Autocross
Driver skill takes precedence over horsepower in this low cost alternative to track racing. Each competitor races against the clock on a marked course, typically 40 to 70 seconds long and packed with turns. Although speeds rarely exceed those of the highway, any vehicle from economy sedans to custom-built models can take part, so there’s no problem in grinding your old Toyota Camri around the track.
Contact Al Ain Sportplex to join the Autocross Club on 03 768 8888 or visit .
Biking
Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain offers a gruelling 11km climb for road riders, winding up the mountains. Mountain bikers can simply follow the 4×4 tracks which surround the mountain and the hot springs, but there is little else to satisfy hardcore enthusiasts in Abu Dhabi. Across the border, in Oman, the Wadi Hadf area is popular with mountain bikers, as is the edge of the Hajar Mountain range in Fujairah, near the Masafi village. Other good offroad biking areas in the UAE include Wadi Shawka in Ras Al Khaimah and around Hatta village. There are no obvious or easy-to-follow trails, but the rocky wadi areas are usually a fair test.
Email Hot Cog at lavadesign1@ mac.com for some inside info, or visit to book a tour.
Caving
Caving in Al Ain’s cave system is tricky, not because of the terrain, but largely because entrances to the underground system are mostly on royal property. Access is limited, but Brian Goggins (call 050 447 2854) offers caving trips around Jebel Hafeet, although these involve more scrambling than any serious rope work. Across the border in Oman, the Majlis Al Jinn (the world’s second largest cave), whose entrance is located at the bottom of a 160m free descent, is the main contender, but an experienced guide is a must.
Drifting
Drifting (ie when the car is turning in the opposite direction to that of the wheels) is normally something to avoid. In real life it would be closely followed by a harsh expletive and a loud crashing sound; but in the autosport to which it lends its name, it is a necessity as the driver skids his car around the dirt track. Al Ain Sportplex’s drifting club is set to resume this month for those interested. Club membership is free.
Contact 03 768 8888 or visit www.alainsportplex.com.
Extreme racing
Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge 2008 (December 12-17) is a gruelling event in which teams of four compete in a six-day jaunt from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain. Definitely not one for the faint-hearted: disciplines include sea kayaking, camel hiking, orienteering, biking, running, rope climbing and even in-line skating. The winning team will pocket Dhs40,000, then probably slump into an exhausted heap on the podium.
Visit www.abudhabi-adventure.com for more information.
Freerunning (aka parkour)
As much a form of physical expression as a sport, the principal aim of the traceur (freerunner) is to move through their urban environment with as much ease as possible by either running, jumping or climbing – doing so whilst seeming utterly nonchalant is just a happy by-product (well, it is French). All sorts of Yoda-esque philosophies have emerged around parkour – its unofficial motto is ‘être et durer’ (‘to be and to last’), but it’s free, fun and Abu Dhabi’s urban landscape is ideal. Regular parkour sessions are held daily on the Corniche opposite the Hilton Baynunah Tower, Abu Dhabi, 4pm-7pm. Visit www.uaeparkour.moonfruit.com for more info.
Contact Arjun on 050 382 2619 for free lessons and training sessions.
Game fishing
The seas off the coast of Abu Dhabi are teeming with enough mean-looking fish to have kept even Ernest Hemmingway in hooks and bait. Expect to catch kawa kawa, trevally, cobia and sailfish, all of which grow to between two and three metres. Extreme fishing? Well, the latter has been clocked swimming at speeds of up to 110 kph – more than quick enough to catch unwary fishermen off guard. A catch and release programme is operated with all billfish.
Call 02 6146931, or visit www.fishabudhabi.com for more info.
