Where are all the cool kids? Andy Mills investigates the capital’s BMX and skateboarding scene and finds that while it might be small, it’s definitely blooming.
Unless you have a skateboard under your feet or you’re sat atop a BMX, the street sports scene in Abu Dhabi may seem non-existent. You don’t see skateboarders hanging out much, the bikes you see are normally ridden by Lycra-clad exercise fans and most of the extreme activity seems to happen in the water.
But tucked away in a few corners of the city are fans of the radical, who like nothing better than kick-flipping a skateboard or taking to a vert ramp with their BMX and a whole lot of speed. The hangout spot of choice is the skateboard park on the Corniche, next to Family Park. And while heat can make it an empty playground for skaters during the day, the early evenings become much busier. It’s not without issues though.
‘The problem is they turn the lights off at 9pm,’ explains Mohamed Waleed, a BMX rider who runs lessons for those wanting to perfect the art. ‘It makes it difficult as we can’t use it in the dark. Apparently people in the buildings nearby complained that we were making too much noise. I’m not sure how we can make that much noise.’
He’s been riding BMX bikes for five years now and has found plenty of street spots to go to when the park is closed. ‘We look for any place with ledges or stairs, and sometimes head up to Dubai,’ he explains, adding that they’re careful to not use spots that are off-limits. ‘We could do with more support though. A park that we can use and that isn’t cement would be great.’
This thought is echoed by the guys behind Abu Dhabi’s main stop for skateboarding and other extreme sports gear, Rage, in Al Wahda Mall. They sell everything from the latest Flip skate decks (with carbon fibre sandwiched between the plywood) to BMX bikes from popular brands like Wethepeople.
‘Kids are getting bored walking around the malls, they want to be active,’ says Alex Medvedev, brand manager at Dubai Desert Extreme, who own the Rage shops in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. ‘The problem is security, the idea for any community is to build security, especially when kids as young as five want to start skateboarding.’
Up in Dubai they have more park facilities and the Rage shop in the Dubai Mall even has a skateboard bowl on its top floor for skaters to use or novices to have lessons on. This summer they set up another skatepark too that has seen more than 1,000 people us it in the last month and a half. In fact, they even sponsor eight pro skaters, including one guy from Abu Dhabi who recently reached the finals in a regional skate competition in Kuala Lumpur.
Alex is keen to emphasise the community aspect of what they do though and believes the BMXers and skateboarders in Abu Dhabi are working towards the same thing. ‘They get on well there, they have to because the community is small, and they’re working towards the same thing – skateparks. The desire is there but it just needs some long-term support,’ he explains. And while skateboarding and BMXing can be tagged with the ‘anti-social’ label, he’s quick to point out the social and physical benefits of learning. ‘A lot of kids are shy and don’t get on with team sports. Skateboarding is something you do on your own, but with others. You’ll often find that the adrenaline a shy kid feels after they’ve learnt a new trick helps them to just naturally open up and become more social.’
Abu Dhabi’s cool kids might be having it tough finding places to hone their skills, but it’s clear that the more people who take up the sports, then the more likely it is that further skateparks will appear. So, put your skates on (or get on your skateboard) and head to the Corniche one evening. You may not become the next Tony Hawk or Dave Mirra, but you will be part of a growing community and you’ll have a lot of good, healthy fun in doing so.
Rage, Al Wahda Mall (02 443 7617).
Learn street sports
It’s never too late or too early to get radical. If you need some lessons or pointers in how to do it, just ask these guys.
BMX
Training Lessons for novice, intermediate and advanced riders for Dhs150 per hour. Can be at the Corniche skatepark or place of your choice.
www.bmx-abudhabi.blogspot.ae (050 821 5366).
Inline skating
More of an open group that meets daily from 8pm-10.30pm opposite the Hilton, these enthusiasts welcome anyone to come along and join in the fun.
www.facebook.com/ISRSbuddies.
Parkour
If you fancy flinging yourself around the concrete jungle head to the Corniche opposite the Hilton hotel any Friday at 4pm. The guys from UAE Parkour give free training to anyone who wants to learn. Just bring comfy clothes and trainers.
www.uaeparkour.com.
