February 2014

From the signature Ernie Els courseto the Butch Harmon School of Golf,Dubai Sports City is driving the sport’spopularity in the right direction

Livesport

From the signature Ernie Els course

On theupswing

Building on a dreamMore than a decade on, Dubai Sports City is hometo some of the region’s most impressive sports,recreation and residential developments

Publishing Director,GN PublishingNirmala Janssen

EditorNeesha C. Saalian

Deputy EditorEduan R. Maggo

Pages EditorPriya Mathew

SubeditorKrita Coelho

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E: sjohn@gulfnews.comT: 04 406 7732M: 050 167 8132

Cover pictures: Corbisand supplied

AGulf News SponsoredSupplement, produced,printed and published byAl Nisr Publishing LLC

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04 Living the dreamDubai Sports City (DSC) celebrates

over ten years of sporting excellence

08 Bigger and betterAttractive developments at DSC

give residents and investors an

unbeatable and unique lifestyle

12 On the right courseThe sport of golf is going from

strength to strength in the city

16 Teen titans in actionThe UAE is hosting the first-ever

U19 ICC Cricket World Cup in

the Middle East

18 Catching them youngThe ICC Cricket Academy is

working towards creating a

strong cricket culture

20 All about the goalStarting with 90 students last year,

the Spanish Soccer School Academy

now has more than 650 youngsters

24 Fire it upThe Big Easy offers a vibe that is

rare in a city focused on big names

27 Eat right, feel goodMake the right food choices with

healthy options from The Els Club

28 Setting the standardWhy DSC is the venue of choice to

host first-class international events

30 A packed programmeA round-up of interesting activities

34 Mark your diaryEvents you can look forward

to in the coming months

Inside...

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Living the

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Dubai Sports City is a master development that offers anactive lifestyle to its residents through a unique offeringof world-class sports facilities

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01. Transformingthe barren faceof the desertinto a land oflush greenerywith luxuriousresidences,state-of-the-artsports venuesand a world-classstadium was astupendous effort

When three lead-ing entrepreneursfrom the UAE satdown over isoton-

ic sports drinks more than tenyears ago, they aimed high.

An ambitious plan for a world-class sporting destination, in-corporating every aspect of thecompetitive and sporting world,was the dream and Dubai SportsCity (DSC) is what they got.

Cut to the present, AbdulrahimAl Zarooni, Abdulrahman Bukhat-ir and Abdulrahman Falaknaz’sgoal to create a premier world ofsport, inspired by the vision of His

Highness Shaikh Mohammad BinRashid Al Maktoum, Vice-Pres-ident and Prime Minister of theUAE and Ruler of Dubai, has putthe emirate on the map as a top-class destination for the sport-ing world. The numbers speakfor themselves. It is a sprawlingmetropolis of stadiums, sportsacademies, offices, retail and resi-dential spread across 50 millionsquare feet in the emirate’s Dubai-land development.

Facilities that are already de-veloped include a fully opera-tional 18-hole championship golfcourse, a rugby stadium for up to5,000 spectators, a 25,000-capac-ity dedicated cricket stadium,

which can also host other eventsand many other sports facili-ties. It also houses the acclaimedGEMS-operated Bradenton Pre-paratory Academy.

It’s a specialist city within acity and the partners couldn’t behappier with the progress madein the past decade. “Asking us tochoose what we are most proudof so far is like asking a parentto choose their favourite child,”says Khalid Al Zarooni, Presidentof DSC. “It has been a long jour-ney from the outset of construc-tion and an astonishing effort byeveryone involved.”

However, Al Zarooni says thereis one set of images that sums

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S up the journey perfectly. A se-ries of aerial photographs hangpoignantly in the corridors ofthe Dubai International Stadiumtracking the progress.

AmAzing trAnsformAtion“The first photograph showslittle but desert,” he says. “Thefinal shots have thousands ofluxury residences such as Victo-ry Heights and Canal ResidenceWest, lush green sports fieldsand a world-class sports stadi-um. What an amazing transfor-mation it has been.”

Dubai Sports City is everysport enthusiast’s dream. It haseverything from state-of-the-artsports venues and internationalsporting events to top of the linesports academies providing aplatform for youth development.Besides it offers recreationalsporting facilities, residentialand commercial developments,together with all the relatedamenities you would expect froma purpose-built city, includinginternational schools, medicalfacilities, hotels, villas, apart-ments, shops, community cen-tres and entertainment venues.

Already fully operational isthe Dubai International Stadium(DIS) and the 18-hole champion-ship golf course, The Els Club —Ernie Els’ first golf course designconcept in the Middle East, andthe ICC Academy. “It’s hard to be-lieve it’s less than five years sincewe opened the Dubai Internation-al Stadium,”says DSC’s President.“In that time we have gone from anew venue to one that boasts fa-cilities for players and spectatorsthat are the envy of many otherlocations around the world.”

Dubai International Stadiumboasts Ring of Fire floodlights,a unique set-up with 365 high-powered lights attached to thecanopy, creating a spectacularview when hosting day-nightcricket matches and series.“DIS is a record holder as noother venue in the world hasstaged more Twenty20 crick-et internationals,” Al Zarooniadds. “It’s something we are04 P

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academies for cricket, rugbyand athletics. “Our ambition isto promote grass-roots projectsthat go hand in hand with theUAE Sports Federations. DSCoffers the best sports facili-ties and coaching programmeswith long-term vision for whatcan be achieved. If we can startchildren young enough, theywill have the ability to com-pete on an international stage,”says Al Zarooni.

“Of course, this is not some-thing that is going to happenovernight, but for us, it’s an in-vestment in the future of thiscountry. We believe in the impor-tance of role models to inspireand educate people in taking upsports and with the facilities inplace in DSC we have the oppor-tunity to create those dreams, todevelop sportspersons to go onand become world-class partici-pants,” he says.

In addition to the sportingfacilities, Dubai Sports Cityboasts major residential andcommercial developments, aswell as the Bradenton Prepara-tory Academy, a college prepschool, which follows the Amer-

ican Baccalaureate Curriculum,leading to an American HighSchool Diploma for students.

“The time has raced by in theblink of an eye. Every moment hasbeen special as every step marksthe next one on that road to com-pletion,” says Al Zarooni. “Wheth-er it is seeing — and hearing — afull house of spectators revellingin action at the Dubai Interna-tional Stadium, the involvementof legendary sports stars suchas Michel Salgado or Ernie Els orsimply reflecting on all the fan-tastic sporting, educational andresidential development that hastaken place over the past decade,we are all filled with a deep senseof pride at what we have createdso far — and what we can createin the future.”

“It’s a specialist city within acity and the partnerscouldn’t be happier with theprogressmade.”Khalid Al ZarooniPresident, Dubai Sports City

extremely proud of, as it showswe are a popular venue bothwith players and spectators. Wehave enjoyed sell-outs for Paki-stan matches against Australiaand South Africa and to see thevenue full is a vindication ofwhat we wanted to achieve —to make world-class sport ac-cessible and available for thepeople of Dubai in state-of-the-art surroundings. There is not abad seat in the house.”

Revelling in ActionThe sports park within thedevelopment is home toa number of globally recog-nised training and developmentbrands, including the FootballAcademy, which is an idealvenue for amateur/professionalteam training requirements inaddition to hosting local leaguesand tournaments.