Hobie cats
‘Err… is it like a tiger or something?’ No, it’s a small, double hulled catamaran about 14-20ft in length. It can travel up to 25 knots (with a spinnaker), but the joy is the freedom this sailboat offers: a hobie cat can sail in just six inches of water, so it’s ideal for exploring Abu Dhabi’s many islands, and far more environmentally friendly than a turtle- bothering powerboat. Abu Dhabi Catamaran Association (contact Don Revis on 050 542 0820) operate out of Hiltonia Beach Club and offer hobie cat training courses for Dhs200 per hour, also providing island hopping jaunts out to Al Futaisi and Bahraini for daytrippers.
Indoor skydiving
Not willing to jump out of a plane? Don’t blame you. But even the cowardliest acrophobes can enjoy SkyVenture’s vertical wind tunnel. Powerful fans create a massive up-draught, physically lifting you off your feet and holding you in mid-air. Having mastered just floating (it’s not as easy as it sounds), you can then experiment with all sorts of flair tricks and skills. For groups of up to five.
Call Abu Dhabi Health & Fitness Club on 02 446 3653.
Jetskiing
A popular pastime around the city. Whilst the police are cracking down on boy racers going where they shouldn’t, most of the beach clubs offer rentals for a fair price, starting from around Dhs200 per session.
Kayaking
Sea kayaking can be found at Al Raha Beach Hotel for Dhs50 per 30 minutes, but for something more adventurous, the newly set up Kayak Abu Dhabi (contact Don Revis on 050 542 0820, degaje@hotmail.com) operates out of the Hiltonia Beach Club and specialises in bespoke guided kayaking trips and nature tours in Abu Dhabi’s mangroves for groups of four-six people (Dhs100 per hour, per person). Alternatively, if you know the terrain, you can rent the kayaks from them and explore yourself (Dhs50 per person, per hour). From December to April they also offer kayak fishing trips out to the shallower waters west of Abu Dhabi.
Kitesurfing
There is no traditional surfing to be had in Abu Dhabi (and little in the UAE for that matter), but kitesurfing is becoming popular. In practice it is closer to wakeboarding than surfing, except that the rider is pulled by a kite rather than a motorboat. Abu Dhabi Public Beach is the main hangout for kitesurfers in the city, although crowded at the weekends. Lessons start around Dhs300 per hour.
Visit www.ad-kitesurfing.net for details of instructors, equipment hire and locations to surf.
Land sailing (aka blokarting)
The name is pretty self explanatory. Get a sail, stick it on a three-wheel buggy and you’re away. It is best done on a flat, empty beach, and speeds obviously depend upon the size of the sail and power of the wind. Dreamdays (www.dreamdays.ae) are offering the opportunity to try land sailing at Abu Dhabi’s Adrenaline Sports Live Show at ADNEC (November 13-15), and are beginning a corporate league in Dubai in early 2009. It’s not cheap to buy your own kart (Dreamdays offer karts and sails for around Dhs12,000 combined), but it’s a lot of fun.
Microlighting
The microlight is the dragonfly of the light aircraft world. Seemingly brittle, it is far stronger than it looks. Fundamentally it is a lightweight, propeller-powered, one or two-seater craft suspended beneath a reinforced hang glider (check out Sport on p119 to see how we liked it). The Micro Aviation Club currently run classes from Umm Al Quwain Aeroclub, and will start running sessions in Abu Dhabi from December 1. A course of training sessions costs Dhs12,000 (10 hours assisted flight plus two hours solo), including equipment hire, fuel and licence.
Call Lazlo on 055 212 0155, www.microaviation.org.
National Dragon Boat Cup
Dragon boats are wafer thin, painted to resemble a dragon and contain 20 furious paddlers all synced to a loud drumbeat. This month sees the first ever Abu Dhabi National Dragon Boat Cup (November 13-15) held on the city’s creek. Teams have until November 11 to sign up.
Contact info@sirenconsulting.com for more information, or visit www.adrenalinesportslive.com to download a registration form.
