Wild in Dubai

SA Flowboarders Head to Wild Wadi Waterpark

Wild Wadi in Dubai is home to one of the longest running FlowBarrels in the world. They recently brought over four flowboarders from South Africa to judge a contest and help the local scene learn a few new tricks. Invited over were Jason Lammers, Clayton Barker, Andrew Carrie and Paolo Falconer. Here is their story...

Despite everything that is being said about the economic meltdown of Dubai, that was definitely not how we experienced it! From Emirates Airlines not scared to drop a Hennessy on you when you request a brandy, to more sports cars than you will ever see in your life, Dubai definitely seemed to be rolling thick! We weren’t there to sign multi-million dollar contracts - we had bigger business to attend to! Instead we were there to judge the local contest and to help the flowboarders out on improving their riding skills. These are some of the things we saw along the way that really stuck out.

The Welcoming Committee
Sometimes it’s nice to be greeted with flowers. Or a “Welcome” sign. What isn’t rad is getting profiled, yanked out of a line and then stuffed into a very small room with two burly security dudes who search everything from the contents of your shampoo bottle to the lint in your pocket. Not cool. Fortunately none of us were deemed a national threat and were left to go about our business.

Snowboarding in the Desert
First on the agenda was Ski Dubai. A massive indoor the size of three football fields and the biggest of its kind in the world, we figured the novelty of snowboarding in the desert was worth a visit. Everyone on the trip had snowboarded before so we were ready to throw down and show off our skills, right up until we checked out the size of the big kicker. Then suddenly the tune changed to “we should be professional about this guys” and “What if we hurt ourselves and can’t ride?” and other cowardly statements like that hidden behind rational excuses. In the end Andrew and Jay braved the hit while Clayton and Paolo hung their heads in shame. They grew a couple of pairs and joined in after watching a 7 year old effortlessly make the landing. Everyone survived unscathed. Snowboarding in the desert is a surreal experience.

Barasti Bar
It’s a little known fact that Jason was party to the first Jager Bomb poured in South Africa. It was done by a guy named Matt Goodall, who brought it back to Cape Town via Las Vegas. True Story. We bring this up because the Dubai locals LOVE Jager Bombs. At least, the local barmen love pouring them. One might think that an Islamic nation wouldn’t have that many Bomb-pouring barmen, but Dubai is an exception. A large percentage of the population is imported. This translates to a lot of people looking for a good time and this invariably can be found in one of the many overpriced clubs and bars that litter the city. We went to a couple of these places and quickly established that a round of drinks is probably going to require a second mortgage and the life of your firstborn. Maybe we were in the wrong part of town. Maybe it’s the fact that alcohol is the only thing that gets taxed. Of the various establishments we visited, our apartment may have been the cheapest but the best vibe was definitely Barasti Bar. It was the coolest place any of us had ever been to. Like Ibiza with less narcotics and more business suits. Definitely check it out.

Andy R8 Experience
We were talking to this girl in a club called Rock Bottom about life and stuff and she was raving about her boyfriend’s lions. Andy was laughing and said that lions don’t make a man cool but an R8 does. Lo and behold the guy had one. Andy went outside with her to check out Abdul (that really was his name) and his Audi. He was kind enough to offer Andy a chance to take a spin behind the wheel which he foolishly refused. He did volunteer for a passenger ride, strapped in and went from 0 – 250kph faster than it takes clench your butt cheeks. He arrived back pale and sweaty, with a glazed and excited look in his eye. Clayton promptly slapped the happiness out of him in sheer jealousy. He was upset that he hadn’t been taken along for the ride. Where he planned to sit in the two seater was not discussed.

The Pepsi Contest
The event was sponsored by Pepsi, O’Neill and Wild Wadi. The top riders in the standup and bodyboarding divisions won an all expenses paid week in Durban and the chance to ride their brains out on the D-Rex. Our job was to pump up the riders, give them a few tips and judge the comp. The scene is small but passionate. Clair Reid, the marketing executive and an import from South Africa (the OG lady flowboard shredder) has done a great job of helping the scene develop and they’re super close to having a local tour. Every single guy we met was so psyched and if they could they’d probably ride 24/7/365. They were eager to learn all they could from us. Max Sokolov is leading the charge. He’s a 12 year old wunderkind, doing backside 3s, switch, flip to blinds and a couple of other big tricks.

Rocking Locals
There will undoubtedly be a contender for world champ coming out of Dubai in the next few years. Another really cool thing about their scene is the moral support. They get really stoked for each other and every milestone and benchmark feels like a group achievement. Even in the heat of contest for a really cool prize they’re cheering each other on and supporting their competition. It was an inspiring experience and made all of us more amped to come home and push the boundaries of our own riding. The prizes went to Max Sokolov and Khalifa Saleh, and they’ll be heading to Durban to ride with South Africa’s best in 2010. Now that Wild Wadi is allowing standup riding there’s going to be an exponential increase in talent and riders coming out of the Middle East.
 
The Wave
Wild Wadi recently upgraded the wave so it’s a lot smoother than it used to be. The wave is one of the oldest and interestingly, the sheet wave is formed by gravity, not jet pumps like the newer models. Where that gravity comes from is a mystery, because the water comes out at ground level. But that’s what they told us. The barrel is sweetly shaped and allows for a solid setup. The wall is quite steep so when you lock in your rail you get properly hucked. It took a while to get used to and there were several serious beatings handed out before we got the hang of it.

Jumeirah Sceirah
Wild Wadi lays claim to the biggest waterslide we’ve ever seen. It’s basically a death plunge on the tiniest layer of water lubricating your descent. The ride is brought to a finish by a slightly thicker layer of water which uses your boardies as a handbrake, pushing polyester so far up your butt crack you need a pair of plyers and a friend who isn’t squeamish to help you return to normalcy. Words do not do it justice. Watch Andy scream like a girl as he plunges to the bottom and check out the horrendous wedgie he suffers. If you’re into S&M, you’re gonna love this thing.

Dubai Mall And Burj Dubai
The D-Rex at Wave House Durban might be in the second biggest mall in the Southern Hemisphere, but the Dubai Mall is the king of Malls. The largest ever. Right next to the tallest building in the world. Burj Dubai makes the rest of the city skyline look like an ant colony. The mall is vast, sprawling and neverending. It has an aquarium, an ice rink, a fountain show that makes the Bellagio look like a five year old with a hosepipe, and a skateshop with it’s own ramp. Remember to wear comfortable walking shoes and pack a small lunch and a bottle of water in case you get lost.

I’m Leaving. On a jetplane. Don’t Know when I’ll be back again
Simply put, Dubai is amazing. It really does defy description. And Wild Wadi is as incredible as the rest of the place. They’re making a huge effort to help promote the sport of flowboarding and they have a staff and local scene so amped to rise to a world dominating level. If the rest of us don’t watch out we could be living in their shadow in the very near future. And if you ever get a chance to go to Dubai, do it. It’ll blow your mind, man.