It also offers, Socatots, theworld’s first soccer-specificpre-school development pro-gramme for children from sixmonths to school age. Otheracademies include the ButchHarmon School of Golf, SpanishSoccer Schools and additional 06 P

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02. Events suchas the Pulse Rideare promoted byDSC to encourageresidents to takeup fitness activities

03. Open Daysare organisedregularly at DSC toshowcase the widevariety of sportsavailableto residents

04. Fromstate-of-the-artsports venuesand internationalsporting events,to top of the linesports academies,DSC is every sportenthusiast’s dreamcome true

05. TheGEMS-operatedBradentonPreparatoryAcademy promotesacademicachievement

06. The ErnieEls Golf Coursefeatures broadand gently rollingfairways

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From Victory Heights and Gallery Villas toretail commercial hubs such as North Pointand South Point, new developments aremaking DSC more attractive to investors

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When propertyat Dubai SportsCity’s (DSC) Vic-tory Heights de-

velopment went on the mar-ket a few years ago, owners,residents and developers werestunned at the rate they weresnapped up.

Majority of the units weregrabbed by investors even be-fore plans for the urban havenhit the press. This is a testa-ment to the fact that residen-tial property at DSC is and hasalways been in hot demand.

Celebrating more than ten yearsof DSC’s existence, visionaries ofthe fast-sprawling ‘city within acity’ say the same is now happen-ing with new urban areas, CanalResidence West and GalleryVillas.

Living at DSC means an unri-valled environment, one commit-ted to an active life that upliftsevery area of your day-to-dayexistence. “People are moving toDSC because what we offer cov-ers all aspects of living,” saysKhalid Al Zarooni, President ofDubai Sports City.

“Our motto is ‘Live, work, play,learn’ and we offer each one ofthose things as part of a new citythat is only going to get biggerand better.”

It’s no wonder DSC is a placesports fans would aspire to live.Neighbours include Michel Sal-gado, the Spanish and Real Ma-drid football legend who headsthe Spanish Soccer Schools Pro-gramme at the Football Academy,Muddasar Nazar, ICC AcademyHead Coach and Justin Parsons,Director of Instruction at theButch Harmon School of Golf.“Close to $1.5 billion (aboutDh10 billion) has been investedto make Dubai Sports City whatit is today and there is still much

01 & 02.Majority ofunits in theCanal Residenceproject have beengrabbed byeager investors

03. A front viewof a GalleryVilla

more to come,” says Vijay Sajjan-har, Chief Financial Officer, DSC.

UniqUe lifestyleA number of English Premiershipfootballers also own properties inVictory Heights and Canal Resi-dence West. Around 98 per cent ofthe properties completed withinDubai Sports City are now inhab-ited and thanks to a new direct ac-cess route via Hessa Street, gettingthere is even easier.

The development boasts homesranging from studio apartments toexpansive penthouses and beauti-ful villas.ButAl Zarooni says livingat DSC is about much more thanjust the four walls that surroundyou every night.

“It’s about providing residentsand visitors with an unbeatableand unique lifestyle — a place,underpinned with sports and lei-sure activities, with every possibleamenity right on the doorstep.Res-idential communities, superb din-ing, shopping and entertainmentand even a vibrant commercial dis-trict, all of which provide a uniqueopportunity to watch, learn, play,live, work, shop and live sport.”

While DSC is going strong as itstrides into the final year of its firstdecade, the project, just like anygood sporting event, hasn’t beenwithout a stumble.

“The biggest challenge wasobviously the global financialdownturn that affected not onlyDubai Sports City but also thewhole world a few years ago,”says Al Zarooni. “However, thefact Dubai Sports City has notonly dealt with that issue butalso come out the other side of itstrongly is something we are im-mensely proud of. That achieve-ment reflects not only a robustbusiness plan but also the de-termination among all thoseinvolved to continue to believewhat we are doing.”

stUnning developmentThe primary shopping destinationat DSC include North Point, thedevelopment’s larger retail andcommercial hub, which aims atproviding visitors with an appeal-ing combination of upscale casualdining and boutique shopping.Stunning views of the waterfrontpromenade, outdoor seating and aRiviera-style atmosphere will addto its attraction.

The shopping area is situatedat the northern end of DubaiSports City’s central water-way, at the heart of the vibrantdowntown district. The venuewill offer approximately 185,000sq ft of leasing space across 92units. Retail leasing has com-

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menced for North Point. SouthPoint, Dubai Sports City’s secondretail and commercial hub, willoffer a premium dining and shop-ping experience. Located in closeproximity to the sought-after Vic-tory Heights golf course villa com-munity, and anchored by DubaiSports City’s boutique hotel, SouthPoint will offer a range of high-endluxury goods, boutique shops, andfirst-class restaurants.

Arena Mall, a 1.4-million-square-foot shopping destina-tion will also complement DSC’sretail offerings.

NEWaNdExcEptioNalInvestors and residents also have alot more to look forward to at DSC.Al Zarooni says the new proper-ties at Canal Residence West andGallery Villas are exceptional.“With the Els Club, including itsmultiple dining options, sportsacademies, entertainment, shopsand schools all within walkingdistance, it really is another illus-tration why DSC is a perfect placefor families,” he says.

MagNificENtviEWsGallery Villas, an exclusive high-end villa community overlook-ing the sixth green of the world-renowned Ernie Els golf courseat Dubai Sports City, commencedhandoverto its newowners inthe latterpart of

2013. Christophe Galmiche becamethe first resident to receive keysto his property, one of 50 homes— ten detached and 40 semi-de-tached town houses — all secludedbut offering breathtaking views ofthe golf course.

A few years DSC may havefallen victim to a theory thatit was “far away” from therest of Dubai, this myth hasrapidly been dispelled, evenmore so since the announce-ment of Dubai’s successful Expo2020 bid.

“Expo 2020 will help every-one,” says Al Zarooni who alsobelieves DSC is now recognisedas a much more inclusive partof new Dubai. “It will certainly

make Dubai Sports City an at-tractive proposition for inves-tors and residents. It is a ten-minute drive away from thelocation of the Expo and visi-tors coming from all over theworld will have the chance toenjoy the fantastic sportingand recreational facilities atDubai Sports City. It is a win-win for visitors, owners, Dubaiand Dubai Sports City and weare looking forward to an excit-ing six years in the build-up towhat should be the biggest yearin Dubai’s history.”

Al Zarooni says DSC has en-joyed far more highs than lowsand is now a project whichshould be praised for dedicationand longevity. “There have beenmany landmarks along the wayand we are proud of every singleone as each marks the next stepon our journey towards the ul-timate fulfillment of the dreamthat is Dubai Sports City.”

* For more information about buy-ing property in Dubai Sports City,call 04 425 1200 or email reales-tatesales@dxbsport.com

04. DSC isan attractiveproposition forinvestors andresidents

05. TheluxuriousGallery Villas atDSC are perfectfor families

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The Experts of District CoolingThe scarcity of resources has made it obligatory for developments to follow thegreen building code and sustainability. Sustainability was a luxurious option at theelapsed times. At present, due to significant increase of the prices of fuel and rawmaterial it became a requisite.

EMICOOL offers its District cooling utility service as the first major step towardssustainability in Dubai Sports City. Besides, connection to district cooling networkdelivers direct massive reduction in total load of building requirement by eliminatingdedicated cooling electrical load. Further, large roof areas can be utilized for otherpurposes.

EMICOOL effectively delivers chilled water services to Sports City developmentsin addition to Dubai Investment Park, Dubai MotorCity and Uptown Mirdiff Dubai.

Extension of EMICOOL successful air conditioning “turnkey” solution allowsSports City developers to enjoy significant benefits of District Cooling.

