Wakesurfing is one of the fastest-growing sports in the UAE. Professional surfers from all over the world come here to practice in the sun, year-round, whether it’s during the winter or offseason.
Similar to traditional surfing in some ways, wakesurfing entails using a smaller board and being towed by a special boat. The surfer initially holds onto a rope attached to the boat and releases it once they have gained enough speed to ride the waves created by the boat. Unlike ocean surfing, wakesurfing can be done in lakes or the sea.
Over seven institutions in Dubai offer this sport to their customers. Sea Riders in Jumeirah is one of the places where you can try it out.
Hasan Jad, the founder of Rakmajeh, hopes to introduce more people to the sport and attract surfers from all over the world to Dubai.
Hasan Jad emphasizes how both sport and society are growing in the UAE, stating: “One of the things that makes Dubai great is that it offers a lot of activities in many sports. But especially in surfing, we have the best boats and also Sea Riders which has a great location.” There is no single wave here. It’s one of the flattest areas to get to work. These conditions attract those who want to learn the sport or improve themselves. “We have professional surfers who started practicing the sport in Dubai and now compete all around the world. It’s fantastic,” he said.
Novices and amateurs in Dubai don’t just limit themselves to water surfing, as professional surfers from around the world come here to train and prepare for competitions year-round, especially when it’s too cold to surf in the UK.
Jennifer Edwards, a professional water surfer along with her husband Anthony Edwards, said that Dubai has fantastic facilities that allow them to train and prepare for competitions all year round.
“When you’re surfing, you’re experiencing an incredible sense of freedom. You forget all your troubles. It’s really fun. That’s why we bonded so quickly. And now we’re coming here to enjoy places like Dubai with its beautiful sunshine and waters,” Jennifer explained to the reason for choosing Dubai.
Highlighting the sport’s difficulty, Anthony said, “It’s such an amazing feeling in the world. But sometimes, it can be a very frustrating sport because even the slightest change in your body position can cause you to lose your balance and fall into the water.” Therefore, when everything is perfectly set up, it’s an incredible feeling.
