DUBAI // The first longboarding competition for women in the UAE took place on Friday, bringing avid skaters from around the Emirates together.
Aries Vosotros, 28, has been doing the extreme sports since 2011 and said it was “the stoke”, or the buzz, of the sport, which has made her so passionate about it.
“It makes me feel happy”, said the Filipina who lives in Ras Al Khaimah.
A longboard is a bigger version of a skateboard that has better stability and greater distances can be covered.
The second Summer Drop event in Mushrif Park involved longboarders, both male and female, skating downhill over a 1.5-kilometre strip. The winner can complete the distance in about a minute.
“This [event] is only once a year, but we [skate] every Friday,” said Ms Vosotros. “There’s never been so many people here as today, so it’s great to have this event just once a year.
“I would love to see more girls competing and doing this sport. A lot want to join. In the Philippines there’s a lot of girls doing it. It’s a dangerous sport but this location is good for beginners, unlike the hills we use in RAK, which are steeper and faster.”
Last year, there were only two girls at the event, but with six this year they could make it into a competition. Twenty seven longboarders meant that there was plenty of competition among the men.
Belle Formoso, 24, travelled from Khor Fakkan, where she works as a multimedia artist. She has been in the UAE for four months and longboarding for two years.
“I didn’t know there was a community this big and I didn’t think you’d be able to skate here,” she said. “I’m so excited to be able to compete. It’s good for girls to see others competing because they’ll be more open to trying this themselves. More and more are becoming interested in it.”
Competitor Kristine Paner, 27, travelled from Abu Dhabi. “It’s so good having a girls’ competition. Last year we were only a couple of people so we couldn’t compete but we requested a girls’ race. I’m so happy more girls are taking part this year.”
She said the sport gave her an “adrenalin rush”, referring again to “the stoke”, which was a common theme among all the boarders. “I enjoy taking risks.”
Ms Paner said she first began skating with friends, but once she got into downhill longboarding, “the rest was history”.
“We travel every weekend to Dubai because there’s no downhill in Abu Dhabi. We come here just to skate.”
Jirek Guting, 27, also came from Abu Dhabi. The human resources executive from the Philippines said the thrill, the speed and the adrenalin was what got her hooked two years ago.
She also took part in the head-to-head race where the winner takes on the person in the next heat until it is down to one.
“We’ve come from so many different emirates to do this but mostly it’s about the socialising.”
Dara Pedras, 35, one of the organisers, said: “It has helped people who had nothing to do on their day off. We’ve taught them how to longboard.”
Peachy Monteza, 31, is a longboarder but was not competing. “This is such a good activity for people rather than just going to malls. It’s affordable and it gives people a good activity to be active in their life on their day off,” she said.
“Longboards cost about Dh800 to Dh1,000 but many people buy them second-hand. All of us share a common day off, Friday, so this is our way of coming together as a community, through the whole year – even the summer.”
mswan@thenational.ae
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Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
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Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
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3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Match info
Manchester United 1
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Wolves 1
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Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km
