the
machines. She made some rudimentary suggestions with regards to how heavy I should
go, no doubt keeping in mind my typical
teenage running body tall, lanky and
seriously skinny! It didnt take long for me
to notice that I had to reduce the weights
each time I used a machine after she did!
And despite my efforts to train within my
capabilities, I still remember how I had to
make full support of the handrails walking
down the stairs to my motorbike after training sessions.
In retrospect my training was not sport
specific at all; there was not much in terms
of progressive overload and my phasing of training was non-existent. Despite
doing things all wrong, I still made good
ground and felt myself getting stronger. I
enjoyed the training but for some reason it
didnt last that long. During the following
decade I dabbled a few times with some
strength training and joined different gyms
and started reading running magazines for
some more streamlined guidance. Now,
more than thirty years later, I am much wiser
and far more qualified to see the distinct
errors of my ways. Poorly selected strength
exercises, incorrect training programs or
poor training form are all excellent ways to
highjack your efforts to improve your sport,
but most runners still find they improve to
a certain extent. Of course the risk of injury
is far greater by following incorrect training regimes, and with time of the essence
it just makes sense to do things right from
the start. So it makes perfect sense to follow
tried and tested methods of so many others
who have found that more is not better, and

that training smarter is so much better than
training harder!
The info above is an excerpt from my
eBook, Complete Strength Training for
Runners, which provides runners with step
by step guidance along a 5-month preparation period to a big race or upcoming
season. The need for a concise program like
that was borne over the years of listening to
runners, and sportsmen in general, and finding how they blindly follow any and all types
of gym programs in the hope of improving
their sport.
Thousands of teenagers, at school in particular, follow an array of training schedules
of which the above mentioned split routines
are a big favourite. They have all heard or
read somewhere that strength is a vital component to improving performance, although
the motive is not always that clear. As is
the case with popular eating plans, where
even the healthiest of diets will only be
followed if there is the potential reward of
weight-loss, so too most young athletes are
more interested in the promise of improved
appearance than the strength benefits.
Again, the beneficial side-effects of healthy
eating do involve weight-loss, and so too, a
meticulous, sports-specific strength program
will bring along with it not only sporting
improvement, but also a lean and muscular
physique. The risk of focusing purely on the
beneficial side-effects though is that the
importance of improved sports performance
could be compromised. Among many of my
clients there are two scenarios that creep in
which are worth mentioning.
The first is that of the recreational runners
who appoint a personal trainer to help them
with the strength component in preparation for a marathon or ultramarathon. With
due respect, although meaning well, most
personal trainers come from a body building
background and when they find out their
new client is a runner they take leg day to
brand new levels of accomplishment! Sure,
runners, cyclists and triathletes do require
tremendous levels of strength and muscle
endurance as well as power to perform at
the top of their game. However, strength
should always be seen as an important addition to an endurance program and should
not jeopardise the rest of the program. If
you are too sore to do your three hour long
run after your Friday strength day, then odds
are you did too much. We need to run
42km Mr Trainer, not carry a friend on each
hip on race day!
The second scenario is that of high school
rugby players who hit the gym three or four
days a week to get strong (read get big).
These adrenaline and protein-powderpumped sessions are done at such an intensity that they completely forget that they
need to drag these highly pumped bodies
around a rugby field at high speeds for
60min. Admittedly, the players will certainly
hit the ground running and definitely look
and feel fully impressive and functional, and
it may well be the most impressive 15min
of the week, but then the wheels will start
coming off, and enthusiasm will be replaced
by fatigue, errors and frustration. The reality
of it is that these young guys are training to

train and not training to compete.
So how do you sidestep these very real
pitfalls? Its much easier than you think! Our
bodies respond to progressive overload. In
other words, if you repeat the same activities
enough, you will not only get better at it,
but you will also be able to handle greater
loads as time goes by. Whether you are
training eight, ten or twenty hours per week,
ensure the sports specificity of your event is
of primary importance. So dont spend four
hours a week in the pool if you have a marathon planned in three months time! And
dont do hours on end of strength training
if you want to improve your half marathon

or 70.3 racing time! Keep to the requirements of your sport. Cardiovascular training
is critical for going the distance. Anaerobic
and threshold training is vital for improving your different energy systems. Speed
training gives you the edge and is the cherry
on the top. Strength training that takes into
account the movements and requirements
of your sport will not only save you time, but
also reinforce the muscle groups and
structures that take strain from hours of
training and with the adaptation that takes
place it will take your performance to ever
increasing levels!
OUTDOORUAE
59
TIPS & TRICKS
How to Do Desert
Runs with Kids
Words + Photos By: Vanda Turcerova
Kids are awesome little

creatures; we love them and would
do anything for them. But they can
also become an absolute nightmare
if you are not ready for it. Here is
your ultimate guide to surviving and
thriving in child-heavy environment
when out and about.
how to braai is practically an evolutionary

skill; secondly Maxi started to panic thinking
we had no food. I was, however, prepared
with extra food stashed away for just such an
instance. We made a quick second breakfast
and order was restored in no time. Falling
and rising together is a great way to bond.
You can also apply point three here; involve
and delegate micro tasks within your main
aim of the moment. What an experience!
We kept talking about this for a week and
Cronje was proud on how we recovered.
Important note here do not assign blame
(although kids will try do that for you) centre the issue neutrally, blame breakfast for
getting burnt, not your buddy.
1. Bring a Friend
Whenever you have the option, consider

bringing a peer. A kid doesnt want to
hang out with adults; we are the weird big
people who must always hang around and
kill all the fun and bark orders, have time
limits to everything and we are generally
boring. By bringing a peer, best friend or
vague acquaintance, you are facilitating two
awesome things first, you have provided
your kid with social interaction in a unique
environment (outside of their comfort zone)
and you have gained 50% of the previously
shared time (if you were alone with the child)
to set up camp or go look for firewood in
peace.
2. Cover Basic Needs
I sometimes see people who do stuff with

kids, prepping them as if World War Three
were approaching. Thats of course stupid
and costs you not only time and money but
also nerves and a good portion of sanity.
Why do we do this? Because we think good
enough never is more is better, we need
to cover all possible needs and wants. You
must cover only these following basic needs:
warmth, safety, adequate rest, need to be
occupied and full tummies. Everything else
is not needed and kids will figure it out, if
the need arises, and deal with it - and so will
you. A need to have a five-star toilet in the
middle of the desert is not a basic need; neither is a bunker bed and a Winnie the Pooh
night lamp. People, please.
3. Involve, Delegate, Empower
There is nothing worse for a kid (and adult

too) than having something passively explained without being able to experience
the process first-hand. Starting a fire, which
is the first most awesome thing humankind
has done on the way to evolution, is a great
example you can either talk about it while
doing it yourself and not let your minor
buddy try it out (boring) or explain, demonstrate and delegate the task (winner). There
are endless tasks you can delegate to kids
as young as seven: look for firewood, dig a
potty hole, offload a car, prepare a fireplace. Sure, dont expect any of these to
be done to your level of perceived perfection, but as long as the job done is functional and doesnt pose a hazard, well done to
your little monsters. Additional bonus? You
just made them feel on top of the world and
rest assured you will be talked about in the
school corridors for weeks. For kids, being
given a responsibility and being empowered
and in charge of a task shows you trust in
their abilities and limited knowledge. Dont
be shy and praise at will and generously.
4. Fall and Rise Together
Sometimes, the best plans are plan Bs - the

unexpected options that become available
when an original plan fails. In my case, Cronje, Maxis best friend, was left in charge of
the morning meal. Forgetting the grill over
the fireplace, he burnt down our precious
morning sustenance. He was so heartbroken
about it; firstly he is a Saffa and so knowing
5. Join and Experience
It is not only your duty to look after kids