P.O. Box: 9152 - DubaiTel.: +971 4 8852452Fax: +971 4 8852453 info@emicool.netwww.emicool.net

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On the right course

NINE-time Major Cham-pion Gary Playerclaimed in his World-wide Golf column in

December last year, after Dubai’ssuccessful Expo 2020 bid, thatthe emirate, buoyed by the an-nouncement will surely cementits place as the de facto golfingdestination in the Mena regionin the coming years.

Indeed, Player — known tohit the sweet spot — does soagain, for the sport is going fromstrength to strength in the city ofshifting sands. It’s now the homeof the coveted European Tourand some of the world’s bestacademy institutions.

Henrik Stenson’s eyebrow-rais-ing performance at the DP WorldTour Championship stands out asone of the best tour triumphs inrecent memory. It is just anotherexample of the high calibre of golfon display in Dubai today.

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But behind the glitzy curtainof the prestigious golfing eventsnow happily domiciled in Dubai,talent nurturing in the emiratecontinues to gain momentum andgarner acclaim — nowhere moreso than the Butch Harmon Schoolof Golf (BHSG).

The DSC-based golf acad-emy, which takes its name from

its legendary American golfer-turned-commentator founder,won the Best Academy in the Re-gion award at the 2013 MiddleEast Golf Awards.

This prestigious feather in thegolf school’s cap is no more thanjust desserts for an instructionfacility that has quite simply revo-lutionised the way golf is tutored

Dubai is poised to become a top golfing destinationin the region thanks to the efforts of DSC

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01. Hollywoodstar Will Smithtees off under thewatchful eyes ofJustin Parsons

02. The pristinegreens andfairways ofthe famousErnie Els GolfClub are a perfectplace to practiseyour game

03. JustinParsons, Head ofGolf Instruction,BHSG

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ight course02 derstanding of the way their body

functions to make them swing bet-ter. They’re all actively seeking toimprove the functionality of theirbody to allow them to hit the ballmore efficiently and more power-fully,” Parsons adds.

Improved deltoid strength, corestability and a multiplication offast-twitch muscle fibres all al-low the modern golfer to add extrayards to their drive and strike theball with a more consistent andmore ergonomically friendly tech-nique: the rudimentary golf swing,after all, is not the most naturalmovement the human body can beasked to perform.

Addressing the fundamentalglitches in any given player’s swingis not only improved through morerefined fitness: technology has ahuge role to play.And this is wherethe BHSG is elevated into a leagueof its own when it comes to golfinstruction in the Middle East.

TechbuzzThe advent of 3D motionanalysis, video, and ball andclub flight launch monitorshas proven to golf instruc-tors that some of the fun-damentals advocated byprevious mentors were in

fact incorrect.“Claude also insisted

on introducing the latesttechnology when he set theschool up,” says Parsons.

“We’ve been fortunate overthe last five or six years, to use

the technology that has onlyrecently become accessible tomany academies. So we’ve eas-ily been ahead of the curve.

“Specifically, the physicalscreening and theTrackman — thelaunch and flight monitor of theball — and the 3D motion capturedevice we use stand out.

“While others are still tryingto come to terms with it and theparadigm shifts that we have tomake in our industry, we havebeen using them for instruc-tion, which means our youthgolfers are likely to stay aheadof the game when it comes totheir competitors.”

to both emerging talent andworld-class professionalsin the region with its state-of-the-art practice facilitiesand access to the Ernie ElsGolf Club, which neighboursthe academy, for a full round.

FiTness FirsT“When Claude Harmon arrivedhere in 2008, he completely alteredthe way golf instruction wouldbe perceived and delivered here.He introduced the idea that a golfinstructional facility should havea fitness element attached to it,rather than removed from it,” saysJustin Parsons, Head of Golf In-struction, BHSG.

With the rapid scientific pro-gression made in the realm ofanatomical and physiological bio-mechanics, a professional player’sphysical conditioning has becomeone of the most important facetsof modern golf.

“There are very few [elite] play-ers today who don’t have an un-

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Trackman is a state-of-the-artvideo analysis device that meas-ures the full trajectory of anyshot, from six-foot pitches to400-yard drives.

The mobile gadget looks like amini television set and is platedinto the ground behind the ballthe golfer is hitting, allowing itto monitor the angles of the cluband ball through the entire rangeof the swing.

Using its external cameras,Trackman pinpoints the ball’slanding position, offering in-structors the ability to scrutinisein minute detail the results of aplayer’s swing and its result overthe fairway.

Trackman’s impact on golf hasbeen huge in recent years.The newinformation that the device hasunearthed has afforded pros a dif-ferent way of thinking about andexecuting their swing, especially

for fades and draws. 3D motioncapture has also helped instruc-tors at the Butch Harmon Schoolcome to terms with the fact thatwhile there’s no one-swing-fits-allapproach to coaching a golf swingaesthetically, there’s an identifi-able sequence of events that takesplace in a good player’s swing thatallows them to generate consistentforce into the ball.

HollywoodcallsWith Parsons directing instruc-tion at the academy, BHSG is turn-ing heads, attracting the sport’sbiggest names as well as the richand famous.

Parsons, who was recentlynamed by global industry maga-zine Golf Digest as one of the top50 golf instructors outside theUnited States, is known to have along-standing relationship withNorthern Irish compatriot and

former World Number 1 RoryMcIlroy — much to the aston-ishment and awe of some of hisyounger students, especially whenR-Mac pops by the BHSG for aquick catch-up with Parsons —and has also lent a helping handto Michael Hoey, who’s alreadynotched up a healthy five wins onthe European Tour.

Apart from golf’s elite, Holly-wood has come knocking for Par-sons,such is his reputation. Iconicfilm star of Ali, I Am Legend andMen in Black, Will Smith made avisit to the BHSG to improve hisgame while in Dubai on holiday;he ended up training with Parsonsfor three days.

Parsons, unfazed by the hedon-ism of training one of America’smost revered stars and gener-ally diffident towards his enviablegolfing connections, said: “Willhad asked where the best placein Dubai is to hit some balls andimprove his game while he was onholiday, and the people he spoke torecommended that he come to seeus, so that was great.

“His schedule means he doesnot get much time to do that andhe had not played for three monthsbefore coming to see us.

“He kept coming back at sunriseeach morning, so I took that as agood sign that he had a great time,enjoyed it and found it worth-while. It was a pleasure to havehim with us and at the end of theweek I would say he left us a verysolid 12-handicapper.”

03. TrackmantechnologyanalysesWillSmith’s shot

04. JustinParsons givesbunker chippinglessons

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The ICC U19 CricketWorld Cup UAE 2014offers cricket’s bright-est young talents a

platform that can transform as-piring youth into accomplishedperformers at the highest levelof the game.

South African captain GraemeSmith, swashbuckling Indianbatsman Virat Kohli, Austral-ian captain Michael Clarke andcharismatic England all-round-er Andrew Flintoff all cut theirteeth in this tournament be-fore launching their successfulinternational careers.

This edition of the event, parad-ing the very best of the cricketingworld’s youth talent, is being heldin the Middle East for the very firsttime since its inception in 1988.The UAE has the honour to hostthe competition with Dubai SportsCity playing a major role.

“The ICC U19 Cricket World CupUAE 2014 is the pinnacle worldevent for junior cricketers. All par-ticipating countries invest a lotof time and money in developingtheir best young players and thisis their one opportunity to per-form in a global tournament,” saysGeoff Allardice, ICC General Man-ager, Cricket.

