AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
With dozens of races and events lined up for the rest of the year, the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club is aiming to attract as many people as possible - not just the athletes - to the UAE's maritime heritage.
Connecting young Emiratis to their seafaring roots and nurturing local talent are among the key objectives, but the club's ambitions extend well beyond that.
Khalifa Al Suwaidi, the club's Academy Manager, said "the idea is for the sea to become an open space for everyone". The goal, he added, is for each person to find their way into these sports in a manner that matches their abilities and interests.
"Having 37 races and championships over four months reflects the scale and diversity of maritime activity in Abu Dhabi," Al Suwaidi told Aletihad.
"The calendar incorporates traditional races, contemporary maritime sports, as well as local and international competitions, rather than concentrating on a single sport."
For the club, local events serve as a way to hone Emiratis' talent in maritime sports. And the strategy has been paying off, Al Suwaidi said, with a number of UAE athletes advancing from local contests to regional and international competitions in sports like sailing, jetskiing, and powerboat racing.
"The number of talents who can advance from local competitions to representing the UAE internationally is just as important to us as the number of competitions we host," he said.
Helping the younger generation rediscover their maritime heritage is another part of the club's mission. Its "Nokhatha Abu Dhabi" programme, for instance, introduces young people to both modern sailing and nautical heritage through education and hands-on experience.
"We want the younger generation to actually experience this heritage, not just hear about it," Al Suwaidi said.
With its traditional competitions, the club is also sharpening the focus on Abu Dhabi's and the UAE's relationship to the sea. By offering training and participation suited to different groups, it has broadened access beyond professional athletes, and beyond the UAE's borders.
"There is undoubtedly an interest in strengthening global-oriented competitions and attracting more athletes and teams from outside the UAE," Al Suwaidi said.
"While continuing to invest in Emirati talent and offering a clear pathway from the academy and local competitions to the highest levels of global competition, we want Abu Dhabi to become a permanent and significant stop on the international maritime sports map."