Dubai: Ski Dubai’s first-ever snow sports team. comprising of some of the best local and expatriate talent, are ready to make their mark in the sport at the global level.
Speaking at the launch of the team on Tuesday, Chris David, operations manager and former Team GB athlete and coach, said that he wants to see the young athletes participate at a higher international level.
“We want to see them at the Olympics one day,” he added.
Dubai is now home to the winter sport, affording participants between the ages of 10-21 a chance to engage in the seasonal discipline all year round.
According to Mohammad Al Etri, Ski Dubai’s general manager, the snow sports team brings together some of the region’s best Alpine skiers, snowboarders and freestyle skiers, allowing them to train and prepare to compete at an international level.
He added that team members will be able to learn and develop their skills with the help of “experienced world class coaches.”
David said that the main goal is to see the team members grow and become leaders and a source of inspiration for others around the region. When asked about the challenges of selecting the team members, David said that the main issue was narrowing down the number of participants. He added that even though they made the team, the young athletes would still have to work hard to stay on the team.
Ahmad Al Quasi, a 19-year-old team member, said that the main reason he joined the team was to make himself and his parents “proud”.
The indoor ski resort, which opened in 2005 inside Mall of Emirates, offers visitors consistent cold temperatures and slope conditions throughout the year, meaning that the young team members will be able to train on any occasion.
— The writer is an intern with Gulf News.