“There are several reasons whythe UAE is a good venue. It has

many excellent cricket grounds, itis centrally located for cricketingcountries, the weather is excellentfor cricket at this time of year, andit is also the home of the ICC HeadOffice and staff.

A globAl showcAse“Several of the matches will betelevised across the world, andthe UAE will be showcased to mil-lions of viewers through these tel-ecasts,” he says.

Dubai International Stadium(DIS) and the ICC Academy willhost 18 matches of the tourna-ment, including both semi-finalsand the final on February 24, 26and 28 respectively.

Dubai Sports City will also behome to the pick of the group stagematches as well: with India andPakistan being drawn in the samegroup, the two sub-continentalarch-rivals will clash at the world-class Dubai International Stadiumon February 15.

With DSC playing an integral part in the hosting process, the UAE hasorganised the first-ever ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in the Middle East

01. The Indianteam is inGroup A.

02. Zimbabweis one of theinternationalsides competingin the event

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ingo nto a knock-out stage.

“The 16-team for-mat providesgreat incentivefor all coun-tries, especiallythose outside theTest playing coun-tries, to developtheir junior players,”says Allardice.

Angelo Matthews,current captain of theSri Lankan test team thatrecently toured the UAEfor a Test, ODI and T20 se-ries against Pakistan, playedas a youngster in the ICC U19Cricket World Cup, said thatthe tournament is an importantstepping stone for youngsterslooking to prove their mettle.“Having played in a couple of ICCU19 Cricket World Cups, I can tellyou that this is the best stage forany raw talent to polish his skills,”he says.

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Dubai Sports City’s GeneralManager for Sports Business,Maqbul Dudhia says: “It has al-ready been an incredible cricket-ing season at Dubai Sports Cityand with the ICC U19 CricketWorld Cup UAE 2014 gettingunder-way the action shows nosigns of letting up. We once againproudly welcome cricketers fromall over the world to Dubai. A re-enforcement of Dubai being agreat sporting destination, con-necting cultures and in this case,also connecting the future.”

An orgAnised formAtSixteen international sides arekeenly contesting the competition.These include the ten-Test-playingICCFullMembernations(Australia,South Africa, England, India, Paki-stan, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bang-ladesh, New Zealand and Zimba-bwe), and the UAE — who qualifiedas hosts — along with the five re-gional qualifiers namely Scotland,Afghanistan, Canada, Namibiaand Papua New Guinea. The teamswill all lock horns in a round-robinstyle group stage before progress-

ans in actiondetAilsGroup A

India, pakistan, Scotland,papua New Guinea

Group BAustralia, Bangladesh,Afghanistan, Namibia

Group CSouth Africa, West Indies,

Zimbabwe, Canada

Group DNew Zealand, England,

Sri Lanka, uAE

addressing: get themwhen they’re young andthere’s every chance of athriving cricket culture inthe coming years.

Huge potentialIn a country that has one of thelargest per capita diasporas ofIndians and Pakistanis — bothcricket fanatic countries —there’s immense potential. Someof the latent talent the UAE con-tains is already emerging inthe national teams which havequalified for the U19s WorldCup — currently being held inthe UAE — and the full-in-ternational T20 tournamentin Bangladesh in 2014. Butmore can be done to engage

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At the very moment of mybirth, my father, withnothing but benevolentpatriarchal forethought

in his mind, thrust a mini cricketbat into my mother’s free arm (theother holding a bewildered me).From there on cricket became partof my fabric. And I will be gratefulto my dad’s enthusiasm and desireto get me involved in the sport.

Moving from the 12-inch pieceof willow I unwittingly receivedin the hospital ward at less thanan hour old, I took the sport up assoon as I could stand and hold abat. I eventually managed to playat a semi-professional level inEngland and Australia againstand with players who have flour-ished into top-flight profession-als such as Alistair Cook and RaviBopara. All of which became pos-sible because I was encouraged toget into the sport from year zero.

But the majority of kids, es-pecially in the Middle East, arenot thrown into the world ofcricket until they have becomeaccustomed to a life without thecompetition of the sport. There’sno way of measuring how manypotential Tendulkars and Both-ams have gone unearthed purelythrough a lack of opportunity.

And that’s what schemes likethe International Cricket Council(ICC) Academy’s Schools Coach-ing Programme in Dubai are

Catchingthem young

The ICC Academy Schools Coaching Programme aims at engagingyoungsters and developing a thriving cricketing culture in the region

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the country’s youngsters to har-vest a true cricketing culture thatpromotes local talent.

The ICC Academy, the veritablehome of high-performance crickettoday, has devised an initiativeto introduce cricket to schools inDubai that would otherwise be un-able to partake in the sport.

Will Kitchen, the Head of Perfor-mance and Education at the DubaiSports City-based ICC Academy,says: “The schools programme isbased on the premise that everychild, in every school we go to, hasthe opportunity to be coached thebasics of the game and then playsome competitive cricket in a fes-tival held [at the ICC Academy] atthe end of the year. We’ve commit-ted to schools cricket, appointing

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01. ICC Academyhas introducedan initiative tointroduce cricketto schools inDubai

02.WillKitchen, Head ofPerformance andEducation,ICC Academy

03. The agegroups for theprogramme aresplit into two:six to nine, and10 to 12 years

04.Children takepart in a tailoredprogramme withplastic cricketballs for theyounger agegroup, and hard,leather balls forthe older group

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detailsFor the ten-week course,including nine weeks ofschool coaching and theconcluding schools cricketfestival, prices areDh1,000 per individual perterm (soft ball) andDh1,250 per individual perterm (hard ball).Fees can be paid by cash,cheque (payable to DSC —Cricket Academy) or creditcard in person.For details, contact SamCharnley, ICC AcademySchools Programme andExperience Officer atTel: 04 448 1355or 04 448 1358Email:info@ICCAcademy.net| www.ICCAcademy.net

Sam Charnely full-time to leadall schools cricket activity, spe-cifically the ICC Academy SchoolsCoaching Programme.”

Partners in the ProcessTo begin,six schools have signed

up to the ICC Academy SchoolsCoaching Programme for the firstten-week education term (January5 to March 5) of the calendar year:Wellington International, Welling-ton Silicon Oasis, Wellington Pri-mary,Jumeirah Primary and RoyalDubai School. By the end of termthree this year, the programmeaims to have 20 schools.

The age groups for the pro-gramme are split into two: six tonine-year-olds and ten to twelve-year-olds take part in a tailored

three or four open-entry schoolstournaments a year,” says Kitchen.“Ultimately we’d like our outreachprogramme to be the biggest in theUAE: we want ICC Academy coach-es delivering ICC Academy stand-ard cricket into schools.”

a Promising startInitially, the size and scope of

school competitions will hingeon how many schools buy intodelivering cricket. With enoughinterest, the ICC team aims tosynchronise its activities with theEmirates Cricket Board to procurea UAE-wide uptake of the sport forkids from six to 16.

Specialised equipment, crick-et-trained teachers capable ofrunning classes and extra cur-ricula time dedicated to cricket inschools would all become part andparcel of a school’s operations.

“Our aim is to grow the game inthe Emirates and the wider [Mid-dle East] region. So we’re trying toshow that cricket is a great sportto get children involved in — girls,boys and children with disability:cricket is a very accessible sport,”adds Kitchen.

approach to the game with plasticcricket balls for the younger agegroup, and hard, leather balls forthe older group.

“It’s a simple introductory pro-gramme. We wanted to come upwith something that allows kids toaccess cricket for the first time. It’sall about giving them an opportu-nity to learn some skills and thento apply them, with an integratedreward scheme,” says Kitchen.