when you are out and about. You are
investing your own time so why not spend
it involved and participating in their world
read books around the campfire, share
stories, listen to their experiences and plan
the day ahead. It is so refreshing to spend
a few hours or a day (if you are lucky) being
a kiddo again without worrying about rent,
bills or work.
Yes, it is hard for us adults to come down
to our offsprings levels and actually see
what our young ones are living like, how
they look at the world and what matters
to them. Try remembering your first camping experiences and what was great and
what was not; try remembering that one
adult who took time explaining to you how
to build a fire or set up a tent. We have a
responsibility to teach kids not only the tasks
but also the love of that experience and the
method of solving problems so that they can
apply it to aspects of life. You can do it!
TIPS & TRICKS
R U Slacklining Yet?
Words By: Ben Hughes
Photos By: Supplied
So many people all over the

world are starting to take up this
new and exciting sport, and so
its not surprising that there is a
growing scene here in the UAE. Tim
Emmett, a climber and extreme
sports athlete, has even gone so
far to say that Slacklining is where
climbing was 30 years ago. Taking
all this into consideration, it might
be time for us to look at some of
the potential benefits that
slacklining could bring not only to
oneself, but to the outdoor industry
and beyond. The first and most
obvious question to answer may of
course well be...
What is Slacklining?
Well slacklining is essentially a balancing

and challenging activity that typically uses
polyester or nylon webbing (a bit like a very
wide climbing sling) tensioned between two
anchor points, usually trees. The most commonly seen and easy to use slacklines use a
ratchet for the tensioning system, however
there are other options available depending
on the style of slacklining youre going for.
As the slacklining community grows and
the sport develops, more people are pushing the limits of what is commonly known as
slacklining. Here are a few different variations of (self-explanatory) slacklining styles
to try your balance at; Tricklining, Longlining, Highlining, Waterlining and Yogalining.
Slacklining has an emerging community here
in the UAE and Oman, and has grown extensively over the last few years elsewhere. Due
to its success, it now boasts a world cup,
national competitions, slackline clubs and
even a number of festivals devoted to it.
One of the great things about slacklining
is that it can be done almost anywhere that
there are suitable anchor points and even
if theres not any, you can make your own.
Generally two trees of about one metre in
circumference are used (always with tree
protection); for beginners these tend to
be spread over a distance of about 9 - 14
metres with a clear level space between (a
soft landing tends to help, such as grass or
sand). However, if you dont have access to
any trees or youre out in the desert, then
a system of either temporary or permanent
ground anchors can be fashioned from
metal stakes or wood in the form of a deadmans anchor. If this is the case then a simple
A-frame can be used to raise the line from
floor level. Once the line is up (no higher
than your crotch as a novice) youre ready to
go. First, there are four unbreakable rules to
keep in mind that will help perfect anyones
slacklining ability:
Eyes Forward Find a fixed point at the
end of the line, such as the anchors or the
tree.
Toes Forward Keep your toes and heels
facing along the line towards the anchors.
Hands Up Keep your arms raised and
hands up, bending at the elbow as opposed
to the shoulder.
Hips Forward - Ensure to keep your back
straight and hips forward. Keep in mind that
as soon as you lean forward you start to lose
balance.
Eyes Straight - Keep your eyes focused
on the end of a slackline. Do not look at
your feet, the slackline will always be in front
of your other foot.
individual or organisation to get involved in

something exciting and intriguing that most
people wouldnt have seen or had the opportunity to try. Its also an activity in which
participants can progress at their own rate
without being forced or held up by others
whilst still training and playing together.
What benefits can slacklining

bring me personally?
At first look, there are the obvious benefits

for balance, coordination and personal motor skills development. These fundamental
skills that work on posture and core strength
are useful in a wide variety of outdoor activities and in everyday life. In addition to the
physical advantages, and perhaps somewhat
surprisingly, there is evidence of an increase
in the structural and functional plasticity
of the hippocampus, an area of the brain
responsible for navigation and memory.
As a parting note, my advice to you is to
try it for yourself with colleagues, friends or
family. Be open-minded as to the possibilities this activity can bring you. As I said
earlier, here in the UAE there is a growing
scene for slacklining and highlining, and its
easy to understand why. At first you may
only be able to stand up with assistance and
then only be able to take a couple of steps
but in no time you will be walking
backwards, walking longer and longer lines
and then maybe even getting some
gymnastics-inspired bouncing going. As a
final note, if I were to highlight three things
I think that you should take away from this
article, they would be; to always use tree
protection or seek anchors that are strong
enough, seek advice if you ever plan to set
up a slackline that is above waist height, but
most importantly, to give it a go!
So Why do I Want Get

Involved with Slacklining?
As slacklining is a relatively new activity,

especially out here in the Middle East, there
are currently an extremely limited number
of providers and facilitators offering these
sessions to the general public. This said;
slacklining is the sort of activity you can
self-learn the basics from websites. Slacklines are also relatively cheap compared with
other outdoor activities;for instance a quality
slackline can be purchased for approximately 600 AED for a 15m ratchet system.
This provides a great opportunity for an
OUTDOORUAE
61
Cycling Fitness
Words By: Nicky Holland
Photos By: Keith Perea
A great way to explore the outdoors

and to get around is to cycle. Rather than
walking or taking the car, hop on your bike
and ride to the shops, ride to work and
check out the scenery from two wheels.
Road cycling in the UAE can be quite
dangerous due to the volume of traffic, but
off-road mountain biking across different
terrain and gradients is not only a good
workout for your cardiovascular fitness and
your legs but it is also great fun!
All you need for this is a bike and a helmet.
To move the bike requires force, therefore
cyclists have incredible leg strength. This is
important to give you the power and ability to
push down on the pedals. They also have good
balance, which will help you stay stable and in
control of the bike whereas fitness will give you
the endurance to keep riding for longer.
So how can you get stronger legs? There are
a number of exercises which you can do. The
exercises below are conditioned for cycling to
help you develop strength in the quadriceps in
the front of the leg, the hamstrings and glutes
at the back of the leg and the calves.
4) Glute Bridge into Calf Raise With Weighted Plate

2) Deadlifts Romanian
Barbell Deadlift
Many people forget to work the back of the

body but focus on the front, which is what
they see when they look in the mirror. A
deadlift will work the back of the body, muscles such as the hamstrings, glutes and lower
back. You will be able to lift a heavy weight
but technique here is important. Hold the
barbell with an overhand grip. Hands should
be shoulder width apart and feet hip distance
apart. Brace the core and tilt the hips so that
the bar slides down your thighs. As you do
this, stick your bum back and keep the back
straight as you lower the bar to the middle of
your shins. Keep your feet firmly planted and
control the movement throughout. Aim to
have a heavy weight and complete five sets
of 8-10 repetitions.
This is a two-in-one exercise. The focus is on

the posterior chain, working the back of the
body such as the glutes, hamstrings, lower
back and calves. Lie on the floor with your
legs bent. Push your heels into the ground
and lift your hips into the bridge position.
There should be a diagonal line from your
knee, to your hip, to your shoulder. Lift your
heels so that your weight is resting through
the balls of your feet this will contract the
calf muscle. Here you have two options.
Option One is to hold this position isometrically. Aim for three sets of 30 seconds.
Option Two is to add a small pulse by gently
lifting your hips towards the ceiling in an
up and down movement. Aim to do three
sets for 15-20 repetitions. If you want more
resistance for option one or two, place a
weighted plate on your lap.
5) Core - Cross Crawl
Balance is linked with core strength. To have

