ABU DHABI // The return of the Red Bull Air Race captivated thousands of spectators all along the Corniche on Friday afternoon.
The race’s qualifying day, in which 12 master pilots competed to determine their starting positions for Saturday’s race, attracted avid fans of the sport, alongside those who know nothing about it but came along to experience the thrill.
Among the latter group was Jason Sotomil, 27, from the Philippines.
“It is definitely something different,” said the graphic designer, who was watching from a spot at the breakwater, close to Marina Mall, with his friend, Ronald Benziger.
“It is a pretty neat event,” said Mr Benziger, an engineer from India. “There is a one-second difference between the first and the sixth man in the race. It is a pretty tough sport.”
The pilots performed a series of high-speed manoeuvres through 25-metre-high pylons along the waters of the Corniche.
Each of the competitors was allowed to complete two laps around the track, with the fastest time counting. On Saturday, the contenders will first be narrowed down to the fastest eight, and then the four best will compete in the final round.
For the first time in the event, spectators were treated to the Challenger Cup, where eight new pilots from seven countries raced to gain experience and hone their low-altitude flying skills.
Many of the spectators were not only watching the hair-raising manoeuvres and acrobatic displays but also photographing them.
Among them was Klent Vizcara, 28, an aerial mechanic from the Philippines. Along with three friends, he had cycled along the Corniche at 1pm, looking for the best spot to set up his camera.
“It has been great. Good weather, it is not too hot, and good pictures,” he said.
Some of the spectators enjoyed a prime view on the beach beside the race grandstand.
Cameras and phones pointed to the sky as the crowd awaited the appearance of the Red Bull Skydive Team, who landed on a small stretch of beach just metres away.
Selwyn Macwan, 43, was recording the stunt on his iPad, while his wife Nancy, 40, took photos. The Indian couple were watching the race with their 10-year-old daughter, Kristine.
“We love taking pictures,” said Mrs Macwan, a health and safety engineer. “It is not every day you come across something like this.”
The family were pleased to be able to watch the event up close.
“It is something really good that they did for us, the general public,” said Mrs Macwan.
The crowds were also treated to an aerial display by Al Fursan, or The Knights, the UAE Air Force’s aerobatic display team.
Demonstrating precision, speed and control, the team of seven first flew in formation, twisting and turning in the air at speeds of up to 300kph, flying as close as just two metres from each other.
Spectators also enjoyed a solo performance by one of the pilots as the remaining six zipped through, releasing coloured smoke, making shapes such as a palm tree and a heart in the UAE national colours.
The team’s final routine also paid homage to the UAE as the group of six pilots flew in straight line, releasing white, green and black smoke, with the seventh plane twirling around their trails, releasing red smoke.
The routine impressed commercial pilot Pablo Fraga and his wife Lauren, who holds a private pilot’s licence. The couple watched the event from the race grandstand.
“It was very good, especially the smoke part,” he said. “We have seen a lot of air shows and these pilots are very good.”
The couple, who travelled to Abu Dhabi from Hong Kong especially for the race, said they were impressed by what they had seen so far.
“We have seen them online before but this is the first time we are watching an actual live race,” he said. “It has been really good.”
vtodorova@thenational.ae
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THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The%20specs
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The biog
Fatima Al Darmaki is an Emirati widow with three children
She has received 46 certificates of appreciation and excellence throughout her career
She won the 'ideal mother' category at the Minister of Interior Awards for Excellence
Her favourite food is Harees, a slow-cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled wheat berries mixed with chicken
Results
Light Flyweight (49kg): Mirzakhmedov Nodirjon (UZB) beat Daniyal Sabit (KAZ) by points 5-0.
Flyweight (52kg): Zoirov Shakhobidin (UZB) beat Amit Panghol (IND) 3-2.
Bantamweight (56kg): Kharkhuu Enkh-Amar (MGL) beat Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov (UZB) 3-2.
Lightweight (60kg): Erdenebat Tsendbaatar (MGL) beat Daniyal Shahbakhsh (IRI) 5-0.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Baatarsukh Chinzorig (MGL) beat Shiva Thapa (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Bobo-Usmon Baturov (UZB) beat Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ) RSC round-1.
Middleweight (75kg): Jafarov Saidjamshid (UZB) beat Abilkhan Amankul (KAZ) 4-1.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Ruzmetov Dilshodbek (UZB) beat Meysam Gheshlaghi (IRI) 3-2.
Heavyweight (91kg): Sanjeet (IND) beat Vassiliy Levit (KAZ) 4-1.
Super Heavyweight ( 91kg): Jalolov Bakhodir (UZB) beat Kamshibek Kunkabayev (KAZ) 5-0.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The%20specs
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2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar
Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain
