JEDDAH — Dune-bashing is a popular summer sport that generates great interest from many Saudi male teenagers and foreigners in the Kingdom. Dune-bashing competitions and festivals have been attracting hundreds of participants and fans.
Qasim is a popular area for this sport. It hosted a dune-bashing event that attracted more than 160,000 visitors; 98 percent of them were local citizens. Statistics showed that 57 percent of the local citizens who attended were government workers, 24 percent students, 10 percent workers in the private sector and four percent were retired men. For the first time revenues from fans that attended the dune-fest reached SR180,000, according to Al-Riyadh newspaper.
Al-Thumama in Riyadh is also a very popular summer spot for local residents to challenge the desert sands. This area recently witnessed the closing ceremony of the dune-bashing “Power Play” championship.
Competitors with motorcycles and four-wheel-drive vehicles participated at the dune-bashing championship hosted by Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Fahd, deputy secretary-general of the Supreme Commission for Tourism. There were three winners in the six-cylinder car contest. They were Salem Al-Rowaished, Ahmad Al-Shagawi and Mosaed Al-Awaad.
In the eight-cylinder car category, the winners were Khaled Al-Guniman, Saad Al-Hatalaani and Fahd Al-Jaber. Yasser Al-Seaidaan, Muhammad Al-Saeed and Fahd Al-Suhaim were declared winners in the motorcycle category.
Dune-bashing is a weekend hobby followed by many Jeddah citizens, especially the young, in the summer.
“It became more organized now. We can drive safely because of new rules and regulations. There are security guards all around the area to assure our safety,” said Omar Al-Muhanad, an architecture student. He added that though he enjoys the “hard driving,” many of his friends attend to enjoy the fun of the event.
Wael Jamal, dune-bashing sport fan, said: “There is nothing better than speeding on the sand. It is safe for my tires. I hope there will be an organization for this sport because it attracts many people and yet it is not getting the required publicity.”
He said it attracted many young people because it is challenging. “We push our cars to the limit. It is a relatively safe motor sport; if a car overturns, the soft sand reduces the risk of injury and minimizes damage to the vehicle. I like this sport and I hope it will grow,” he added.