good core strength will mean that you will
have better posture and have the ability to
The difficult part of the lunge is keeping
transfer power to the legs, which will help
your balance. The propulsion lunge really
you as you pedal. This exercise will target
tests your balance and power. This move
your abdominals and obliques. Lie on your
is quite complex so I will break it down in
back. Draw your belly into the floor and lift
three stages. Stage One Start by stepping
both legs at 90 degrees above your hips.
one leg back into the lunge position. This
Place your hands by your head and bring
is where the 90/90 rule applies where your
one elbow across to opposite knee. For
front leg and back leg are both bent at 90
example, right elbow to left knee. As you do
degrees. Stage Two Using opposite arm to
this, extend your left leg then repeat on the
leg extend your back leg behind, balancing
other side. The movement should be slow
on your standing leg. Then lift the back leg
and controlled and emphasise the twist to
by driving your arms so the
really feel it in your abs. Aim
knee is up. Stage Three
to complete three sets of 20
From following stages one
repetitions.
and two, use your arms to
The amount of repetitions or
power the knee up and
time you work for, will deterspring your standing leg off
mine and improve your fitness.
the floor. It is an explosive
If you have some aches the
move which requires leg
following day after training, you
strength, leg power and
know you have worked hard.
balance. Work your way
So you your have two opthrough the stages of protions. Grab your gym kit and
gression. Aim to do three
trainers and follow the exerNicky Holland
sets of 10 repetitions each
cises above or dust down your
leg. The person who propels Fitness Manager
bike and go for a ride... you
Fitness First Beach Park Plaza decide!
and jumps the highest wins!
3) Lunges Bodyweight
Propulsion Lunge
1) Squats Isometric Barbell Squats
This exercise is simple but very effective.

Isometric contraction is when the muscle is
working, contracting but neither shortening
or lengthening. There is no concentric or
eccentric contraction so the muscle is static.
This means you have to fire your muscles
fibres from a stop start position. Place the
barbell on the meaty part of your back with
your feet stance just wider than hips and toes
turned out slightly. Brace your core and tilt
your hips back (this will help to keep the back
straight and elevate the chest) Drop your hips
back and down to the floor into a squat position. At the bottom of the movement, when
you are down low, pause and hold for three
seconds. Then push through your heels and
return to the starting standing position. Focus
on holding the weight in the low position and
firing your muscles to bring you back to the
top. Aim to do this with a moderate to heavy
barbell, five sets of 8-10 repetitions.
62
OUTDOORUAE
UAE DIRECTORY
General Sports
Equipment Megastores
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center,

Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE,
+971 43466824; The Beach on JBR, Dubai:
+971 44304419; Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi:
+971 24456995, www.adventurehq.ae
Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre,
+971 42839392
Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +971 43253595;
Abu Dhabi Mall: +971 26454595; Bawabat Al
Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 25868240
InterSport, Dubai Times Square Centre:
+971 43418214 and Dubai Festival City:
+971 42066581, www.intersport.ae
Peiniger BMT Est., CBD, Khalifa Street,
Yateem Optician Bldg., Abu Dhabi, UAE,
+971 26262332, www.peiniger.org
Sun and Sand Sports, most shopping
centres, +971 43504444,
www.sunandsandsports.com
Adventure tours
and desert safaris
Alpha Tours, Off #512, 5th Flr., Al Qwais

Bldg., Al Ittihad Road, Deira, Dubai,
+971 42949888, www.alphatoursdubai.com
Dadabhai Travel, SR 1&2, GF, Gulf Towers,
Oud Metha Rd. Dubai, +971 43885566,
www.dadabhaitravel.ae
Desert Rangers, P.O. Box 33501, Dubai
UAE, +971 44569944 or 507035111
www.desertrangers.com
Desert Road Tourism, Office 503, 5th Flr.,
Al Khor Plaza, Dubai, +971 42959429,
www.arabiantours.com
Dreamdays, First Floor Rm. 107 Ibn Battuta
Gate (Offices) Sheikh Zayed Rd.,
+971 4 4329392 or 4 4329393,
www.dreamdays.ae
Dream Explorer LLC - P.O.Box 214576,
JLT, Dubai, U.A.E. 9714 4563390
www.dreamexplorerdubai.com
Dubai Relax Travel, National Towers:
Churchill Tower Suite #614, Business Bay,
Dubai, +971 44221776,
www.dubairelaxtours.com
Element Fitness, Dubai, +971 44227352,
www.element-fitness.net
Explorer Tours, Umm Ramool, Dubai,
+971 42861991, www.explorertours.ae
Gulf for Good, Dubai, +971 43680222,
www.gulf4good.org
Gulf Ventures, Dnata Travel Centre
+971 44045880, www.gulfventures.com
MMI Travel LLC, Mezzanine Floor, Dnata
Travel Centre, Shk Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 4 4045999, www.theemiratesgroup.com
Net Group, Dubai and Abu Dhabi,
+971 26794656, www.netgroupauh.com
Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 42628832
/+971 4 2686826, www.opdubai.com
Rahhalah, Dubai, +971 44472166,
www.rahhalah.com
Wild Guanabana, Dubai, +971 44422946,
www.wildguanabana.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Fishing, Camping, Kayaking,
& Adventure Club, +971 5 04920860,
mohammed.almahrouky@gmail.com
Air
Ballooning Adventures Emirates, Dubai,

+971 42854949, www.ballooning.ae
Dubai Paragliders, www.microaviation.org,
+971 552120155 or +971 552250193
Jazirah Aviation Club, Ras Al Khaimah,
+971 72446416 or +971 555531318,
www.jac-uae.net
Seawings, Dubai,+971 48070708,
www.seawings.ae
Skydive Dubai, Dubai, +971 43778888,
www.skydivedubai.ae
Boating & Sailing
Manufacturer
Al Fajer Marine, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43235181, www.alfajermarine.com
Al Jeer Marina, RAK border Musandam,
+971 72682333/+971 504873185,
www.aljeerport.ae
Al Shaali Marine, Ajman, +971 67436443,
www.alshaalimarine.com
Al Yousuf Industrial, LLC,
+971 4 3390000, www.aym.ae,
yamboats@alyousuf.com
Elite Pearl Charter, Saeed Tower 1 office
# 3102, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE,

