After a brief hiatus (but what feels like a million years), we finally got the green light to hit the beach this summer – and no doubt at the top of the waitlist were the UAE’s watersport pros and aficionados keen to get back on the water asap.
Among those who were raring to go was our very own Omeir Saeed, who has been making a name for himself on the local and international sporting stage since he was a teenager. And now that he’s back outdoors, the Emirati pro-wakeboarder has been living his best life.
In fact, NGL – we’ve got total TikTok envy thanks to his epic videos on his official account. In between documenting his rigorous workouts and wakeboarding adventures, Omeir has also been showcasing his shiny new Fliteboard that pretty much offers the closest thing to walking on water… not to mention it’s serving major “Back to the Future” hoverboard vibes. Check it out!
Omeir, 23 – who competes regularly at international levels, taking on the best of the best at events like the WWA Wake Park World Championships finals – kept his fitness levels at peak during lockdown by spending “every day” working out at home, so getting back to what he does best wasn’t too challenging.
“Luckily, I have a home gym so I have been keeping fit by running and working on upper body strength – weights and doing lots of push-ups and pull-ups,” he says.
But for a champion wakeboarder like Omeir, nothing beats the feeling of being on the water. And In terms of wakeboarding hotspots, he’s keen to encourage more people to get out and give it a go. Here are his four firm favourites at the moment.
Top of the list: Al Forsan Water Sports Centre, Abu Dhabi
One scan of Omeir’s Instagram account and you’ll see just how much of a fan he is of this sports centre in the UAE capital. In fact, it’s billed as “one of the most amazing cable facilities in the world” by the World Wakeboarding Association (WWA), due to its water cable park system around the banks of the purpose-built lakes.
“It is my favourite place, as the cable allows five or six people to go around at the same time, rather than practising by yourself so it makes a great place to visit with a group of friends,” he says.
Wakeboarding with a view
Another favourite is the waters next to Bab Al Qasr hotel, by Abu Dhabi’s Corniche.
“It is just such a beautiful place,” Omeir says. “The skyline of Abu Dhabi and Etihad Towers makes it a stunning place to wakeboard.”
But neighbouring emirate Dubai also offers some world-class wakeboarding sites, he adds…
Calm waters
Xtreme Wake – the home to wakeboarding and wake surfing in Dubai and the UAE – has two spots – one in Dubai Marina and another in Ghantoot Marina which offer some top-notch wakeboarding, says the athlete.
“Ghantoot is excellent as it has a small channel with water breakers on both the right and left – which make for really flat conditions and calm waters; perfect for wakeboarding.
“Equally, Dubai Marina, whilst at open sea, has great flat conditions – if you begin really early in the morning.”
Of course, it’s important to remember that Omeir is a trained professional, so many of the stunts he showcases online are thanks to years of practice. For those who are enthusiasts and returning to wakeboarding after some time off, the athlete recommends taking it slow.
“Take your time, have a few sessions to get the feel of it again instead of heading straight out and trying to do stunts. Get your confidence back first so you don’t hurt yourself.”
If you’re a beginner, then start in the gym, not on the water.
“The main thing, of course, is to just have fun when you start the sport. But if you really want to do wakeboarding you need a lot of strength, so start in the gym and build your upper body strength and core strength,” he says. “And you will probably be spending a lot of time in the water so being a confident swimmer helps.
“Don’t rush into buying a board straight off; when I first started I tried out a different board every day for two weeks; there are many options out there. Take the time to find a board that suits you.
“But above all, just have fun!”
And remember, practice makes perfect as Omeir perfectly demonstrates below.
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