Atif al Zarouni let out an exasperated cry for help when his clutch broke more than 400 kilometres from the finishing line of last month's Pharaons International cross-country rally in Egypt. But nobody was listening.
The UAE's most talented quad bike rider had made similarly fruitless pleas as all but one of the six spare tyres he had taken with him on the gruelling 2,700km battle against the cream of his sport's international talent burst on the rocky Egyptian terrain.
Al Zarouni, a multiple winner of his home Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, is convinced that he can bring fame to himself and recognition to his country if local motorsport enthusiasts showed greater faith in his riding ability.
"I have tried many places for sponsorship, the bank, other institutions, but they don't seem to have a desire to help local guys like me," said al Zarouni, a decade into his productive career in his specialist branch of motorsport.
"If I attracted sponsorship I reckon I could bring tremendous success to the UAE," he said. "I believe I am good enough to have won in Egypt with the right backing. I will be more qualified to race next year and if I can get enough financial help I can do really well there."
Al Zarouni had to settle for fifth place in a class of 11 riders - more than 80 competitors took part overall - but considering what he was up against, he regards that as a phenomenal achievement.
"Every evening when I arrived at the overnight camp, I worked on repairs to my bike while the other riders were able to relax, knowing that they had teams of up to seven guys working on their bikes."
Al Zarouni cuts costs by carrying out all his own modifications and repairs in his Dubai workshop at which he employs seven staff. "I knew I needed to learn how to cope when things go wrong - and I've done that," he said.
"I have got used to being a one-man team but I would love to welcome support to that team," said al Zarouni, 36, the second-eldest of eight siblings, who has been grateful to the amount of help he has received from his parents.
Al Zarouni was given some assistance towards the Pharaons by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a vice-president of the FIA, motorsport's governing body, and president of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE.
Ben Sulayem said: "I'd like to see more UAE companies come forward and sponsor Emirati competitors like Atif who have shown a lot of ability but need financial backing to help them develop their careers.
"We can give only limited backing as a club, and at a time when motorsport here is growing in popularity, UAE companies have a part to play in partnering with the best local talent to allow them to reach their full potential, while sharing in their success."
wjohnson@thenational.ae
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Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Results
Female 49kg: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) bt Thamires Aquino (BRA); points 0-0 (advantage points points 1-0).
Female 55kg: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Amal Amjahid (BEL); points 4-2.
Female 62kg: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR); 10-2.
Female 70kg: Thamara Silva (BRA) bt Alessandra Moss (AUS); submission.
Female 90kg: Gabreili Passanha (BRA) bt Claire-France Thevenon (FRA); submission.
Male 56kg: Hiago George (BRA) bt Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA); 2-2 (2-0)
Male 62kg: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) bt Joao Miyao (BRA); 2-2 (2-1)
Male 69kg: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Isaac Doederlein (USA); 2-2 (2-2) Ref decision.
Male 77kg: Tommy Langarkar (NOR) by Oliver Lovell (GBR); submission.
Male 85kg: Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE); 2-2 (1-1) Ref decision.
Male 94kg: Kaynan Duarte (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL); submission.
Male 110kg: Joao Rocha (BRA) bt Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE); submission.
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
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Name: HyperSpace
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Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
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Sector: Entertainment
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MATCH INFO
Champions League last 16, first leg
Tottenham v RB Leipzig, Wednesday, midnight (UAE)
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S23%20ULTRA
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Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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