+971 43889666, www.elitepearlcharter.com
Gulf Craft, Ajman, +971 67406060,
www.gulfcraftinc.com
Distributors and Dealers
Art Marine LLC, Al Quoz Industrial Area,
Sheikh Zayed Road, 3rd Interchange
+971 43388955, www.artmarine.ae /
www.artmarinechandley.com
Azure Marine Dubai, +971 4 3706886,
www.azuremarine.net
Luxury Sea Boats, Dubai, +971 4 3284629,
www.luxuryseaboats.com
Macky Marine LLC, Dubai,
+971 505518317, www.mackymarine.com
Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +971 553419494
or 50 3419494, www.nautilusyachts.com
The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae
UAEBoats4Sale, Dubai Marina,
+971 508446952/525682129,
www.uaeboats4sale.com
Western Marine, Marina Yacht Club, Dubai,
+971 43039744
Equipment
Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Deira, Dubai,
+971 42263220
Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43468000,
www.masaoodmarine.com
Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11,
The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43808616 / +971 553899995,
info@bluewatersmarine.com,
www.bluewatersmarine.com
Extreme Marine, Dubai Marina Branch,
+971 43992995,
www.extrememarine-me.com
Japan Marine / D1 Marine,
WS # 110, Dubai Maritime City,
+971 4 4426395 or 55 1666035,
uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co
Rineh Emirates Trading LLC, Dubai, Al
Quoz, +971 43391512,
www.rinehemiratesme.com
Repairs and Maintenance
Extreme Marine, Dubai, Dubai Marina,
+971 43992995,
www.extrememarine-me.com
Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1,
Al Quoz, +971 43391512,
info@rinehemiratesme.com,
www.rinehemirates.com
SNS Marine, JAFZA Techno Park, Jebel Ali,
Dubai, +971 501405058, info@snsmarine.ae,
www.snsmarine.ae
The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae
Cruise Operators
Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26665491,
www.marinaalbateenresort.com
Al Marsa Travel & Tourism, Dibba,
Musandam, +968 26836550, +971 65441232
Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite
the British Embassy, +971 48145553
Bristol Middle East, Dubai Marina,
+971 4368 2480,
www.bristol-middleeast.com
Captain Tonys, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu
Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.captaintonys.ae
Delma Industrial Supply and Marine
Services, Al Bateen Jetty, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26668153, www.delmamarine.net
Eden Yachting, Dubai Marina,
+971 504586171, www.edenyachting.com
Emirates Yachting, Dubai, +971 42826683
El Mundo, Dubai, +971 505517406,
www.elmundodubai.com
Four Star Travel and Tourism, Dubai,
+971 42737779, www.fourstartravels.net
4 Yacht Arabia, Shop No. 5, Dubai Marina
Yacht Club, 800 92248, www.4yachtarabia.ae
Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa,
Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92449888, www.rotana.com
Ghantoot Marina & Resort, Abu Dhabi,
+971 529933153, www.ghantootmarina.com
Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai,
+971 48706668
www.happydaysdubai.com
JPS Yachts and Charter, Room 225,
Emarat Atrium building, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43437734, www.jpsyachts.com
Khasab Divers, Oman, +971 567255889,
khasab.diver2@gmail.com
Khasab Musandam Travel & Tours,
PO Box 411, Khasab, Musandam,
+968 93350703, info@tourkhasab.com
LY Catamaran, Dubai,
www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com
Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24737286 (ext 215),
www.marinaoman.net
Pavilion Marina, Dubai,
Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +971 44068800
The PearlQatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar,
+974 4965801, www.ronauticame.com
Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club,
Umm Al Quwaim, +971 67666644,
www.uaqmarineclub.com
Dragon Boat Groups
Dubai Dawn Patrol Dragon Boating,
Dubai, +971 508795645 (Michael),
www.dubaidawnpatrol.org
Dubai Diggers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel,
pier next to 360, Dubai, +971 501547175
(Nick Hando), www.dubai-diggers.com
UAE Dragon Boat Association,
+971 507634008,
www.dubaidragonboat.com
Camping & Hiking
www.lycatamaran.com
Marine Concept, Dubai, +971 559603030,
www.marine-charter-concept.com
Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Noukhada Adventure Company - P.O. Box
73373, C/O Ali & Sons Real Estate LLC,
Plot No. 29, Abu Dhabi Al Ain Rd, Um Al
Nar, Abu Dhabi, UAE - +971 25581889
www.noukhada.ae
RAK Marine LLC, Ras Al Khaimah City
Hilton Marina, +971 557934525 / 507682345
Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats
Rental, Dubai Marina, +971 42951011
Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam,
+968 26836551, www.sheesabeach.com
Smoke Dragon Of London Yacht, Abu
Dhabi International Marine & Sports Club,
+971 507011958 / +971 504546617
Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai,
+971 42573084
The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111,
www.the-club.com
The Yellow Boats LLC, Dubai Marina Walk
opposite Spinneys, Intercontinental Hotel
Marina, 800892, www.theyellowboats.com
Marinas
Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports
Club, Abu Dhabi, Breakwater,
+971 26815566, www.adimsc.com
Abu Dhabi Marina, Abu Dhabi,
Tourist Club Area, +971 26440300
Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam
+971 72682333 or 504873185,
www.aljeerport.ae
Al Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24534554, www.almoujmarina.com
Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al
Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE,
+971 42394760 / 42959477,
www.cruiseindubai.com
Dubai Creek Marina, Deira, Dubai,
+971 43801234, www.dubaigolf.com
Dubai International Marine Sports Club,
Dubai Marina, +971 43995777, www.dimc.ae
Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai,
+971 43627900,
www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com
Dubai Maritime City Harbour Marina,
Dubai, +971 43455545
Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai,
+971 43941669, www.dosc.ae
Emirates Palace Marina, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26907725
Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com
Fujairah International Marine Club,
Fujairah, +971 92221166, www.fimc.ae
Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Marina,
Al Bateen, Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26666888, www.intercontinental.com
Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Marina,
Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 48145555
www.jebelali-international.com
Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar,
+974 55843282,
Equipment
Blingmytruck.com, +971 505548255,
www.blingmytruck.com
Gulf Camping, Dubai, UAE, +971 551222252
/ 502550666, www.gulfcamping.com
Jack Wolfskin, Al Wahda Mall,
Abu Dhabi,+971 24437802
Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG
Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43951113
Tresspass, 2nd floor above ice rink,
The Dubai Mall, +971 43398801
Tour Operators
Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209,
www.arabiaoutdoors.com
Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43926463,
www.adventure.ae
Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza 503,
Dubai, +971 42959428, www.arabiatours.
com
Libra Travel & Tourism LLC,
+971 43397700, www.libra-uae.com
Mountain High Middle East, Dubai,
+971 506595536, www.mountainhighme.com
Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba,
Caving
Mountain High Middle East, Dubai,

+971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com
Climbing
Equipment
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, +971 43466558,
www.barracudadubai.com
Global Climbing Trading LLC,
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai,
+971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com
OUTDOORUAE
63

