Dubai residents looking to scale new heights can soon give the brand new Mountain Extreme a whirl.
The rock climbing destination, previously located in Business Bay, is all set to reopen in early October – but in a different space.
Its location has shifted to Al Quoz, where it will feature bouldering and climbing spaces spanning more than 9,000 square feet, which is why it’s being touted as the city's largest rock climbing centre.
What to expect
The new facility will have a training and warm-up zone with a MoonBoard, an interactive and computerised training wall where climbers can see their problem areas and share performance rankings with others around the world.
It will also have some challenging climbing routes for more advanced athletes, set up by world champion Manuel Cornu.
For beginners, it will be offering the Nicas scheme – a UK climbing programme designed to promote development and accredit individual achievements on climbing walls. This is open to anyone aged 7 and over.
In fact, one of the main aims of the new facility is to introduce more people to rock climbing as a sport, with a kids’ club where UK-certified climbing instructors will teach those aged 6 and above how to climb and boulder safely.
Those looking for a little rest after a climb – or parents killing time while their children scale the walls – can head to a specialty coffee shop on the mezzanine deck, which features views of the action.
Re-opening and safety precautions
While the official reopening is set for early October, only members will be able to visit for now. Founder of Mountain Extreme, James Falchetto, says this is all part of safety precautions to minimise the spread of Covid-19.
“We have to limit the number of people we can welcome at any one time. Our members from our first location deserve to be the first to try the new gym, so they get to book themselves in," he says.
However, anyone can sign up for a new membership and book climbing slots using the venue's online calendar.
"We are just not allowing walk-ins and day passes in order to control the number of people in the gym and keep a comfortable and safe environment for everyone,” Falchetto adds.
The climbing walls have been created to encourage social distancing, with routes and boulders separated by blank space.
“We are sanitising the mats and holds regularly, climbers have to disinfect their hands before and after climbing, and we have suspended lending climbing equipment to avoid contamination,” says Falchetto
Memberships start from Dh650 per person for a month. Details can be found at mtnextreme.com/membership
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
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Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality
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Key facilities
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
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Though mostly conservative, Florida is usually always “close” in presidential elections. In most elections, the candidate that wins the Sunshine State almost always wins the election, as evidenced in 2016 when Trump took Florida, a state which has not had a democratic governor since 1991.
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1. |
United States |
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2. |
China |
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3. |
UAE |
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4. |
Japan |
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5 |
Norway |
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6. |
Canada |
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7. |
Singapore |
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8. |
Australia |
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9. |
Saudi Arabia |
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South Korea |
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
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Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
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Friday Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (11.30pm)
Saturday Freiburg v Borussia Monchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund, Cologne v Wolfsburg, Arminia Bielefeld v Mainz (6.30pm) Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig (9.30pm)
Sunday Werder Bremen v Stuttgart (6.30pm), Schalke v Bayer Leverkusen (9pm)
Monday Hoffenheim v Augsburg (11.30pm)