Perhaps the golden carrot for theschools outreach scheme though,Kitchen explains, is the prospectof regular festivals being held atthe global ICC Academy at the endof each term of the Schools Pro-gramme. “The other aspect of ourwork in schools is hosting schoolcompetitions. Even those schoolsthat aren’t receiving coaching[from the ICC], and for kids thatare slightly older, part of our remitis to develop competitive cricket inschools. So we’re aiming to stage

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All aboutthe goal

A year on from its inception the Spanish Soccer School Academy atDSC has evolved swiftly from a 90-student operation into a more than650-aspiring-footballer strong machine that places great emphasis onthe values epitomised by Spanish football

Having just completed itsfirst full year of opera-tion, the Spanish SoccerSchools (SSS) Academy at

Dubai Sports City (DSC) has passedmore than 650 aspiring footballersaged from six to 16 through itsranks, having started with only 90last February.

Former Real Madrid legendMichel Salgado, who is DSC’s Di-rector of Football, is certain thenumber of children passing outfrom the SSS academy and Soca-tots programmes illustrates heand his team of coaches are do-ing something right. “The previousterm at the DSC Football Academywas a huge success, there is nodoubt about that,” he says.

“For SSS to get more than 650youngsters registered in its firstterm of operation was amazingand Socatots continues to be agreat introduction to the game forthe very young children. The num-bers are a clear illustration that wegot things right and our promise isto do more in the next term.”

The second term of the DSC’sFootball Academy programmes

gets under way early in 2014, andthe team expects a positive year.

FocusonspanishsoccerThe children going through DSCFootball Academy system areall enrolled in DSC teams fortheir age group. They play com-petitive fixtures against otherteams and academies in Dubai,such as Arsenal and Al Nasr,as part of the Junior FootballLeague (JFL) set-up.

However, the sheer number ofyoungsters passing through thesystem isn’t the most importantthing for Head Coach Inaki Beni.

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The former Real Madrid youthsquad doyen says the most re-warding aspect of his time spentwith youngsters at the academy sofar has been their eager uptake offootballing values epitomised bySpanish football.

“On my first day here, I realisedthat the standard of football needsto be raised and we had to makemany changes and bring the Span-ish style and conception of footballto the academy set-up,”he explains.

DSC’s Junior League programmehas also garnered great interest.The league has been broken intothree seasons and will feature

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inculcate reasonand logic into the

way their young footballers thinkabout their conduct in front of andaway from the goalposts.

“Spain has been at the top ofinternational football for the lastthree major competitions, and thisis the consequence of a lot of workin the youth systems.You don’t seeresults on the pitch until you putin the work on and off the trainingground. We knew that the way toplay the game — taking care of theball, passing and moving — is theproper way. Here at DSC, we aredoing the same. We don’t want tojust let the kids hit the ball with noreason,” he says.

01. Studentsfrom the SpanishSoccer Schoolsprogramme withReal Madrid andSpanish legendMichel Salgadoand other coaches

02. Head CoachInaki Beni witha student

03. Winnersof the U8 teamfrom the SpanishSoccer Schoolswith MichelSalgado, DiegoMaradona andInaki Beni

sign upFor more details on theprogrammes on offer atDubai Sports City FootballAcademyCall: 04 448 1555Email: football@dxbsport.comVisit: www.spanishsoccer-school.com/Home.aspx

“If they get the ball in any part ofthe pitch, they need to know how totreat it and how to react to differ-ent situations with the ball at theirfeet — they are learning to thinkwith and without the football, howto help their teammates and workhard for each other.”

The fact that the majority ofthe youngsters attending the SSSacademy have shown willing-ness to embrace Beni’s idealisedstyle has made him most proud,he says.

“One of the reasons we’re veryhappy is because they are gettingmotivation through competitionand that’s a special value that theylearn in football and life — hon-esty, teamwork, and hard work areall facets of the game that we wantto see them adopt in life as well.

“So maybe there is one guy whomight come here for the first timeto play football. At the end of theyear, he is going to know how toplay the game whether or not hehas the best skill-set in the class,he may not be the next Ronaldo— that doesn’t matter — he willknow how to behave on a foot-ball pitch and off it,” the Spanishcoach says.

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leagues for ages under six to under16. Each season also has an end-of-season tournament runningacross a full weekend at the Foot-ball Academy. It is all part of DSC’srapid development as a home forjunior football excellence, follow-ing the engagement of Salgado andthe launch of SSS.

“I have always been a great be-liever that while training andworking on skills is a vital partof the development of any youngplayer, so is playing competitivefootball. DSC’s Junior League pro-gramme is a great opportunity foryoungsters to come and play foot-ball in world-class surroundings.”

technique is paramountBeni and Salgado have set out theirstall to instil the Spanish ethos,which places a great deal of signif-icance on progressive possession,fluid passing and thoughtful move-ments, into the students trainingwith the SSS.

For those who decry football as asport indulged in by those blessedwith an unequal dose of athleti-cism over cognitive capacity, theSpanish style seeks to overturn thatmisconception by endeavouring to

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In a city focused on big namesand haute cuisine, The Big Easy’ssimple vibe is a welcome relief

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Dubai is no stranger toworld-class interna-tional fare. Exotic in-gredients from around

the globe are flown in every dayto ensure dinners have the bestcreations put on the plate by ce-lebrity chefs. And joining thisslew of must-visit eateries isThe Big Easy.

The crown jewel of the club-house at the Els Club in DubaiSports City (DSC), the restaurantderives its nomenclature, TheBig Easy, from the nickname ofErnie Els, a former world num-ber one and professional golferfrom South Africa. His imposingstature and easy-going attitude

earned him this title. It also per-haps defines the core principalof his hospitality ventures.

“We are a family-style restau-rant and even though we servetop-quality food and bever-ages, we are not in the fine din-ing space,” says Akhilesh Singh,Executive Sous Chef at The ElsClub. He believes in serving sim-ple fare that is unpretentiousand easy to eat. “We believe thevibe and buzz is created not bythe interiors or even the food butby our guests,” adds Singh.

The welcoming spacious-ness of the restaurant is thefirst thing that strikes guests,as does the impressive view ofthe championship golf course.Warm wood panelling, raw

01. Chef AkhileshSingh at work

02. The grilledmeats are simplebut delicious to eat

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ProfessionalBarBecue sPice ruBRecipe makes 240g

Ingredients10g fresh crushed

black pepper10g coriander seeds5g dried red chili5g star anise10g cumin60g onion10g fresh rosemary20g garlic30g sea salt60g brown sugar5g marjoram10g sweet paprika20ml malt vinegar

Method1. In a warm skillet,

toss the black pepper,coriander seeds,dried red chili, staranise and cumin.