Clubs
Abu Dhabi Tri Club,
www.abudhabitriclub.com
Cycle Safe Dubai, Dubai Autodrome
www.cyclechallenge.ae
Dubai Roadsters, +971 43394453,
www.dubairoadsters.com
Diving
Jack Wolfskin
Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi +971 24437802
Services
Absolute Adventure, Dubai,
+971 43926463, www.adventure.ae
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square
Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free:
800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae
Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi,
+971 28137444, www.alshaheenme.com
Dorell Sports Management, Dubai World
Trade Centre, +971 43065061,
www.climbingdubai.com
E-Sports UAE, Dubai, +971 43697817,
www.esportsuae.com
The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111,
www.the-club.com
Information
UAE Climbing, +971 506456491,
www.uaeclimbing.com
Mountain Biking & Cycling
Equipment/Dealers
Bikers JLT, Unit H6, Cluster H,
Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE,
+971 526221888, products@allbikers.net
Cycle Sports, Shop No. 1, Al Waleed Bldg.,
Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 43415415,
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,
+971 24455838, www.funridesports.com
Micahs Bike Shop, Warehouse no.4
6th St. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +971 43805228
Peak Performance, Mall of the Emirates,
Dubai Mall, Dubai,
+971 43413056 / +971 43308023
Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1,
+971 43255705, www.probike.ae
Rage Shop, MOE +971 43413388; Al
Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi +971 24437617,
Dubai Mall +971 44341549,
www.rage-shop.com
Revolution Cycles, Shop G05, Apex
Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, +971 43697441,
www.rcdxb.com
Ride Bike Shop, Festival City,
+971 43395602
www.ridebikeshop.com
Sportz Unlimited, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, + 971 43388644 / 43391333
Tamreen Sports LLC, Khalifa Street,
Abu Dhabi, +971 26222525,
www.tamreensports.com
The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Dubai,
+971 505528872 / 44256555,
www.thecyclehub.com
Trek Bicycle Store, Seih Al Salam,
Al Qudra Road, Dubai, +971 48327377,
www.trekbikes.ae
Trikke uPT, Dubai, +971 45081202,
+971 556096757, www.trikkeme.net
Wolfis Bike Shop, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
Road, +971 43394453, www.wbs.ae
Operator
+971 43926463, www.adventure.ae,
info@adventure.ae
64
OUTDOORUAE
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi and Dubai,
+971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com
Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment,
Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai,
+971 43444468
Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43468000,
Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 4 3390000,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Blue Waters Marine, +971 43808616,
Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com
Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26710017, www.gulfmarinesports.com
Premiers for Equipment, Abu Dhabi,
Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, +971 26665226,
www.premiers-uae.com
Scuba Dubai, Al Barsha, Al Khail Road,
Dubai, +97143414940, info@scubadubai.com
Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com
Diving Centres
Al Boom Diving (equipment),
Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, +971 43422993,
www.alboomdiving.com
Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam,
+971 72682333, www.aljeerport.ae
Al Mahara Dive Center, near Muroor St
across from main bus terminal,
+971 26437377, info@divemahara.com,
www.divemahara.com
Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al
Khaimah, +971 72226628, +971 502428128
www.arabiandiver.com
Arabian Divers and Sportfishing
Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931,
www.fishabudhabi.com
Coastal Technical Divers,
glenn@coastaltechnicaldivers.com,
www.coastaltechnicaldivers.com
Deep Blue Sea Diving, International City,
Dubai, +971 44308246,
www.diveindubai.com
Desert Islands, Sir Bani Yas Island,
Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 28015454,
www.divemahara.com
Divers Down, Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah
Hotel Resort & Spa, +971 92370299,
www.diversdown-uae.com
Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi,
near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444,
www.edc-ad.ae
Euro-Divers Oman, Muscat, Oman,
+968 95035815, www.euro-divers.com
Extra Divers Zighy Bay, Oman,
Musandam, +968 26735555, www.
extradivers.info
Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Fujairah, +971 506130486
contactus@freedivinguae.com,
www.freedivinguae.com
Freestyle Divers, Dubai, Al Wasl & Dibba,
Royal Beach Hotel, +971 43944275,
www.freestyledivers.com
Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa - Al Aqah
Beach, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92449888, www.rotana.com
Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort,
Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000,
www.lemeridien-alaqah.com
Moonlight Dive Center,
Madinat Qaboos, Oman, +968 99317700,
www.moonlightdive.com
Neptune Diving, +971 504347902,
www.neptunedivingcentre.com
Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai,
+971 44068828
Scuba Oman, Oman, +968 99558488,
www.scubaoman.com
Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com
Scuba UAE.com, +971 502053922,
www.scubauae.com
7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan,
+971 92387400, www.7seasdivers.com
Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah,
+971 506683430, www.bsac406.com
Sky &Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton,
Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005,
www.watersportsdubai.com
Clubs
Atlantis Underwater Photography Club,
Dubai, +971 44263000

Desert Sports Diving Club, Dubai,
www.desertsportsdivingclub.net
Emirates Diving Association, Diving
Village, Al Shindagha, Dubai,
+971 43939390, www.emiratesdiving.com
Filipino SCUBA Divers Club (FSDC),
Dubai, UAE, +971 566952421,
www.thefilipinoscubadivers.com
Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com,
www.freedivinguae.com
Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah,
+971 507840830, www.bsac406.com
SWISS EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS NUTRITION
Your Energy & Performance Companion

Recovery Drinks Energy Gels
Protein Smoothies
Electrolyte & Isotonic Drinks

Nutrition & Cereal Bars
Fishing & Kayaking
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai,
Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment,
Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai,
+971 43444468
Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
Road, +971 43468000,
Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
Rd, +971 43390000, www.aym.ae/yamaha
Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931,
www.fishabudhabi.com
Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai,
Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558,
www.barracudadubai.com
Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11,
The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43808616 / +971 553899995,
www.bluewatersmarine.com
Challenging Adventure, Wadi Al Bih Ras Al Khaimah, +971 561060798 /
44538386
contactus@challengingadventure.com
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai,
Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre,
+971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com
Operators
+971 43926463, www.adventure.ae
Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah
Beach Resort, Fujairah, +971 43422993
Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al
Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72432274,
www.alhamramarina.com
Al Mahara Dive Center,
Downtown Abu Dhabi, +971 501118125,
www.divemahara.com
Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road,
Al Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE, +974
4 2394760 / 42959477,
www.cruiseindubai.com
Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com
Al Wasl Charter & Fishing
(Al Wasl Passenger Yachts
and Boats Rental LLC),
Airport Road, Al Owais Building, Dubai,
+971 42394761, www.cruiseindubai.com
Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, +971
506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com
/Sponser.uae
WWW.SPONSERUAE.COM
BROUGHT TO YOU BY :
info@hercules-health-fitness.com
Barracuda Diving Centre, Fujairah
International Marine Club, +971 503366224
Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26594144
Captain Tonys, Yas Marina, Yas Island,
Abu Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.
captaintonys.ae
Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai,
+971 53244550, www.funbeachsports.com
Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai,
+971 558961276, +971 503960202,
www.happydaysdubai.com
Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi
Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26811900
Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort,
Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000,
www.lemeridien-alaqah.com
Nautica 1992, Dubai, +971 504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Noukhada Adventure Company,
Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26503600, www.noukhada.ae
Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre,
+971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com
Soolyman Sports Fishing, Dubai,
Umm Suqeim, +971 508866227,
www.soolymansportsfishing.com
Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai,
+971 42573084,
www.summertimemarine.com
Xclusive Yachts, Dubai, Dubai Marina,
+971 44327233, www.xclusiveyachts.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Camping, Fishing & Kayaking
Club, mohamed.almahrouky@gmail.com
Dubai Surfski & Kayak Club, Kitesurfers
Beach, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai,
+971 554986280, www.dskc.hu
General Sports Equipment

Distributors
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square

Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free:
800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae
Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/
yamaha
800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai
+971 43467751, www.800sport.ae
Flip Flop Arabia, flipme@flipfloparabia.
com, www.flipfloparabia.com
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai
Highbury Trading, Dubai, UAE,
www.highburytrading.ae
Jack Wolfskin, Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi,
+971 24437802
Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735,
www.kitesurfsup.com
Portable Shade UAE, Jebel Ali, Dubai,
UAE, +971 508897125,
www.portable-shade.net
Sport in Life Distribution, Nad Al Hammar
Rd., Ras Al Khor, Dubai, UAE,
+971 42896001, +971 42896002,
info@sportinlife.ae, www.sportinlife.ae
Tresspass, The Dubai Mall
2nd floor above ice rink, +971 43398801
Horse Riding
Equipment
Al Asifa Horse Equestrian
& Requisites Trading, Al Khawaneej 1,
Dubai, +971 554733110, www.asifa.ae
Black Horse LLC, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26428338, www.blackhorseuae.com
Bonjour Equestrian Supplies,
Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Kho, Dubai,
UAE, +971 42896001, +971 42896002,
info@bonjourequestrian.com,
www.bonjourequestrian.com
Cavalos Equine Care and Supplies,
16th Street, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi,
+917 22222433, www.cavalosuae.com
Emirta Horse Requirement Centre,
Sheik Zayed Rd, Dubai, +971 43437475,
www.emirtahorse.com
Equestrian Clubs/Centres
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif,
Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500,
www.adec-web.com
Al Ahli Riding School, Al Amman Street,
Dubai-Sharjah Rd., +971 42988408,
www.alahliclub.info
Al Forsan International Sports Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555,
www.alforsan.com
Al Jiyad Stables, Behind Dubai
International Endurance City, Dubai,
+971 505995866,
info@aljiyad.com, www.aljiyad.com
Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian
Centre, Dubai, +971 44274055,
equestrian.centre@alsahra.com
Desert Equestrian Club, Mirdif, Dubai,
+971 503099770 / +971 501978888
Desert Palm Riding School, Near Al Awir
Road (going to Hatta-Oman), Dubai, +971
43238010, www.desertpalm.peraquum.com
Dubai Polo Academy, Dubai,
+971 508879847,
www.dubaipoloacademy.com
Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai,
Arabian Ranches, +971 43618111,
www.poloclubdubai.com
Emirates Equestrian Centre, Dubai,
+971 505587656,
www.emiratesequestriancentre.com
Ghantoot Polo & Racing Club, Exit 399,
Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi,
+971 25629050, www.grpc.ae
Golden Stables Equestrian Club,
Al Khawaneej, Dubai, (Nouri)
+971 555528182,
www.goldenstables.ae
Hoofbeatz, located just inside the Dubai
Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai,
+971 569424551, www.hoofbeatz.com
Mushrif Equestrian and Polo Club,
Mushrif Park, Al Khawaneej Road, Dubai,
+971 42571256, www.mushrifec.com
Rahal Ranch, Al Wathba Racing Area,
Abu Dhabi, +971 506229004,
www.rahalranch.com
Riding for the Disabled, Dubai,
lessons@rdad.ae, www.rdad.ae,
Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club,
Sharjah, Al Dhaid Road,
+971 65311188, www.serc.ae
Racecourses
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif,
Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500,

