You could say the word ‘wakeboarding’ here, and no one knew what you were talking about. But now wakeboarding has a serious following, and just recently Abu Dhabi hosted the WWA Wake Park World Championships that took place November 5 to 7. Tempo got to chat with one of the UAE’s top wakeboarders, Omeir Saeed, 17, about the sport, his preparations and future plans.
Tempo: Tell us about Omeir Saeed, the professional wakeboarder…
Omeir: My passion for wakeboarding started in 2011 after my friends took me wakeboarding for the first time. After that I was addicted. In wakeboarding the rider is pulled by a water vehicle or cable system across the water. It was hard for me to get up at first but after a few attempts I managed to get around the cable. Not knowing that I had to go through the orange balls in the water I once edged out too far and the handle slid out of my hand! I flew straight out of the lake in slingshot motion.
Tempo: What does wakeboarding mean to you?
Omeir: Wakeboarding means the world to me. It has given me so many opportunities to travel the world and meet new people. My family has been very supportive of my wakeboarding. An unforgettable moment for any wakeboarder is when he lands a new trick especially after trying it so many times.
Tempo: You’ve won titles…?
A year after I started wakeboarding in 2011, I won the 2012 UAE National Championship. The week after that I won the WWA Junior Men World Championship title – which is my greatest achievement. I recently competed in the Al Forsan King of Cable Competition and won first place on King of Air, King of Kicker and King of Rails and was crowned the overall King of Cable. I recently finished 4th at the World Championships!
Tempo: How’s the wakeboarding scene in the UAE?
Omeir: Over the past three years wakeboarding has grown drastically in the UAE. There are now a lot more people who participate in the sport. My youngest brother who is only seven years old started wakeboarding this year and he managed to get third place in the under 10 category.
Tempo: What’s a normal day at the water for you?
Omeir: It would be my friends and I trying new tricks and learning new moves. We always try to progress with our riding techniques. I have taken some pretty hard falls, but nothing too serious. It happens when I get confused with a certain move.
Tempo: You are prepared for the World Championships in Abu Dhabi recently and finished 4th. Congratulations! What was your training like?
Omeir: I trained on Thursdays and Saturdays as I couldn’t train during the week due to university. The world championship is came up so fast and it was an honor to battle against the best wakeboarders in the world. The atmosphere at the cable is always chilly but when it came down to competition day it was game on.
Tempo: How do judges score?
Omeir: They score on technicality, composition and execution of tricks. In order to get a high score you need to be able to make a technical run of tricks that are all landed cleanly. In a normal competition setting there are three parts: qualifiers, semi-finals and finals. In order to qualify to the next round you need to score well.
Tempo: What inspires you?
Omeir: Watching new videos of Pro Riders trying new tricks motivates me to try new things and progress my riding.
Tempo: Any advice for new wakeboarders?
Omeir: When you’re doing what you love, time and self-doubt are your only barriers.
Tempo: Future plans?
Omeir: Hmmm. To finish university and compete in every competition that I possibly can!
By Vera Rosales, November 2014
