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Yas Waterworld welcomes Oakley Flowboarding Championships
Watersport athletes from across the globe will surface at Abu Dhabi this weekend to take part in the sixth annual Oakley Go Pro World Flowboarding Championships taking place at the UAE’s first mega waterpark, Yas Waterworld.
The championship, which is proud to boast the largest field ever in the history of the sport this year, will see tough competition from six different countries, including Spain, Singapore, South Africa, and Chile, and a team from our very own UAE.
Undoubtedly the star act coming to town is current world champion, Eric Silverman of the USA, who has won every major event in the history of the sport for the past six years.
But Team UAE are looking good to wow crowds at the waterpark too as they have at the helm a former world champion, Clayton Barker, who will be going for gold in the strapless stand-up division.
Ryan Watkins, marketing manager at Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, said: “Team UAE is in excellent shape and we’re excited to find a new Flowboarding hometown hero.”
South African Barker, who also works at Yas Waterworld and coaches its Yas Flow League, says he is confident he can deliver a strong result.
“The UAE team has been training non-stop for the upcoming world championship and we’re looking strong,” says Barker. “The team consists of eight flowboarders, of which two are Emirati: Mohammed Ibrahim Darwish and Humaid Obaid, who have shown fantastic capabilities during the qualifying rounds.”
Also on the team are Russian resident Max Solokov, Archie Romero of the Philippines and Jennifer Mauerhofer from Sweden.
“Flowboarding is a new sport in the region, so we are proud to see local talents achieving world class standards, and we’re looking to create a future world champion in the sport of flowboarding in the near future thanks to the leading facilities on offer at Yas,” Barker added.
Yas Waterworld, which is home to the world’s biggest FlowBarrel 10, is a breeding ground for future world champions in the sport – having launched the Yas Flow League (YFL) earlier this year.
A launch pad to prepare local riders for the Worlds, the league offers training to keen flowboarders at all levels from basic skills to advanced wave riding.
Sport360° spoke to the two Emirati hopefuls in the competition, one of whom actually joined the league only seven months ago and proved his worth to earn a spot on the team.
Twenty-year-old Obaid, an engineering student, said ahead of his debut campaign: “In the beginning I was so into it I was boarding five hours a day, but I’ve had to cut down since because of school. It’s not hard, one only needs practice.
“Still it’s going to be difficult for me because there are guys here who have been doing well in the sport for many years and this is only my second competition (including the qualifiers).
“I met some of the international riders already too, they are real good... I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m a little nervous, but I hope I do well.
“It’s motivating to have another Emirati on the team though, the whole team have been helping me a lot, with tricks and different styles.
“I’ve learned a lot and after this (event) it won’t stop there. I want to continue to compete for the UAE,” he added.
Twenty-three-year-old Darwish on the other hand, is no stranger to international competition, having placed third overall in his event in the 2011 Worlds in South Africa, and he will be eyeing another top finish.
“I’m confident,” said the Dubai Airport employee. “I always want to win but I won’t feel bad if I don’t. It’s awesome to be involved, we’ve been training hard and it’s going to be good.”
WHAT: Sixth annual Oakley Go Pro World Flowboarding Championships
WHEN: Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26, 14:00 onwards
WHERE: Yas Waterworld, Abu Dhabi
COST: Entrance is free for spectators with a chance to win daily prizes and giveaways
Sport360° VERDICT: The world’s best in one cool, extreme watersport right on your doorstep at an award-winning venue.
CONTACT: Call 02 4152000
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