Harley Clifford won the first-ever Wakestock Abu Dhabi event, beating three of the sport’s best riders in a world-class wakeboarding final at Al Sahil beach on Abu Dhabi Corniche. Dallas Friday won the women’s competition while JD Webb was victorious on the rails as pool gap champ.
Clifford was followed on the Wakestock Abu Dhabi podium by Rusty Malinoski, Phillip Soven and Aaron Rathy.
And after the sun went down, Wakestock Abu Dhabi closed with a bang as hip hop legends De La Soul entertained thousands with their unique quirky lyrics and funky beats, including some of their greatest hits. The free three-day festival saw jaw-dropping wakeboarding action on the first stop of this year’s World Wakeboarding Association’s Wakeboard World Series and the evenings filled with live music from local, regional and international stars.
“Wakestock Abu Dhabi has been another fantastic beachfront event, adding to the diversity of the entertainment options Abu Dhabi has to offer,” says John Lickrish, Managing Director of Flash Entertainment. “The combination of gravity-defying wakeboarding tricks and a wide variety of live music acts has really resonated with people of all ages and backgrounds, and over the weekend we have seen more than 110,000 residents who have come to enjoy the event on Al Sahil Beach.”
“The atmosphere here on the Corniche has been incredible,” says Mark Durston, Founder and CEO of Wakestock. “Abu Dhabi has provided the perfect setting for Wakestock, and we have seen some first-class wakeboarding here on the beautiful waters of the Arabian Gulf. It has been great to find so much local support for the sport, and I can see Abu Dhabi becoming a top wakeboarding destination in the near future.”
Wakestock Abu Dhabi is the first stop on the World Wakeboard Association’s Wakeboard World Series. Go to wakestock.ae for more info.
