Bashar Al Abadi keeps himself pretty busy, dividing his time between organising extreme sports events, teaching rookies perilous ways to transport themselves through the air, and, of course, mastering his own stunts. Just 19 years old, he founded the Abu Dhabi Skaters group, which includes BMX-ing, inline skating and skateboarding, back in 2004, and has since pulled in hundreds of members across the UAE, each with a taste for adrenaline and an uncanny defiance of gravity.
Inline skates, BMX bike or skateboard – what’s your personal vehicle of choice, then?
I’m a skateboarder, so that explains it. Let’s keep it simple: I like them all, but I ended up skateboarding because I find it more suitable for me. Watching Tony Hawk skate really inspired me, especially since he is supportive of the community and loves what he does, too.
Describe your best stunt.
The Fakie 360 Shuvit. [For the uninitiated, this is a very snazzy move that involves spinning the board under your feet 360 degrees].
How long did it take you to perfect it?
It took me about two to three weeks to master the trick.
As a fan of extreme sports, you must have had a few injuries. What was the most painful?
To be honest with you, I might have fallen 100 times and injured myself while skating, but I never broke any bones. However, I broke my left arm five years ago while playing rugby and my wrist a few months ago just from being stupid and jumping off stuff. I guess I should just stick to my skateboard!
What is the main purpose of the Abu Dhabi Skaters group?
We all get together to skate around the city whenever we have time. Every month I hold small events to encourage skaters in what they do, and inspire them to improve their skills. By ‘skaters’ I mean those practicing any of the three sports – skateboarding, inline skating and BMX-ing. I believe it creates a great atmosphere for them, and helps them master their tricks. It’s also a challenge to find out who has improved and who has managed to learn new stunts.
Why is skateboarding so important to you?
It’s a unique sport where there are no rules about losing or winning. It is a free sport where anyone can try out different moves, and perform them on stairs, ledges, or on anything else they like.
What has been your most successful event so far?
The Abu Dhabi Skaters Championship that was held in April at the public skate park. I loved it as much as everyone else did. We received a huge amount of support from the municipality and the Abu Dhabi Police. In fact, the municipality sponsored the entire event and covered all our expenses. They even repainted the skate park for us!
Are you working on anything exciting at the moment?
I’m working on a proposal to do an event at Al Wahda Mall this autumn. I’m thinking of building a halfpipe and organising a big skate demo inside the mall. One thing you should know, whether you’re a skater yourself or a fan of extreme sports, it will definitely be one weekend full of action and excitement. I mean, imagine a halfpipe being built in the middle of the mall! There will be a show for people to watch, and some skaters will get the chance to use it, depending on their experience.
What else have you got planned for the future?
We will be involved with Adrenaline Sports Live, to be held in ADNEC in October. I’m also planning our biggest annual event – King of the Concrete – which will be held at the skate park sometime in November.
What would your advice be for anyone interested in learning to skate?
Do not hesitate. Get yourself a great skateboard, inline skates or a BMX, and join us every weekend. Once you try it out and get to know the basics, you will like doing it for the rest of your life – guaranteed! We offer lessons every Friday at the public skate park and everyone is welcome to join us.
For information about classes, events or the skating community, contact Bashar Al Abadi on 050 311 9151, or visit www.abudhabiskaters.com.
