• Ultimate Frisbee players at Black Palace beach, Dubai, with the Burj Al Arab in the background. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ultimate Frisbee players at Black Palace beach, Dubai, with the Burj Al Arab in the background. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Competitors at Black Palace beach before the start of Seas the Disc, an Ultimate Frisbee tournament
    Competitors at Black Palace beach before the start of Seas the Disc, an Ultimate Frisbee tournament
  • Ultimate Frisbee has grown in popularity in Dubai over the past few years
    Ultimate Frisbee has grown in popularity in Dubai over the past few years
  • The teams in the event consist of seven players, throwing the frisbee to each other and trying to score the most points by catching it
    The teams in the event consist of seven players, throwing the frisbee to each other and trying to score the most points by catching it
  • Ultimate, as it is commonly known, is a non-contact sport
    Ultimate, as it is commonly known, is a non-contact sport
  • Seas the Disc is being held in Dubai for the second year after its inaugural event in 2022
    Seas the Disc is being held in Dubai for the second year after its inaugural event in 2022
  • The tournament was organised by Tiki Taka Ultimate Dubai
    The tournament was organised by Tiki Taka Ultimate Dubai
  • Ultimate is played in 80 countries
    Ultimate is played in 80 countries
  • More than 100 people participated in the tournament on the beach
    More than 100 people participated in the tournament on the beach
  • Competition in Ultimate Frisbee can be fierce
    Competition in Ultimate Frisbee can be fierce
  • Athleticism is a must when having to sprint to catch the frisbee
    Athleticism is a must when having to sprint to catch the frisbee
  • The name of the event, Seas the Disc, is a pun on ‘Seize the Day’
    The name of the event, Seas the Disc, is a pun on ‘Seize the Day’
  • A competitor lines up a throw as friends and family provide support
    A competitor lines up a throw as friends and family provide support
  • Tiki Taka Ultimate Dubai say they plan to organise more competitions in the city
    Tiki Taka Ultimate Dubai say they plan to organise more competitions in the city

Photo essay: Ultimate Frisbee competition grips Dubai


Faisal Salah
  • English
  • Arabic

Frisbee fans congregated at Black Palace Beach in Dubai to take part in Seas the Disc, an Ultimate Frisbee competition.

The one-day competition involved teams of seven competing against one another and had more than 100 participants.

Ultimate Frisbee is described as an exciting, non-contact, self-refereed team sport. It's a fast-paced game that can be played on grass, indoors or on the beach.

The Seas the Disc (a pun on "Seize the Day") tournament was being held for a second time, after the success of last year’s competition which took place at Dubai’s Kite beach.

The sport of Ultimate, as it is commonly known, has grown in popularity in the past few years. The emirate hosted the World Championships of Beach Ultimate in 2015, a five-day event that had participants from around the world.

Tiki Taka Ultimate Dubai say they will continue to organise competitions to keep up with the sport's growing fanbase.

Leonila “Fonz” Rojas is one of the organisers of the event. She tells The National that the sport has long found success with competitions held in the emirate.

"Ultimate has been around Dubai for a long time now and has hosted numerous local and international tournaments. In 2018, the Mena Ultimate Club Championships was held in Dubai. This year, the Mena Club Championships – the biggest Ultimate event in the Mena region is coming back to Dubai and will be organised by our club," she says.

As for the future of Seas the Disc, she has high hopes for the event to grow into something more. "The plan is to make this an annual event and even bigger."

The event this year was held on April 29 and organised by Tiki Taka Ultimate Dubai.

Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

JAPAN SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champioons League semi-final, first leg:

Liverpool 5
Salah (35', 45 1'), Mane (56'), Firmino (61', 68')

Roma 2
Dzeko (81'), Perotti (85' pen)

Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

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Bio

Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro

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Company%20profile
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)

Saturday

Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)

Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)

Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)

Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)

Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)

Sunday

Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)

Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)

SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
The Bio

Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.

Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.

Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.

Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.

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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

Ain Issa camp:
  • Established in 2016
  • Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
  • Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
  • Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
  • 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
  • NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
  • One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
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Company Profile

Name: JustClean

Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries

Launch year: 2016

Number of employees: 130

Sector: online laundry service

Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding

Updated: June 17, 2023, 4:17 AM