Dubai: A world of sport

IAN Appleyard reports from the sporting capital of the Middle East where Brits are heading for a weekend at the races.

Granted, it is more expensive than any trip to the tracks at York or Doncaster – but, as a once-in-a-lifetime treat, it will leave memories that last a lifetime.

Horse lovers are not the only ones marvelling at the sporting delights in Dubai. A quick glance at the emirate’s fixture list shows a wealth of choice.

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Since the discovery of oil in the 1960s, and the birth of the United Arab Emirates in the 1970s, Dubai has risen from the desert like a golden oasis to become a playground for the rich and famous. Finding cheap deals is still pretty hard but, in the current global economic climate, many prices are dropping. The emphasis, however, remains firmly on sophistication, excellence, and style.

From the moment I saw the stunning city skyline dominated by the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa skyscaper, the term “jaw-dropping” entered my head. The Meydan, home to the richest horse race in the world, the Dubai World Cup, also boasts the world’s first trackside five-star hotel, and almost all of its 230 suites have unobstructed views of the track. Sun-worshippers can choose to relax on the roof of the hotel by the side of an elegant pool.

With a grandstand spanning 1.5 kilometres and holding up to 60,000 people, the Meydan is a colossal structure. The Dubai International Racing Carnival is between January and March and the invitation-only Gold Cup is staged on March 26.

In December, the opening round of the International Rugby Board’s Sevens World Series attracts around 120,000 fans. Staged at The Sevens venue, on Al Ain Road, it was a rip-roaring carnival of rugby union played in a party-style atmosphere. Aside from the IRB games involving 16 nations in the main stadium, there were also hundreds of amateur, youth, and invitation games on six adjoining pitches spread over three days.

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The rugby “village” was heaven for beer lovers or champagne swiggers and a rock concert after the final on the Saturday night offered another lively way to let your hair down.

For golf devotees, the PGA Dubai Desert Classic, at the Majlis Course, Emirates Golf Club, is in February. The Dubai World Championship is held in December at the new Greg Norman-designed Earth course, at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

This year’s final of the Dubai Tennis championship, between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, attracted a 5,000 capacity crowd.

Another of the great sporting events held is the World Offshore Powerboat Championship over two days in December at the Dubai International Marine Club.

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Once you have done watching the professionals in action, why not try something out for yourself? There is no shortage of activities to get the adrenalin going. For starters, there’s the Playnation complex where indoor skydiving requires a leap of faith into an 80mph upward gust. For us, just two or three minutes in this wind tunnel was enough to get the blood pumping.

The Soccer Circus turned out to be an interactive football challenge, offering tests in passing, shooting, or dribbling.

Heading into the Arabian desert for a jeep safari, we discovered a strong stomach is needed to cope with the twisting and sliding around the sand dunes.

Camel riding is far more gentle on the soul, evoking images of Lawrence of Arabia. And no jeep safari is complete without a meal around a camp-fire as the sun goes down, coupled with a spot of belly-dancing (not a participator sport).

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The stunning Jumeirah Beach Hotel is shaped like a giant wave, with a private beach and its own fabulous water park. Best of all, it looks directly on to the Burj al Arab on whose helicopter landing pad, 211 metres high, Federer and Andre Agassi once mocked up a game for a TV advertisement.

The Burj Khalifa is the centrepiece of the new “Dubaitown” District. Standing more than 828 metres tall, it glistens in the desert sun and can be seen from 95 kilometres away. From the very top, Tom Cruise filmed scenes for his next Mission Impossible movie. We didn’t go quite that far – there was more than enough to take in from the observation deck.

From here, it was easy to how Dubai has grown at such a rate. Out at sea, not far from the shoreline, sit the islands of “The World”, shaped like countries of the globe. According to its developers, 70 per cent of the 300 islands have not been sold yet. For now, all but one is uninhabited – Greenland – and that is a showpiece owned by the ruler of Dubai.

Billions of dollars worth of real estate projects have been put on hold since the property crash. What has been done is amazing , but for now, the cranes stand idle waiting for the green light to shine again.

GETTING THERE...

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* Emirates flies twice daily from Manchester to Dubai and beyond, with a third daily flight from May 1. A three-night holiday in Dubai costs from £1,055 with Emirates Tours, based on three nights at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel with breakfast and dinner daily, Economy Class return flights with Emirates from Manchester, and private car airport/resort transfers. Valid for departures from July 1-August 31, 2011. Book by April 30. For reservations, call 0844 800 1400 or www.emiratestours.co.uk

* More information Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing 020 7321 6110 or www.definitelydubai.com

* Desert Safari tour from £50 adults/£30 children (up to 12 years). For bookings with Gulf Ventures, call +971 4 404 5891 or www.gulfventures.ae

* Dubai World Cup and Meydan Hotel www.meydan.ae

*Jumeirah Beach Hotel www.jumeirahbeachhotel.com or www.jumeirah.com

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