Offroad
If you own or rent a 4×4, Offroad Adventures (050 628 9667) offer desert driving classes in both Liwa and Dubai (Dhs500 per person), with an introduction for beginners, preparation advice, tips on changing tyres in deep sand, and other essentials for dune and wadi bashing. Explorer Tours (04 286 1991) offer two-day (Dhs7,000), three-day (Dhs10,000) and bespoke weeklong expeditions into Liwa and on the outskirts of Rub Al Khali, the biggest sand desert in the world, for groups of up six people.
Paramotoring/gliding
Essentially parachuting in reverse. You begin on the ground, catch a breeze, then kick the paramotor into gear and soar away. The Micro Aviation Club run 10-day training para- motoring and paragliding (without the motor) training sessions on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai border (at the Jebel Ali open beach area), which includes a licence and equipment hire. Once completed, you will need to buy your own harness, canopy and motor. Sessions cost Dhs3,500, plus Dhs250 to join Emirates Aviation Association.
Call Micro Aviation Club on 055 212 0155 or visit www.microaviation.org.
Quad biking & dune buggies
Recent laws regarding quadbiking largely relate to driving on the road, residential, paved and coastal areas (1,143 bikes have been confiscated recently). But out in the dunes of Hatta and Al Ain, where the enthusiasts tend to head, it is relatively relaxed (as far as petrol fuelled mayhem goes). For something more organised, try a quad bike safari with Blue Banana for Dhs500, although it does require a trip to Dubai.
Go to www.bluebanana.ae.
Rock climbing
The Club (02 673 1111) offers an indoor climbing wall, but it’s pretty much kiddie sized. Only the Pharaoh’s Club at Wafi in Dubai (04 324 0000) offers a serious indoor test, although in December the new Dorrell Climbing Centre is due to rival it. In Abu Dhabi there is little climbing to be had except around Al Ain’s Jebel Hafeet, but bear in mind there are no bolted routes, and therefore it is unadvisable for all but the most experienced. Elsewhere, 40km past Al Ain, across the border in Oman, Wonderwall is a sure bet; it offers hundreds of traditional and sports routes up to 120m in length in the easier and middle grades of difficulty.
Al Shaheen Adventures also offer climbing training in the Northern Emirates (call 050 828 3279), but for a good overview of climbing in the UAE and where to find equipment, contact info@globalclimbing.com.
Sandboarding & inline skating
Similar in principal to snowboarding, sandboarding differs in two ways: a) it’s on sand and therefore slower to build up speed; and b) out on the dunes there are unlikely to be any ski lifts. Tourist companies such as Net Tours (02 679 4656) can offer a four-hour sandboarding package for Dhs190 per adult, but if your idea of fun is something that will almost definitely leave you bruised at the end of the day, why not try aggressive inline skating? This new form of rollerblading involves much more robust skates and stunts such as jumps, spins, flips and grinds. It’s exhilarating and great exercise. To see for yourself, check out the Corniche skatepark by the Hilton Hotel. For skates and protective gear, ask at any major sports shop.
Trekking (survival)
Less a sport, more of a calling. For budding SAS survivalists, Brian Goggins offers tailor- made survival courses out in the wild. He is based in Al Ain, and what you learn depends upon the environment you choose: mountain, border or dessert. Best done in groups, he can teach you how to find food and water, navigate, and basically how not to die in the desert. Courses can last a day or over the weekend.
Call 050 447 2854 for prices.
Underwater (wreck diving)
The seas around Abu Dhabi contain countless wrecks ripe for exploration. Don’t expect to find any lost pre-war Spanish gold, but you may see cement barges at a shallow 6-8m, ranging up to the more challenging sites of the Lion City and Ludwig wrecks at around 30m (for advanced divers only). Expect to pay around Dhs1,000 for a full day’s charter, plus equipment hire. For the more inexperienced, PADI and NAUI dive courses range from Dhs350 for beginners up to over Dhs2,000, but city dive centres such as Blue Dolphin Diving Centre (02 690 7990), Abu Dhabi Sub Aqua Club (02 673 1111) and Diveco International (050 581 1117) offer short two-five day courses to get you started. The latter also offer specialist wreck diving and night diving classes.