www.adec-web.com
Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Exit 399,
Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi,
+971 25629050, www.grpc.ae
Jebel Ali Racecourse, off the main Abu
Dhabi - Dubai Highway (Sheikh Zayed road)
beside the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai,
+971 43474914
Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse,
Al Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai,
+971 43270000, www.meydan.ae
Sharjah Racecourse, Al Dhaid Road,
Sharjah, +971 65311155, www.serc.ae
Jet Ski
Dealers
Al Masaood Marine, Dubai,

Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000,
Japan Marine General Trading,
Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai,
+971 44426395, uday@japanmarine.jp,
www.japanmarine.co
Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4,
www.libertykawasaki.com
Motocross & ATVs
Dealers
Al Badayer Rental (Rental),
Dubai-Hatta Road, +971 507842020,
www.albadayerrental.com
Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor,
+971 43200009, sales@alshaalimoto.com.
www.alshaalimoto.com
Golden Desert Motorcycles
Just Gas It, Hatta Rd., Al Aweer, Dubai,
UAE, +971 561379323, www.JustGasIt.net
KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42,
+971 4323151, www.ktm.com
Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4,
Motoventure, Hobbies Club, Al Awir,
Hatta Road, Dubai, +971 555437392,
www.motoventure.net
mxDubai, Al Ain Road Dubai, +971 55
2090832, www.mxdubai.com
Polaris UAE (atvs), Ras Al Khor, Nad al
Hamar Road, Al Ghandi Complex, Dubai,
+971 42896100, M4, Sector 13,
10th Street, Mussafah Industrial, Abu
Dhabi, +971 26441478,
www.polarisuae.com
Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai,
+971 551532550,
www.goldendesert-dubai.com
Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1
Dubai, +971 43393399,
www.sebsports.com
Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai,
+971 48321050, www. wildx.ae
Equipment
Dubai, +971 42959429,
Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental),
Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43395608,
www.sandstorm-motorcycles.com
Sebsports, Dubai, Al Quoz Industrial Area
3, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com
2XWheeler, Motorcity Dubai,
+971 44548388, www.2xwheeler.com
Wild X, Dubai, Um Al Ramoul Industrial
Area, +971 42852200, www. wildx.ae
Motorcycling

Ducati, Al Salam Street, Abu Dhabi,
+971 24918593, www.ducati.ae
Duseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43476712, www.dusejamoto.com
Harley-Davidson, Mussafah 4, Street 10,
Abu Dhabi, +971 25540667,
hd.auh@harley-davidson.ae,
www.harley-davidson-abu-dhabi.com
Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange4,
Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex,
Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor,
+971 42896100, www.polarisuae.com
Tristar Motorcycles, +971 43330659,
www.tristaruae.com
Workshops and Services
Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555,
www.alforsan.com
Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, +971 43678700

www.dubaiautodrome.com
Emirates Motorplex, Umm Al Quwain,
+971 67681166
2xWheeler Adventures, Dubai,
+971 44548388, www.alainraceway.com
Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi,
www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Off-Road
Dealers
Bling My Truck,
+971 503634839 / +971 505548255,
info@blingmytruck.com,
4x4 Motors LLC, Shk. Zayed Rd, Dubai,
+971 43384866, www.4x4motors.com
Liberty Automobiles, Dubai, 800 5423789,
www.libertyautos.com
Repairs and Services
AAA Service Centre, Al Quoz, Dubai, UAE,
+971 4 285 8989, www.aaadubai.com
Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744,
www.icon-auto.com
Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2,
Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600,
www.mebarauto.com
Off Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43392449, www.offroad-zone.com
Saluki Motorsport, Dubai, +971 43476939
www.salukimotorsport.com
Equipment
Advanced Expedition Vehicles,
Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971 43307152,
www.aev.ae
Dubai, +971 43390000,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Bling My Truck,
+971 503634839 / +971 505548255,
info@blingmytruck.com,
Heartland UAE, Al Mafraq Industrial,
Abu Dhabi, +971 569796524 / 506472447,
www.heartlanduae.com
Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744,
www.icon-auto.com
Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2,
Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600,
www.mebarauto.com
Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai-Hatta
Road, Dubai, +971 48321050,
www.wildx.ae
Yellow Hat, Nad Al Hamar, and Times
Square Center, Dubai, +971 42898060,
www.yellowhat.ae
Tour Operators
Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi,
+971 43034888,
www.arabian-adventures.com
Dubai, +971 42959429,
Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 4 2628832
or 4 2686826, www.opdubai.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club,
www.ad4x4.com
ALMOST 4x4 Off-Road Club,
+971 507665522, www.almost4x4.com
Dubai Offroaders, www.dubaioffroaders.com
JEEP Wrangler JK Fun Club,
suffian.omar@yahoo.com,
www.jk-funclub.com
ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com
Running
Clubs
ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org
Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi,
www.abudhabitriclub.org
Abu Dhabi Striders,
admin@abudhabistriders.com,
www.abudhabistriders.com
Al Ain Road Runners, Abu Dhabi,
+971 504188978,
alainroadrunners@yahoo.co.uk
Mirdif Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.info
Dubai Creek Striders
www.dubaicreekstriders.org
Stand up Paddling, Kite &

Surfing, Wakeboarding
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai,
Al Masaood Marine, Dubai,
Kitesurf Dubai, Kitesurf Beach,
Umm Suqueim and Jumeirah 3
+971 505586190, www.kitesurfdubai.ae
Picnico, Al Fairdooni Building, Sheikh
Zayed Road, Near Sharf DG Metro Station
and Mall of Emirates, +971 43951113
Surf Dubai, Dubai, Umm Suqeim,

+971 505043020, www.surfingdubai.com
Surf Shop Arabia, Building 1,
Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3,
Dubai, +971 564716180,
www.surfshoparabia.com
Surf School Arabia, +971 556010997,
www.surfschoolarabia.com
UAE Kite Surfing, +971 505626383,
www.ad-kitesurfing.net
Distributors
Kitepeople Kite & Surf Store,
International City, Dubai,
+971 504559098, www.kitepeople.ae
Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735,
www.kitesurfsup.com
Operators
Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555,
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, +971 508703427,
www.ducomaritime.com
Dukite, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqeim,
Dubai,+971 507586992, www.dukite.com
Kite Fly, Dubai, +971 502547440,
www.kitesurf.ae
Kitepro Abu Dhabi, Yas Island
and Al Dabbayyah, Abu Dhabi,
+971 505441494, www.kitepro.ae
Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Shamal Kite Surfing, Umm Suqueim
Dubai, +971 507689226, astrid@
shamalkitesurfing.com,
www.shmalkitesurfing.com

