Kitesurfing is here to stay

Kitesurfing is here to stay in Dubai - that was the clear message as the Red Bull King of the Air event reached its conclusion on Friday, with an open invitation going out for more UAE nationals to take up the extreme sport.

Muscat-based Australian rider Miguel Willis, now considering joining the professional ranks after his downwind racing Open title success, is among those who would like to see more nationals both in Oman, and the UAE, following the example of Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan.

Sheikh Ahmed, who has been kitesurfing for just over six months, won the National class at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina, and like Willis now qualifies for the climax of the Red Bull King of the Air series in Hawaii in October.

"It's great to see him doing it, and it would be nice to think that more nationals could follow him and come into kitesurfing," said the 26-year old English teacher at the British Council in Muscat after winning the second distance race on the final day of the Red Bull King of the Air event.

"There are a lot of people who would be happy to help them, both here and in Muscat. But it's a sport you have to love, because it takes up a lot of your time."

French professional Arnaud Murcia, pre-event favourite to land the Open class, had earlier won the first distance race of the day, before low winds again denied spectators the chance to witness freestyle jumps and tricks competition, which would have been the highlight of the event.

That left Murcia in second place overall in the Open Class of downwind racing, with another Frenchman, Bruno Sroka, in third place.

Dubai's Venetia Davidson won the ladies title, with another Dubai rider, Moira McFarlane, finishing runner-up above Brazi-lian Melissa Jiminez.

With the 2003 World Pro Tour due to get under way in May, Melbourne-born Willis now has to decide whether to seriously look for sponsors to allow him to take the plunge into professional kitesurfing.

"I don't know if I want to do it because I‚m not sure whether it would take the joy out of the sport," he said. "I'll give it some thought. But when it comes to the jumps and tricks, there's a huge gap between the amateurs and the professionals, and I'd need to train hard for maybe six months."

As the event concluded, Red Bull confirmed that it will now be staged annually, while they will also be staging a series of clinics featuring professional stars to promote kitesurfing in Dubai through the year.

Sid Ahmed Bensalah, sailing manager of organisers Dubai International Marine Club, said nationals and others wishing to take up kitesurfing could contact DIMC or the Kite Club.