2. Let the broiled spicescool down and crushto a rough powder.

3. Blend the onion,rosemary, garlic, salt,sugar and marjoramin a blender.

4. Combine the twomixtures.

5. Select your meatand rub the meatwith the spice mixture.Let the meat rest fortwo to eight hours.

stone finish and simple ironlight fixtures add to the chicrustic feel of The Big Easy.

simPle amBienceThe Big Easy has a vibe that israre in a city focused on big-tick-et names and haute cuisine andleaves no room for artifice. Theeasy feel is maintained by sim-ple details such as the fold of thenapkin, which in some places is acomplicated work of art but not

Pictures: Zarina Fernandes/Gulf News

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Grill or barbecue?Come winter and it’sbarbecue season in theEmirates. “People ofteninterchange grilling andbarbecuing,” says AkhileshSingh, Executive Sous Chefat The Els Club. “But it’s notthe same thing and usedifferent techniques.”Grilling is a fast, direct

heat method of cooking,where the food is cooked ona grill just a few inchesabove live coals or gasflames. The high heat cruststhe surface of the food,sealing in all the juices.“Meats that are to be

grilled are often marinated,or even plainly seasoned andthen served with a variety ofsauces,” says Singh.Barbecuing, on the other

hand, uses smoulderingwood to simultaneouslysmoke and cook the food attemperatures at about halfthe temperatures a grillproduces. The typicalcharacteristic of barbecuedmeat is that wonderfullysmoky flavour that the woodimparts. “The heat sourceshould also be separatedfrom the cooking chamberto provide indirect heat,which results in the meatbeing cooked over a fewhours and getting that lovelydistinct taste,” says Singh.When grilling at home or

outdoors, the most impor-tant thing is to have a largegrill, points out the chef,whose personal grill orbarbecue is, “a simpledevice made of a metaldrum cut lengthwise thatallows me plenty of room forthe wood and coals and it istopped by a rounded, ribbedstand to place the meat on.”

here. “I don’t waste time in de-signing the linen or even my platefor that matter — I believe foodshould not be handled much,”says the chef, who believes thatkeeping it simple is the key to thegreat food that his restaurant hascome to be known for.

This is the only other Big Easyin the world outside of SouthAfrica, yet it would be a mis-take to call it a steakhouse or aSouth African eatery. “Since the

plan is to take the brand to theworld, the idea is to make surethe menu reflects both its SouthAfrican heritage and the localcuisine as well,” says Singh,who has innovatively designeda menu incorporating local, in-ternational and popular SouthAfrican flavours.

After all, as chef Singh pointsout South African food carriesprominent influences of Indian,Portuguese and German flavoursand techniques among others.

Some of the popular dishesinclude chicken liver peri-peri,lamb bunny chow, Malay chick-en curry, succulent lamb neckand Malva pudding when itcomes to desserts.

01. The restaurantis spacious andwelcoming

02. All meats arevery carefullyprepared byexperienced chefs

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bbQ SauceIngredients200g butter100g brown sugar50ml honey50g molasses200g tomato sauce20ml mustard20ml Worcestershire

sauce10ml Tabasco20ml malt vinegar5ml liquid smoke

flavour

Method1. Mix all the ingredients

and it’s good to applyover meats for thebarbecue

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Eat right, feel good

Most of us resolve andswear to eat right andoften fail. It can behard with so many

distractions and obligations. Thisis why we have put together a fewsimple steps to get you to eat rightall day, every day. Not only that,when in the mood to eat out atThe Els Club, you can still makethe right choices with tasty buthealthy options from the menuat the club’s restaurants, The BigEasy and 261.

high fiveWant to control your blood pres-sure, prevent cancer, ward offheart disease and keep your eyeshealthy — all you need to do is eatplenty of vegetables and fruit. Thelatest dietary guidelines call fora minimum five servings of fruitand vegetables a day. While “five”sounds like a lot, think of innova-tive ways of incorporating it intoyour diet. Drop a handful of nutsinto your salad and smoothies,have a mid-afternoon fruit snack,begin the day with a vegetable orfruit juice and always accompanyyour proteins with leafy greens.Try: Warm duck salad (mixed

greens, cherry tomato, apple slices,dried cranberry and pecan nutswith balsamic dressing) or theblueberry and arugula salad (withgoat cheese, roasted root vegeta-bles, honeyed sunflower seeds andraspberry vinaigrette) at 261.

wholeandcompleTeGrains can be even more boringthan veggies, but these days su-permarket shelves are lined with

a slew of interesting products in-corporating wholegrains, from ce-reals and artisanal breads to pas-ta and popcorn. Wholegrains arehigh in fibre, vitamins, mineralsand antioxidants. To ensure youget your daily fix of these wonderfoods always opt for whole-grainrice, bread, pasta and cereals.Even when snacking, choose who-legrain chips and tortillas. Whiledoing this also eliminate or re-duce your consumption of refinedcarbohydrates.Try: Wholewheat bagels with

sesame seeds, non-refined cornchips, breads made with millet,barley and salads with quinoaat 261.

We may not like our veggies andcrib about cutting down on refinedcarbs, but who can resist a bowl ofhot crab soup, or a richly flavoured

salmon salad. Most of us wouldlove to include a variety of sea-food in our diet. Seafood is widelyrecognised as good nutrition byhealth authorities, dietary special-ists and many others.The UN Foodand Agriculture Organisation re-ports that fish is a food providinghigh-quality protein and vitaminssuch as A and D, phosphorus, mag-nesium, selenium and iodine.Try: Grilled salmon (citrus fen-

nel salad, steamed vegetables withbeurre blanc) and the grilled snap-per (with olive-celery-salsa andsautéed spinach) at The Big Easy.

goodfaTsWith our obsession with beingskinny we have eliminated allkinds of fats from our diet. Fatsprovide essential fatty acids thatnot only keep our skin supple andsoft but are a great source of ener-gising fuel.According to the US De-partment of Agriculture’s DietaryGuidelines,adults should get 20-35per cent of their calories from fats.At a minimum, we need at least 10per cent of our calories to comefrom fat. Good fats can be found inavocados, nuts and olive oil.Try: Shrimp and butternut

soup (with herb cream and coco-nut flakes) at The Big Easy.

Sticking to ahealthy eating planjust got easier witha little help fromThe Els Club

01. Fish oilsin salmon area good sourceof Omega 3

02. Get your fiveservings of fruitand veggiesevery day

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Dubai is known foroffering it all — a world-class lifestyle destina-tion that has among the

best in the worlds of high fash-ion, food, culture, sports andadventure. It is this philosophyof presenting a multi-approachoffering that is at the heart ofDubai Sports City (DSC). A con-cept that brings together thebest in the sporting world alongwith A-list celebrity events, in-ternational cultural celebrationsand high-octane music concerts— after all, the key pillars of DSC

are live, play, work, learnand shop.

What makes DSC thevenue of choice is its lo-cation. Just a couple ofminutes away from the

Setting the

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Setting thestandardDubai Sports City is the destination of choiceto host first-class international events

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heart of Dubai, it is connected toall key areas of the emirate, andnow it will have a special busservice running to and from theMall of the Emirates.

“Everything that has been cre-ated and what will be created atDubai Sports City is about excel-lence — from the fantastic Acade-mies Campus, with superb cricketand football pitches and trainingareas, to the Dubai InternationalStadium and the Els Club withits championship golf course andclubhouse with multiple diningoptions. Then there is the Braden-ton Preparatory Academy run bythe world-renowned Gems Educa-tion,” says Khalid Al Zarooni, Pres-ident of Dubai Sports City.

