For as long we have walked the earth, humans have had an insatiable desire to compete. Whether to see who can make it to a tree first or who can throw a stone furthest, it’s where sports come from. Unlike some parts of the world, the UAE does not have any natural snowy mountains on which to take part in winter sports. But the UAE does have sand dunes. And even better for us, off-road vehicles mean that we can enjoy this nation’s unique landscape, and often at high speed.
The Western Region plays host to an extreme example of this human desire to challenge ourselves in the form of the Liwa International Festival, Moreeb Dune. In Arabic, Moreeb means ‘scary’ or ‘daunting’, and taking place on and around this aptly named mountain of sand is a week of events to satisfy even the most jaded adrenaline junky. The dune itself is about 300m tall; one of the largest in the world.
The organisers know that you don’t want to have your most dangerous events first, and that there’s nothing wrong with something a little lighter. So starting on January 2 and running until January 6 there will be races for remote controlled cars. These aren’t the R/C cars you remember from when you were a kid however – these are gasoline powered, heavily modified monstrosities. The unregulated Open Class even allows cars to have Nitrous Oxide System (NOS) tanks and turbo-chargers.
As a reminder of what racing in the desert looked like before the invention of the internal combustion engine, guests will be treated to falcon races on January 3, with horse and camel races the following day. These are not just for show; these are serious races and the winners will receive cash prizes.
On January 5, it’s the turn of bikes to challenge the dune. There are several categories, each targeted at riders of varying degrees of sanity. The most level-headed of the quad bike riders take part in the Four Stroke Class, which requires the vehicles to be left pretty much as they are on the show-room floor. For the more reckless, there’s First Class – which means the bikes can be modified, but the engine must remain original and NOS is not permitted. Last but not least is the Open Class, and much like with the R/C cars, anything goes – we wouldn’t want to cross a man who thinks riding one of these beasts is a good idea. Two-wheeled bikes compete in a single category and the only restriction is that NOS is forbidden, so what follows is a Wacky Racers-style proliferation of weird and wonderful contraptions.
On the final day of competitive dune-bashing, cars, recreational utility vehicles (RUVs) and buggies take up the challenge. Here, there are three classes for what the organisers define as ‘standard cars’ – meaning modified road-goers, rather than anything specifically designed for the environment. First Class is for cars with eight cylinders, with very few restrictions except that sand tyres are not allowed. Second Class cars have to have six cylinders, but otherwise the restrictions are no more severe than for the larger cars. Third Class cars must have a straight six cylinder engine in the original engine block. RUVs are like a cross between a quad bike and a buggy, and are growing in popularity as a way to enjoy the scenery as it flies past you at high speed. Here, there are two categories, one for Polaris RZRs, a particular brand of RUVs, and a category for more modified vehicles – the principle restriction for these is that their weights cannot be altered. Buggies compete in a single category, and the only rule is that they must have two seats – so expect some pretty unusual designs.
Do you want to see something you’re unlikely to see anywhere else? Does the idea of humans challenging a slow-moving wave of sand to a battle of wills get your blood pumping? Then pick a day which most excites you and watch possibly unhinged competitors attempt to defy gravity. Of course, if the sound of engines gives you a migraine, there aren’t many times of year when you can catch horse or camel racing in such striking surroundings.
The Moreeb Dune is south of Liwa, and a map with directions can be found on the website below. Free, January 1-6. R/C competition is all day; falcon, horse and camel races begin at 2pm; bike competition begins at 4pm; car competition begins at 6pm. www.admc.ae (050 666 8997).
