Moroccan surfer proud to represent the region at Abu Dhabi Pro
Ramzi Boukhiam, the top-ranked Arab surfer, has been making waves in the region's surfing community since he was less than half the size of the onrushing ocean swells of which he expertly weaved in and out.
Boukhiam has long dreamed of building the sport he loves in this part of the world – and knows precisely how he feels about competing in the Abu Dhabi Pro, the region's first World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour event.
'It's going to be fun surfing in Abu Dhabi,' says the 31-year-old Moroccan national of the tournament, which takes place from February 14 – 16 at Surf Abu Dhabi on Hudayriyat Island.
Boukhiam, born in Morocco's coastal city of Agadir, believes witnessing the world's best 60 surfers compete in Abu Dhabi can only help inspire people across the region become more involved in the sport he has adored since childhood. Both male and female categories are in action in the UAE capital.
'Who would have thought that we would compete one day in Abu Dhabi!' says Boukhiam, who has qualified for both the past two Olympics and won a silver medal at the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games.
'It's an amazing thing and, even to push surfing there in this part of the world could be really nice. Hopefully we have a fun event. It is for sure going to impact surfing in the region and bring a lot of more eyes to the sport for people there.'
The WSL Championship Tour is the pinnacle of professional surfing, with Surf Abu Dhabi, who collaborated with Kelly Slater in is creation, the perfect host for the inaugural Middle East event. Slater, a record 11-time WSL champion, is widely regarded as the greatest professional surfer of all time. Surf Abu Dhabi harnesses cutting-edge technology developed by the Kelly Slater Wave Company, delivering perfectly engineered waves that replicate the power and excitement of ocean swells – with the precision and consistency ideal to challenge the world's best surfers.
'Already since it's opened, there's a lot of people from the region surfing there,' says Boukhiam of Surf Abu Dhabi. 'I met a few when I was there, so that was pretty nice and it's going to keep growing. I think all these pools around the world are going to bring more eyes to surfing in general because they are making pools in places where you never think surfing was going to be. It's a good thing and I am excited for the event. I'm gonna try to do my best and I'm excited to be in Abu Dhabi.'
The Abu Dhabi Pro marks the second stop on this season's Championship Tour, with the surfers currently rounding off the action in the Lexus Pipe Pro in Hawaii. Everybody competing on the incredible waves in Abu Dhabi is also bidding for a shot at the World Title in the season-ending WSL Finals. But beyond the surfing, the Abu Dhabi Pro is also a vibrant festival experience with live music, local food, and family-friendly entertainment, offering something for all the loved ones in your life this Valentine's Day weekend.
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