Ski Dubai

Young snowboarders spray snow into the air as they perform stunts during an extreme sports style competition at Ski Dubai.

The excitement is played out to the background of hip hop and rock music being pumped out through large speakers by a DJ working on a specially constructed turntable.
The event is part of the Mall of the Emirates attraction’s freestyle nights that are running during October and November and are open to anyone wanting to compete for points and prizes.

The competition is being sponsored by ski wear firm Oakley and takes place on October 19 and November 16 and 30.

Competitions will include “Big Air” which allows competitors to take off and perform airborne tricks after launching off a ramp and “Slope Style” where they show off their moves whilst skiing or snowboarding down the slope runs.

Tom Aitchison, 13, originally from the UK has been in Dubai for two-and-a-half years, said: “This is fantastic. I have been doing this for nine months and made a lot of friends.”

He said he first got involved after watching previous events with other friends.

He said: “It’s always a really good atmosphere when they run the events and I wish they did them more regularly.”
Om Jang, 30, from Nepal, has been in Dubai for a year and has been snowboarding at the mall for six months.
He said: “I really love doing it because it’s an unusual activity to do in a country like this.

“I particularly like doing the slide jumps and trying out new tricks and stunts.

“It takes a lot of practice but once you get the hang of it you can do all kinds of crazy stuff.”

The competitions are split into under 16 and over 17 categories and there is no extra fee to take part apart from the normal Ski Dubai entry charges.

Jackie Longworth, a spokeswoman for Oakley, said: “The Oakley Freestyle Nights are all about giving people interested in ski sports the chance to enjoy their passion in a safe and friendly environment.

“This year we are also introducing a points system and a final on November 30 where we will have some great prizes on offer.

“These events are open to everyone not just the hardcore snowboarders and it’s as much about introducing these activities to a wider audience as anything else.”