A skateboarder gets airborne at the Corniche in Abu Dhabi.
A skateboarder gets airborne at the Corniche in Abu Dhabi.

UAE

Four-wheeled flyers hail Skateboard Day

Enthusiasts gather in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for worldwide event encouraging skaters to help promote the sport

With the scorching midday sun beating down on the Abu Dhabi Corniche and a wave-shaped plaza in front of them, the skateboarders were ready for action. More than 30 fans of the sport turned out yesterday to show off their skills on four wheels as the UAE joined in the worldwide celebration of Go Skateboarding Day.

Among those taking part in the "best trick" competition was Donald Daniel, 14, the only participant from Abu Dhabi, with the rest making their way from Dubai - by bus. Jan Hoffmann, a 14-year-old from Germany who has taken part in three Go Skateboarding Days, said: "It's cool to be able to skate with everyone when it's normally only skating with five other people, so it's great to meet up with everyone in Abu Dhabi and Dubai."

Enthusiasts performed at four separate locations in the capital and Dubai as part of the annual event encouraging skaters to help promote the sport. There are an estimated 1,000 skateboarders in the UAE. Kader Hadri, the marketing manager for Rage skate shop, which has outlets in Dubai and which organised the event, said: "It's just fun. It's an investment in the scene, it isn't about competition or prize. It just gets the kids out skateboarding."

The group began at the Abu Dhabi Corniche, then headed to another area for a further round of stunts. Travelling back to Dubai, the skaters showcased their skills at two locations in the city. Majid Fouz, 17, originally from Syria but now living in Sharjah, was among those that met near the Union Metro station in Deira to show off their stunts. He meets a group of friends to skate every night at the city's Gold Souq.

"It's the only place you can skate," he said, adding that he'd like to see a skate park built in the emirate. mdetrie@thenational.ae hnaylor@thenational.ae

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

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