Abu Dhabi Wakestock 2010

Wakestock Abu Dhabi makes a big splash on the Corniche

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 4th March, 2010: Wakestock Abu Dhabi kicked off in style today down at Abu Dhabi Corniche. The free three day event brought to the Al Sahil Beach by the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City and Abu Dhabi Beaches, produced by Flash Entertainment, saw top amateur athletes from all over the UAE and abroad gathered for the first stage of the competition to compete in the first round of the first stop of the WWA World Wakeboard Series.

Twelve riders took to the clear blue waters of the Corniche beach at 1pm for a chance to qualify for the main event tomorrow with the world’s wakeboarding elite, competing for the biggest title in the sport.

The 12 riders were split into three heats with the top placed rider from each heat going through to tomorrow’s competition. Tim Woodhead took to the water in heat one against Drew Gibson, Saleh ah Duwaissan and Elliot Dunham. Tim Woodhead came out on top and goes through.

Heat 2 saw the UK’s James Sedgewick competing against locals Beata Narie Anje & Jeanne al Failakawi, and the event MC Matt Crowhurst who pulled off some great tricks to impress the judges on his run and will go through to compete again tomorrow.

The final heat of the day saw Fabien Hermel, Julien Maxwell, Brader Ajilhayem and Tracey Orr out on the water. Local cable park manager and Abu Dhabi resident, Fabien Hermel, came out on top in the final qualifier and took the last slot in Friday’s Pro Qualifier.

All three qualifiers battled it out in the amateur final to determine first second and third place in the Open Competition, and all 3 riders now compete alongside world legends Parks Bonifay, Rusty Malinoski, Philip Soven and the rest of the sports elite athletes as the Wakestock main event kicks off tomorrow. Today’s action was just a small slice of what to look forward to over the course of this weekend and tonight is the first of three nights worth of awesome music entertainment and further wakeboard action at the Pool Gap in the Plaza.

OPEN COMPETITION WINNERS

Fabien Hermel (France)
Tim Woodhead (United Kingdom)
Matt Crowhurst (United Kingdom)

As night fell on the Corniche, home grown talent The Brownies warmed up the crowd with their funky sound, followed by international DJ extraordinaire Goldierocks. Lebanese superstar Carole Samaha headlined the evening at 10pm, followed by local DJ Danny Neville who kept the party going into the early hours.