Sky & Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton,
Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005,
www.watersportsdubai.com
Surf School UAE, Umm Suqeim Beach
and Building 1, Al Manara Road (East),
Interchange 3, Dubai, +971 43791998,
www.surfschooluae.com
Watercooled, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa,
Dubai, +971 48876771,
www.watercooleddubai.com
Water Cooled, Watercooled Sports Services
LLC, Hilton Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE,
+971 26395997, www.watercooleduae.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle,
www.abudhabisup.com
UAE SUP www.uaesup.com
Water Parks
Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm Jumeirah,
OMAN DIRECTORY
Adventure tours
and desert safaris
Bike and Hike Oman, PO Box 833, Ruwi,

Postal Code 112, Oman, +968 24400873,
www.bikeandhikeoman.com
Dolphin Qasab Tours, PO Box: 123, P.C.
811, Khasab City, Musandam, Oman,
+968 26730813,
www.dolphinkhasabtours.com
Go Dive Oman, Capital Area Yacht Club
(CAYC), Sidab Muscat, +968 97899094,
www.godiveoman.com
Khour Shem Tourism, Oman,
+968 91713449, www.khourshemtours.com
Nomad Tours, PO Box: 583, Postal Code
100, Muscat, Oman, +968 95495240,
www.nomadtours.com
Oman Trekking Guides, PO Box: 917,
NIZWA, Oman, +968 95741441,
www.omantrekkingguides.com
Diving
Equipment
Al Marsa Musandam, PO Box: 44, Dibba,
QATAR DIRECTORY
Adventure tours
and desert safaris
Al Mulla Travels, PO Box: 4147, Doha, Qatar,

+974 44413488, almullatrvls@qatar.net.qa
Alpha Tours, PO Box: 13530, Doha, Qatar,
+974 4837815, info@alphatoursqatar.com
Al QAYED Travel & Tours, PO Box: 158,
Doha, Qatar, +974 44072244,
www.alqayedtravel.com
Arabian Adventures, PO Box: 4476, Doha,
Qatar, +974 44361461,
www.arabianadventureqatar.net
Black Pearls Tourism Services,
PO Box: 45677, Doha, Qatar
East Marine, West Bay, Doha, Qatar,
+974 55200078
E2E Qatar Travel and Tours,
PO Box: 23563, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44516688 / 444515995,
www.e2eqatar.com
Falcon Travels, PO Box: 22031, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44354777, www.falcontravelqatar.com
Gulf Adventures, 29, PO Box: 18180 Qatar,
+974 4315555, www.gulf-adventures.com
Net Tours Qatar, PO Box: 23080, Doha,
Qatar, +974 4310902, www.nettours.com.qa
Regency Travel & Tours, +974 44344444,
www.regencyholidays.com
Qatar Adventure, PO Box: 13915,
Doha, Qatar, +974 55694561,
www.qataradventure.com
Qatar Inbound Tours, PO Box: 21153,
+974 77451196, www.inboundtoursqatar.com
Qatar International Tours, PO Box: 55733
Doha, Qatar, +974 44551141,
www.qittour.com
Qatar Ventures, Doha, Qatar, +974
55776679, www.qatar-ventures.com
Clubs
Cycling, Running & Triathlon

Doha Sailing Club, Katara Beach
+974 44439840/+974 55649995
www.qmsf.com
Qatar Chain Reaction,
www.qatarchainreaction.weebly.com
Qatar Sandstromers, +974 77775207
66
OUTDOORUAE
+971 44260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae

Dreamland Aqua Park, Umm Al Quwain,
Emirates Road, +971 67681888,
www.dreamlanduae.com
Wadi Adventure, Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain,
+971 37818422, www.wadiadventure.ae
Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai,
+971 43484444, www.wildwadi.com
Other leisure activities
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi,

+ 971 25588990, www.adgolfclub.com
Al Tamimi Stables, Sharjah,
+971 67431122 / +971 44370505,
www.tamimistables.com
Blokart Sailing, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai,
+971 556101841, www.blokartme.com
Childrens City, Creek Park Gate No.1, Dubai,
+971 43340808,
www.childrencity.ae
Dolphin Bay Atlantis, Dubai,

+971 44260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae
Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park Gate
No. 1, +971 43369773,
www.dubaidolphinarium.ae
iFly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre,
+971 42316292, www.iflyme.com
Sadiyaat Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat
Island, +971 25578000, www.sbgolfclub.ae
Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club,
Sharjah, +971 65487777,
www.golfandshootingshj.com
SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of The Emirates,
+971 44094000, www.skidxb.com
Spacewalk Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26577777, www.spacewalk.ae
Health, Safety & Training

Safety Lessons
Marine Concept Yacht Charter
& Sea School, Rania Business Centre, Dubai,

+971 559603030,
www.marine-charter-concept.com
Safety & Leisure Training Middle East,
Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1, Dubai,
+971 48879958, www.sltme.com
Sport and Health Centres
Bespoke Wellness, Dubai,
+971 553724670,
www.bespoke-wellness.com
Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen
Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +971 2406 9404,
www.originalfitnessco.com
Orthosports, 5B Street, Jumeira Beach road,
Dubai, 800 ORTHO (67846),
www.orthosp.com
The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49,
Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai,
+971 44370570,
www.physiocentre.ae
Sultanate of Oman, +968 26836550,

www.almarsamusandam.com
Al Sawadi Beach Resort, PO Box: 747,
Barka - Al Sawadi, Oman, +968 26795545,
www.alsawadibeach.info
Diving UAE & Oman, www.dive-uae-oman.com
Euro Divers CAYC Oman, Marina Bandar
Al Rhowda, PO Box: 940, Muscat, Oman,
+968 97899094, www.euro-divers.com
Extra Divers Musandam, PO Box: 498,
PC 811 Khasab, Musandam, Oman,
+968 99877957, www.musandam-diving.com
Global Scuba LLC, +968 24692346,
www.global-scuba.com
Khasab Divers, Oman, +968 99883345,
www.khasabdiver.com
Kharjiya Street, Al Shati Area, Muscat,

Oman,
+968 99777045, www.omantascuba.com
Oxygen Diving and Adventures, PO Box:
1363 PC130 Alazaiba, Muscat, Oman,
+968 92537494 / 9723 2661,
www.o2diveoman.com
Seaoman, PO Box: 2394, RUWI PC 112,
Oman, +968 24181400, www.seaoman.com
Sub Aqua Dive Center, Hilton Salalah
Resort, PO Box: 699, Salalah 211, Oman,
+968 23211234,
www.subaqua-divecenter.com
PO Box: 117, Postal Code 421,

Bediyah, Ghabbi, Oman,
+968 99310108,
www.safaridesert.com
Fishing & Kayaking
Moon Light Dive Center, P.O. Box: 65,

Madinat Qaboos, Muscat Oman,
+968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com
Nomad Ocean Adventures,
+968 26836069, Dibba, Oman; Fujairah,
+971 92449444, www.discovernomad.com
Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24284240, www.omandivecenter.com
Oman Dive Center Resort, PO Box: 199,
Medinat Sultan Qaboos, Oman,
+968 24824240, www.omandivecenter.info
Omanta Scuba Diving Academy, Al
Stand Up Paddeling, Kite

& Surfing, Wakeboarding
Equipment, Operators
Kiteboarding Oman, Sawadi Beach,
PO Box: 133, PC 118, Muscat, Oman,
+968 96323524, www.kiteboarding-oman.
com
Omans Kite Center, +968 94006007,
www.kitesurfing-lessons.com
/ +974 77776634, www.facebook.com/

QatarSandstormers
Velostar Doha, https://www.facebook.com/
groups/587539064642288/
Doha Bay Running Club,
www.dohabayrunningclub.com
TriClub Doha, www.triclubdoha.com
General Sports
Equipment Megastores
Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor,