Top sTandardsIt is this attention to maintain-ing the highest standards that

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01. Bollywoodactor Shah RukhKhan performs atthe Access AllAreas Concert

02. DSC hasplayed host to topcricketing events,including thePakistan vs SouthAfrica match

03. The thirdedition of theOktoberfestfeatured greatmusic last year

04. A.R. Rahmanin concert at DSC’sDubai InternationalStadium

05. DeepikaPadukone getsthe crowd dancingat the Access AllAreas Concert

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What’s on offerl The 25,000-seater DubaiInternational Stadium hasstaged more Twenty20international cricketmatches than anywhereelse in the world.

l The Els Club is an 18-holechampionship golf courseand the clubhousefeatures multiple diningoptions, including the261 restaurant andThe Big Easy.

l The Butch Harmon Schoolof Golf is the only one ofits kind outside the US tobe run by Butch Harmon.

l The ICCAcademy has twofull-sized ovals, both ofwhich have stagedinternational matches, andits practice facilities havebeen used by top teams.

l The Dubai Sports CityFootball Academy hasthree full-sized outdoorfootball pitches and theonly permanent full-sizedindoor pitch in the UAE.

has made DSC the choice ofchampions and led multiple golfmajor winner Ernie Els to chooseit as the prime location to con-struct his championship course.And what other reason could theglobal governing body of cricket,the International Cricket Councilhave to set up base and its acad-emy in DSC.

It is also the address of two-time UEFA Champions Leaguewinner Michel Salgado who runsthe Football Academy. Addition-ally, it houses the Butch HarmonSchool of Golf. In fact, last yearsaw Swansea City, the EnglishPremier League club that holdsthe League Cup title, train atDSC, as has the world’s top testcricket team, South Africa.

But it’s not just about big-ticketnames; DSC offers the infrastruc-ture to support the same. “Dubai

ImpressIve rollcalll Pakistan vs Sri Lanka— 2013 cricket series

l Access All Areas Concert— 2013

l Pakistan vs South Africa— 2013 cricket series

l Oktoberfest — 2013l ICCWorld T20 Qualifiers— 2012

l Pakistan vs Sri Lanka— 2011 cricket series

l A. R. Rahman Concert— 2011

l Pakistan vs South Africa— 2010 cricket series

l ICCWorld T20 Qualifier— 2010

l Pakistan vs New Zealand— 2009 cricket series

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Sports City’s Oktoberfest is nowfirmly established within theUAE and it is rapidly becominga must-attend event. This year,by staging Oktoberfest over twosuccessive nights for the firsttime and also by holding it inthe air-conditioned comfort ofthe Indoor Dome we set newstandards of quality for people.It was a great fun event and nextyear we will ensure it will gofrom strength to strength,” saysDorothee Boehm, Event Manager,Dubai Sports City

“The facilities at Dubai SportsCity are used by some of theworld’s top elite athletes butthey are also available for eve-ryone and anyone to make useof. Our approach is sport for alland we live that motto with whatwe provide at Dubai Sports City,”says Al Zarooni.

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Children’s CoaChing session

Australian Football League (AFL) club Port Adelaide helda children’s coaching session during the pre-seasontraining camp at Dubai Sports City’s Rugby Park.

The session was divided into three age groups — un-der-eight, under-12 and under-16, and was attended by Port Ad-elaide Head Coach Ken Hinkley. He was named Coach of the Yearby the AFL Coaches Association after an excellent 2013 season

that culminated with the club reaching the second week of thefinals series. Port Adelaide High Performance Manager Dar-ren Burgess was also present on the occasion.

“We are grateful that Port Adelaide has agreed to take timeout of their busy pre-season training schedule to conduct

this free coaching session for youngsters at Dubai SportsCity’s Rugby Park,” says Maqbul Dudhia, General

Manager — Sports Business, Dubai Sports City.

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CoaCh’s Kenyan sojourn

Mudassar Nazar, the Head Coach of the ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City,is in Kenya to assist the national team in its attempts to qualify for theICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2015.

The former Pakistan all-rounder, whose career includes working asKenya coach, was drafted in by Cricket Kenya (CK) to work with the side for tendays in the build-up to next month’s ICC CWC Qualifier in New Zealand. It followsthe side’s failure to reach next year’s ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh after itfinished eleventh in the qualifying tournament (ICC WT20Q) in the UAE.

“I was watching Kenya’s match against Afghanistan (in the ICC WT20Q), talkingwith their newly appointed General Manager Kobus [Olivier],” says Nazar. “Kobus

knew of my time as Kenya coach and that I had worked with theplayers before and he said they were desperate to qualify (for

the ICC CWC) and would I mind coming over.”Cricket Kenya, who enlisted his assistance for a ten-day

training camp in a drive to try and qualify for ICC CricketWorld Cup 2015, will work with former-India and SouthAfrica coach Gary Kirsten. “It is a real feather in the capfor the ICC Academy and it comes as no surprise to usas Nazar is an outstanding coach. We are delighted to be

playing an ever-growing part in developing the game andassisting any countries that need it,” says Will Kitchen, the

Head of Performance and Education, ICC Academy, DSC.“The ICC Academy really has become a global hub for

the game with teams from all over the world tap-ping into our world-class facilities and exper-

tise and that is very gratifying.”

ICC aCademylaunChessChoolsCoaChIngProgramme

The ICC Academy SchoolsCoaching programme hasbeen designed to intro-duce cricket to youngsters

in schools, giving them an oppor-tunity to develop their skills.

The schools coaching termlasts 10 weeks, with nine weeklysessions in the school, culminat-ing in a festival for all schools atthe ICC Academy. The price forthe 10-week course (includes nineweeks in school coaching, theawards scheme and schools festi-val) is Dh1,000 per individual perterm (soft ball) and Dh1,250 perindividual per term (hardball).

The programmes are being of-fered during February and Marchat Wellington International, Wel-lington Silicon Oasis, WellingtonPrimary, Jumeirah Primary andRoyal Dubai.

Tee TImewIThThe ladIes

The Butch Harmon Schoolof Golf is now offeringa training course forwomen. The Ladies

Golf Development programmehas been on since January withcourses scheduled in Februaryand March as well.

Instruction is scheduled over aten-week period and classes willbe held for an hour every week.Each group will have a maximumof eight ladies. Each week has adifferent theme and introduc-tory emails will be sent out withlearning material for that week.Each week will have a pre-classvideo, which all students canwatch, to familiarise themselveswith the learning material forthat week.

The ten-week course is pricedat Dh1,300. For more details, call04 425 1040 or email reserva-tions@butchharmondubai.com

BIKIng forBegInners

Hundreds of peopleenjoyed the challengeof taking part in therecent Great Dubai

Pulse Ride — Off Road as DubaiSports City and its surroundingsgot converted into a mountainbike paradise.

Riders took part over two cours-es — one over five kilometres forbeginners and families with chil-dren and the other, a longer testfor experienced cyclists.

One lucky rider, AlessandroVaselli, won a specialised moun-tain bike thanks to The CycleHub, the one-stop shop in DubaiMotor City for all cycling needs.

The event was endorsed by theDubai Sports Council, as part ofits Dubai Pulse initiative thatseeks to promote physical activ-ity specifically in Dubai and theUAE in general. The next DubaiPulse is in March.

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Berlin-Boundwinners

William Hurt and Jennifer Lindvigwill be flying off to Berlin afteremerging winners in a raffle drawduring Dubai Sports City’s Oktober-

fest celebrations.The event took place in the air-conditioned com-

fort of the Indoor Dome with the second evening un-der the patronage of the German Consulate in Dubai.

The prizes were sponsored by airberlin andEtihad Airways. “Congratulations to both win-ners, William and Jennifer — they have each wona fantastic prize. Thanks are due to airberlin andEtihad Airways for providing such wonderfulprizes and to everyone who attended our Okto-berfest celebrations which were, without doubt,our best yet,” says Dorothee Bohm, Event Man-ager, Dubai Sports City.

This was the third time Dubai Sports City hasstaged the festival and this year it was bigger andbetter than ever.

indoor cricket action

Danube secured the fourth successive indoor title at theICC Academy at Dubai Sports City by beating Pacific Ven-tures to grab the inaugural Spinz Challengers Cup.

