Dubai: As the UAE continues to promote an active and healthy lifestyle among its residents, the Wadi Adventure in Al Ain aims to lure the young and young at heart to the joy water sports through its Open Beach sessions beginning this September.
Wadi Adventure will open its surf pool for free to the public for its “Open Beach Swimming Sessions” to encourage more locals and expatriates to enjoy the man-made beach at the foot of Jebel Hafeet. The surf pool, which can generate up to 3.3-metre waves, is usually reserved for surfers who train at the waterpark. It has established itself as a training facility for professional surfers and kayakers from around the globe.
“Catering to this niche market and hosting international sport stars is great, but it’s time for Wadi Adventure to start developing the youth in the region,” Lennard Otto, Wadi Adventure’s Operations Manager, said.
Otto said Wadi Adventure will work closely with schools and universities in and around the UAE to promote water sports and water safety in general.
“A fundamental part of sport development is getting the kids ‘hooked’ on sport from a young age. There is no better location for this than Wadi Adventure,” Fergus Coffey, Whitewater Manager, said.
The surf pool can accommodate hundreds of water sports enthusiasts who can swim there for free every afternoon from 4pm to 6pm on weekdays and 12pm to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm on weekends. For those who want to go beyond swimming, they can surf for Dh100 per hour or take a surfing lesson for Dh150 per hour in a safe and controlled environment.
Clinton Howes, Business Development Executive at Wadi Adventure, told Gulf News six lifeguards are on duty at any given time to ensure the safety of the visitors.
Howes said Wadi Adventure has also noted an increase in interest in water sports, particularly surfing, in the country.
“Surfing is a good sport because teaches you respect for the ocean. It teaches you good timing and how to balance. Also, to be able to surf, one needs to be relatively in good shape,” Howes told Gulf News.
