While many Cairenes take the Nile for granted amid the daily grind of one of the busiest cities in the Middle East, the storied river is a vital lifeline for some Egyptians who have grown tired of the capital's infamously bad traffic, densely populated neighbourhoods and detachment from nature.
Dawn can be a magical time in Cairo, especially if you are fortunate enough to be looking at the Nile's banks at the time. Few know this as well as Cairo's rowers, for whom the river is a second home, one they visit routinely as an escape from the noise pollution normally emanating from either side of the river.
In the early hours of the morning, little can be seen or heard on the Nile but the enchanting rhythm of oars in the water. And as most of Cairo's residents sleep, a lucky few get to experience a side of the city seldom seen, a softer side.
"Rowing taught me lessons that people read about in books, but I learnt them first hand," professional Egyptian rower and triathlete Asmaa El Zohairy tells The National.
Ms El Zohairy, who won first place at the National Rowing Championship in 2016, owns and operates her own rowing academy, called ScullnBlades.
She says that she came to the sport late, having picked it up as a hobby when she was 26. She was told by many that she would not succeed because people do not make it in the world of athletics unless they start young.
She was happy to prove everyone wrong with her meteoric rise as one of Egypt's most proficient rowers.
Egyptians' fascination with the sport of rowing goes back more than 3,400 years to about 1430 BCE – the earliest recorded evidence of rowing as a leisure sport in Ancient Egypt. That interest today shows no signs of diminishing.
Cairo is an imposing mass of concrete buildings. With so much going on around them, Cairenes often forget about the Nile, its significance, beauty and accessibility.
“Rowing allows you to connect with nature. Cairo and nature are at odds with each other. Here, everyone’s always late, or in a hurry, or out of time. So [rowing is] getting a moment to slow down and do something for yourself to help you calm down and get your thoughts in order.
"Having a chance like that is something beautiful,” says Ms El Zohairy, 32.
Egypt endured a four-month lockdown starting in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The lockdown closed most public spaces and all sporting venues, rowing clubs included.
Ms El Zohairy said that in July 2020, when the lockdown was finally lifted and people were allowed to return to public spaces, there was an overwhelming demand for spots in her rowing classes.
“After the lockdown, many people were really enthusiastic to get out and do new things. We were delighted to find that so many people wanted to try out rowing for the first time,” Ms El Zohairy says.
“Newcomers who came once would keep coming back. I think it’s because it gives them a chance to be on the Nile, with the added benefit of exercise,” she says.
“That’s the thing they appreciate most about rowing, I think, being on the Nile.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
SPECS
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Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
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More on animal trafficking
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Al Jazira's foreign quartet for 2017/18
Romarinho, Brazil
Lassana Diarra, France
Sardor Rashidov, Uzbekistan
Mbark Boussoufa, Morocco
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Naga
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The burning issue
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.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
The%20specs
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
Company%20profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