The side added the trophy to its now bulging trophycabinet to go with the Midnight League, the Ramadan League andthe Summer Indoor Tournament. All of the titles have been wonin a superb run of form since May. What made the latest victorymore significant for Danube was that it was achieved by beating itsarch-rival PacificVentures in the final.The two sides had met in thedecider of the Summer Indoor Tournament less than two monthsago with Danube coming out on top, snapping Pacific Ventures’ at-tempt to secure a third successive crown in that competition.

The new format, which proved a real hit with the 32 teams thattook part, saw each side face just eight overs than the usual 12 ofother indoor tournaments at the ICC Academy.

Golf’s BiG prizes

Dean Cheesley and Darren King held off the competition towin return flights to London on Virgin Atlantic, plus ac-commodation and a round of golf at The Grove, the five-star golf resort on the outskirts of London.

The duo were the big winners at The Els Club’s inauguralMember-Guest Day recently. They won the Falcon InvitationalTrophy and with it return flights to London for four people withVirgin Atlantic.

The tournament, which took place at the championship courseat Dubai Sports City, designed by multiple major winner ErnieEls, brought together 38 players in teams of two battling it outover 18 holes for the grand prize.

Memberships of The Els Club are still available and detailscan be obtained by contacting Francisco David at franciscod@elsclubdubai.com. Corporate membership includes unlimited useof the boardroom and conference facilities.

Dean Cheesley and Darren King battled it out to win The Els Club’sinaugural Member-Guest Day golf tournament

Danube beat arch-rival Pacific Ventures to win the Spinz Challengers Cup

William Hurt and Jennifer Lindvig won tickets to Berlin at the raffledraw during Dubai Sports City’s Oktoberfest celebrations

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Dubai Sports City Eventswww.facebook.com/Dubaisportscityevents www.twitter.com/dxbsportscity

DSC Football Academywww.facebook.com/DSCFootballAcademy www.twitter.com/DSCFootball

DSC Corporatewww.facebook.com/DubaiSportsCity www.twitter.com/DxbSportsCity

Instagram — #DSCFootballAcademy

ICC Academywww.facebook.com/ICCAcademy www.twitter.com/ICCAcademy

Instagram — #ICCAcademy www.ICCAcademy.wordpress.com

Instagram — #DubaiSportsCity

Mark your diaryA list of upcoming events at Dubai Sports City

EVENTSDubai Pulse Ride:March 28Oktoberfest: October 9 and 10 atThe Dome

FOOTBALLDubai Schools Football Cup:January 11 to March 1Pharmaceutical Football League:February 7 to March 14AHK Companies Day: February 28SSS League II & III: January 10 toMarch 7 and March 28 to May 30Corporate League — I (Mondays):February 10 to March 24Adult Social League — I(Wednesdays): February 12to March 26Spring Youth Tournament:March 14-15Corporate League — II (Mondays):March 26 to May 14Adult Social League — II(Wednesdays):March 31 to May 19Summer Youth Tournament:June 6-7Ramadan Football Tournament:July 6-24International Training Camp inMadrid, Spain: April 13-20Tournament in Palencia, Spain(Advance Level Tournament):April 16-21

COACHING PROGRAMMESSpanish Soccer Schools Term 2:January 5 to March 15Spanish Soccer SchoolsTerm 3:March 16 to June 7Socatots — Term 2: January 10to March 15Socatots — Term 3:March 28to June 14

End of Season Camp : June 8-28Summer in Spain: JulySummer Camp — Spanish SoccerSchools and Socatots 2014: July toAugust; All days from 9am to 12noon

CRICKETCricket clubs — Term 3 (2-6 years):March 7 to May 24; Fridays andSaturday (9am to 10.45am)ICC Academy Schools programme:January 5 to March 9Junior Warriors Coaching Programme(6-12 years) — Term 3:March 11 toMay 27; Tuesdays and ThursdaysJunior Warriors Coaching Programme(6-12 years) — Term 3:March 7 toMay 24; Fridays and SaturdaysUnder 13 — Term 3:March 7to May 24; Fridays and Saturdays (12to 2pm, 3 to 5pm;Under 15 — Term 3:March 8to May 24;Saturdays (9 to 11am)Under 18 — Term 3:March 13to May 29;Tuesdays (4.30pm to 6.30pm),Fridays (9 to 11am)Easter Camps: April 6-10 andApril 13-17ICC After Schools Programme(Term 3): April 20 to May 18

TOURNAMENTS & EVENTSICC U-19 Cricket World Cup: February10 to March 1Corporate Games: February 4-21ICC Academy Warriors Tournament:MarchPakistan vs England Disability series:March 20-29

ICC Academy Challenger’s Cup (3):April 8-24Ajman Cricket Council Tournament:April 10-25ICC Academy Midnight League:May 1 to June 5ICC Academy Ramadan IndoorTournament: June 30 to July 19ICC Academy Challenger’s Cup (4):August 7-23

RUGBYDubai 10’s:MarchTouch League Season 3: November 5to January 28Touch League Season 4: February 25to April 29Touch Tournament:March 28Touch League Season 5:MayTouch League Season 6: AugustMini and Youth Pre-Season:September

GOLFJunior Summer Camp:May 9to June 15 (every Tuesdayand Thursday)Summer Package:May 15 toSeptember 15Trackman University Seminar:June 16Ladies Group Coaching (6 weekcourse): FebruaryJunior Programme:March to MayLadies Group Coaching (6 weekCourse): April (TBA)Family Golf: Daily; Juniors (12 yearsand under) can play free after 3pmwith a paying adultTo book the best available ratesvisit www.elsclubdubai.com

THE ELS CLUBTHE BIG EASYBig Easy Happy Hour: from 6-8pm,50% discount on selected housebeverages; Monday to SaturdayMember Monday: 40% discountfor TEC MembersBig Easy Wagyu Beef Upgrade:Every ThursdayBig Easy Friday Brunch: 12.30to 3.30pmBubbly Brunch: Dh425 per member,Dh475 per non-member; inclusive ofselected French bubblyHouse Beverages Brunch:Dh325 per member, Dh375 per

non-member; inclusive of selectedhouse beveragesSoft Brunch: Dh225 per member,Dh275 per non-member; inclusive ofmocktails and selected soft drinksChildren’s Brunch: Dh90 permember’s child; Dh100 per non-member’s child, ages 5 to 11 years

261 RESTAURANTKids Eat Free Sunday’s: EverySunday, free kids meal (For kids 12years and younger) with each regularadult meal purchased.261 Happy Hour Weekdays: Sundayto Thursday from 4pm-6pm; Selectedhouse beverages Dh25261 Tuesday Quiz Nights: EveryTuesday from 7.30pm-9.30pm; Teamsof up to 6 persons can enter; HappyHour rates for all participants duringthe quiz; Reservations essential261 BBQ Thursday’s: AdultBBQ Buffet at Dh125 (includesbottomless fountain drink)Kids BBQ Buffet at Dh65 (includesbottomless fountain drink); UltimateBBQ Experience at Dh275 (includesselected house beverages)261 Spice It Up Saturday’s:Curry Buffet at Dh125 (includesbottomless fountain drink)Kids Curry Buffet at Dh65 (includesbottomless fountain drink)Ultimate Curry Experience at Dh275(includes selected house beverages)

* Terms and conditions applyFor bookings for The Big Easy and261 Restaurant call: 04 425 1000Email: bigeasy@elsclubdubai.com