All five boats present at the Abu Dhabi stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race were put through their paces on Tuesday in light winds.
Telefonica, which leads the nine-leg race after two legs, spent more than five hours practising the sail changes and manoeuvres necessary for the actual in-port race on Friday, in winds varying between six and eight knots but sometimes dwindling to three.
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing edged away at 2.30pm to leave the dock empty, with all five teams anticipating a practice race slated for Wednesday, a Pro-Am Race for Thursday, the in-port race for Friday and departure on Leg 3 toward Sanya, China, on Saturday.
Well away, down in the Indian Ocean, Team Sanya maintained progress toward the undisclosed port the Volvo Ocean Race implemented out of piracy concerns.
Team Sanya had halted Leg 2 on December 20 for rigging repairs in Madagascar. If it can complete the path to the undisclosed port, it will collect four points for a sixth-place finish in that stage of the leg.
Team Sanya, the last entry into the six-boat race, and the only entry using a second-generation Volvo Open 70 boat, occupies sixth overall on four points, 15 behind fifth-place Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.
When the boats depart on Saturday, they will begin with a sprint, an inverse of the sprint they held last Wednesday, with six points going to the winner.
From there, the boats will go on to a ship which will transport them to the undisclosed port, from which they will proceed to Sanya, China, the winner of that two to three-week leg receiving 24 points.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