Qatar: +974 44822194; Villagio Mall,
Qatar: +974 44569143; Ezdan Mall, Qatar:
+974 44922827, The Pearl(Parcel 9) +974
40027513, Souq Jabor +974 44430322.
Office: +974 44417935,
www.galaxysportqatar.com
GO Sport Qatar, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor,
+974 44631644; Villaggio Mall,
+974 44157463,
www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar
Sun & Sand Sports Qatar, City Centre Mall,
+974 44837007; Dar Al Salam Mall,
+974 44510179; Mustafawi Exhibition,
+974 44935183,
www.sunandsandsports.com
Boating & Sailing
Equipment
Regatta Sailing Academy, Katara Beach
+974 55503484
www.regattasailingacademy.com
Speed Marine, Speed Marine, Museum
Road, PO Box: 9145 Doha, Qatar, +974
44410109, www.speedmarinegroup.com
Horse Riding
Equestrian Clubs/Centres
Al Shaqab, PO Box: 90055, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44546320, www.alshaqab.com
Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, Racing
and Equestrian Club, PO Box: 7559, Doha,
Qatar, +974 44935183, www.qrec.gov.qa
Diving
Equipment/Centres
Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street
(near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar,
+974 44435626
Camping & Hiking

Tour Operators
Safari Desert Camp,
Doha Sub Aqua Club, Doha Sub-Aqua Club,

+974 50483794, www.dohasubaquaclub.com
Extreme Adventure, PO Box: 33002, Shop
3, 4 Ahmed Bin Ali Street (Bin Omran), Doha,
Qatar, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa
GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor,
Qatar: +974 44631644; Villagio Mall,
Qatar: +974 44517574,
www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar
Pearl Divers, PO Box: 2489, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44449553, www.pearl-divers.org
Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud
Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2,
+974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com
Qatar Scuba Center, 187 Al Mansoura
Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66662277, www.qatarscubacenter.com
Q Dive, Souq Al Najada cnr of Grand Hamad
and Ali bin Abdulla Str.; Al-Odeid Aisle
numbers 129-132, +974 55319507,
www.qdive.net
World Marine Centre, PO Box: 6944,
Doha, Qatar, +974 44360989,
www.worldmarinecenter.webs.com
Pearl Divers, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed Street,
Doha, Qatar,
+974 4444 9553, www.pearl-divers.org
Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud
Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2,
+974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com
Qatar Divers, Marriott Hotel Marina Near Old
Airport, Ras Abu Aboud Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44313331, www.qatardivers.com
Qatar Marine, Go Sport City Center
West Bay, PO Box: 16657, Doha,
+974 553199507, www.qatarmarine.net
Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura
Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66662277 / +974 44422234,
www.qatarscubacenter.com
Qdive Marine Center, PO Box: 16657, Doha,
Qatar, +974 44375065, www.qdive.net
World Marine Centre, Old Salata Street,
near the Qatar National Museum, Doha,
Qatar, +974 55508177
Fishing & Kayaking
Equipment
Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting Equipment,
Caving
Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre,

Oman, +968 24543002,
www.holiday-in-oman.com
Oman World Tourism, Oman,
+968 24565288,
www.omanworldtourism.com
Equipment
AzZaha Tours, +968 99013424,
www.azzahatours.com
Water World Marine Oman,
POBox:76,Muscat,113,Sultanate
ofOman, +96824737438,
www.waterworldoman.com
Boating & Sailing
Manufacturer
Saphire Marine, PO Box: 11, Post Code
118, Muscat, Oman, +968 99877243,
www.sapphire-marine.com
Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq,
+974 70057489
Al Mamzoore Marine Equipment,
PO Box: 6449,Old Salata, Doha, Qatar, +974
44444238, almamzoore@qatar.net.qa
Extreme Adventure, Shop 3,4 Ahmed Bin Ali
Steet, Doha, +974 44877884,
www.extreme.qa
Fish World, PO Box: 1975, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44340754
State of Qatar (QatarSub), Souq Waqif,
next to the Falcon Souq, +974 4431234,
www.stateofqatar.com
Operators
Paddle Qatar, +974 55490895,
www.paddleqatar.com
Motocross & ATVs

Dealers
Qatar Adventures, Barwa Village, Building

# 9 Shop # 11, Doha, Qatar, +974 77700074
Stand Up Paddeling, Kite

& Surfing, Wakeboarding
Equipment, Operators
Fly-N-Ride, Ras abu Aboud, Doha,
+974 33117089, www.fly-n-ride.com
Flo Kite School, Westbay, Doha,
+974 33155628, www.flokiteschool.com
Kitesurfing Qatar, +97430179108,
www.kitesurfingqatar.com
QSUP, Qanat Quartier, Costa Malaz,
The Pearl-Qc, Doha, Qatar, +974 66602830,
www.qsup.me
Cycling (Road & Off Road)
Bike Servicing, Equipment

Carbon Wheels Bike Shop, Al Maha Center
10, Salwa Road, Doha, +974 44419048,
www.facebook.com/CarbonWheelsQTR
Flash Bike Shop, Mesaeed New Souq, Shop
C.06, +974 6600 9116,
www.flashbikeshop.com
Skate Shack, Salwa Road, South Doha,
+974 44692532, www.skate-shack.com
Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor,
+974 44822194; Villaggio Mall, +974 4456
9143; Ezdan Mall, +974 4492 2827,
www.galaxysportqatar.com;
Sportswell, Salwa Road, South Doha,
+974 44151687
*Terms & conditions apply. Selected product only. While stocks last.
PART SALE
25%-75% OFF
SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD (DUBAI) AND

CITY CENTRE MIRDIF (DUBAI) STORES ONLY
CALL FREE 800-RIDE

#64 January 2016

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

#64 January 2016

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

#64 January 2016

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

AWAFI MTB FESTIVAL

...and Run 100k in the Desert!

New Year, New You!

The Ultimate Holiday Detox Diet

One for the Road:

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

I wont keep you any longer as there are so many exciting

Eulogy van Dyk

Katherine Caedo Patangui

EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

Tel. 04-447 2030

The information contained is for general use only.

2015 Outdoor UAE FZE

Helle Bachofen Von Echt

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

22 SEARCHING FOR SANTOSHA

34 OUTDOOR FLICKS: VALLEY OF GIANTS

20 T.L.R.D THE VANISHING GAME

EVENT & ACTIVITY REPORTS

10 AWAFI MTB FESTIVAL

27 HABITUALLY HEALTHY: THE 21-DAY PALEO DETOX DIET

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

50 FIA WTCC DHL RACE QATAR EULOGY

52 BIG JEBEL SHAMS ABSEIL

56 MTB TIPS FROM DAVID KINJAH

35 SILVERBACK SUPERBIKE CONCEPT

52 BIG JEBEL SHAMS ABSEIL

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST EVENTS

WADI ADVENTURE RACE 11

MEYDAN RACE NIGHTS RACE 6

When: January 16, 4:00 p.m.

AROUND THE WORLD

Calling on every man and woman with a paddle and

The most prestigious marathon in the UAE calendar

A community run along the parklands! All for free!

LETS GO FORWARD CITY

Take over the city in this metropolitan run!

When: January 15, 6:00 a.m.

DIY TRIATHLETE PERFORMANCE

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

NATHAN WADI RACER

BEACH RUN DXB

DUBAI SHOW JUMPING 2016

When: January 16, 7:00 a.m.

When: January 28-30

Take over the city in this metropolitan run!

Elite international show jumpers will be coming together

ZUMBA FESTIVAL DXB 2016

Off-road treasure point hunting open to the

When: January 16, 9:00 a.m.

AD4X4 DESNAV 2016

VERTICAL RUN ALMAS TOWER

Time to climb the tallest business tower in Dubai.

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE