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Al Ain: Energetic quad bike riders dashed across the sand dunes in the Al Ain Dunes Challenge and Championship 2008 on Thursday evening in Al Sa'ad desert, 35km off the Al Ain-Abu Dhabi highway.
The riders displayed their skills on the roaring bikes and scaled a 140-metre high hill in the desert race, watched by hundreds of spectators from the surrounding dunes.
The two-day event was organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and Abu Dhabi Motor Club (ADMC) in which bike and 4WD enthusiasts from the Gulf countries participated.
The championship aims to promote desert sports and put Al Ain on the tourism map, said Nasser Saif Al Reyami, ADTA director of licensing and classification division.
"It is an event that promises a lot of fun ... and [promotes] Abu Dhabi and Al Ain as a major sports destination on the international arena," Al Reyami said.
The championship also aims to encourage the region's young people in one of their favourite sports, he said.
Venue
The venue was built around a special camp with large tents and other facilities. The race, in which 120 bikes and 20 buggies participated, started at 8pm but people had started arriving around 5pm in the hot and windy weather.
Abdullah Al Qubaisi, general manager of ADMC, said the response "has been beyond our expectations".
Khamis Ali Al Ka'abi, an Emirati spectator, said the event offered an enjoyable evening for his family. "It is a healthy event that offers youngsters an opportunity to dash through the desert in a safe environment."
Ahmad Mukhtar, an expat, said: "It is amazing to see the bikes scaling the hill at a 45 degree angle."
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