Bethany Hamilton is living her dream. A young professional surfer travelling to the world's most beautiful surf spots on the women's World Qualifying Series tour (WQS), Hamilton would be the envy of many.
She is also on the cusp of achieving her goal: to reach the ASP World Tour, the pinnacle of the professi-onal surfing world.
But Hamilton's journey to the top has been anything but easy. As a 13-year-old, she lost her arm in a shark attack while riding waves in Hawaii.
Despite the trauma the American suffered on that October morning in 2003, she displayed the courage and resilience she is now famed for, returning to the waves just three weeks after the attack, determined to learn how to surf with one arm. Within months she was back up on her board. Joining the women's WQS, a springboard to the ASP World Tour, for the first time in the 2008 season, she narrowly missed out on qualification to the World Tour this year.
Hamilton started this season with determination, claiming a closely fought runners-up spot at the Billabong Junior World Championships in North Narrabeen, Australia, in January.
Hamilton finished the tournament less than one point behind the champion French surfer Pauline Ado in a thrilling final round.
Chatting about her ambition to reach the heady heights of the World Tour, she speaks with remarkable maturity and confidence. It is easy to forget Hamilton is just 19.
Her enthusiasm gives her away, however, as she trills about the sport she loves. Hamilton grew up on the waves of Hawaii and, along with her undoubted talent and determination, her traumatic experience in the water has thrust her into the limelight.
She has already published a book, been the subject of an award-winning documentary, released lines in perfume, sandals and jewellery and will have her life immortalised in a blockbuster film.
"I'm really excited about it. There will be some beautiful surf sequences. It's going to be scary. It's going to be funny.
"It will be very emotional and sad, but most of all it's going to bring an inspiring message," is how Hamilton describes the film, due for release next summer.
It may sound like a dramatic tale, but the summary is a perfect depiction of the young surfer's life. In 2003, a 14ft tiger shark attacked as she paddled through the surf at her local beach, Tunnels Beach in Kauai, Hawaii, biting her left arm off at the shoulder.
Had the shark bitten just two inches further up her shoulder the attack would have been fatal.
"I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a time I thought I couldn't surf again. Of course I did have moments," she said.
"It was something I loved so much. I wasn't going to let this stop me from doing the thing I love. I really had the will to do it."
Using a custom-made long board to make paddling easier, Hamilton adapted quickly to surfing with one arm, learning to pop up on to the board using her right arm and kicking hard through the water.
"There's no real technique I use. When I first started surfing with one arm, I just got used to how to duck dive, which was pretty hard. Once I'm up on the wave I can surf like any other," she says.
"I didn't get up on the first try. I was out there for a while. I got up on the third try, maybe. When I got up just had that feeling when you know you've caught the wave, it's very special. It took a lot of work to get back to the short board and learn how to duck dive. It took a few months, but it was really worth it.
"One of the best moments of my life is when I got up on a board for the first time ever since the attack, which was on Thanksgiving Day. Even though it was a junk wave and long board, it still was the best wave I ever caught, because I did it. I cried happy tears."
Hamilton credits her close-knit family and friends with giving her the encouragement needed to get back on the surfboard, as well as drawing strength from her faith.
"I really had good friends and my family to support and encourage me. Most of all I had my faith in God and I knew this was going to pull me through. I knew I could do this," she says.
Six years on, Hamilton's hard work is paying off and she is taking the surfing world by storm. She may have missed out on qualifying for the ASP World Tour in her rookie season in the WQS, but Hamilton is confident she will soon claim her place alongside the world's surfing superstars, including nine-time men's world champion Kelly Slater and 2007 and 2008 women's world champion, Australian surfer Stephanie Gilmore. "I was pretty bummed not to make the ASP World Tour this year, but God has a plan for me so I go with it," she says.
"I'm really hoping it just wasn't my time then. I've been really practising and surfing more than I usually do. I surf most of the day. I'm really concentrating on what I want to do and focusing on my training. It really comes down to that and no one else or anyone else who pressures me.
"I have a really good family and friends who keep me focused on it."
Hamilton has battled to shake the label of "the surfer who lost an arm", determined instead to be recognised solely for her talent on the waves. Now, with national and international credits to her name, Hamilton believes she has proven herself to the surfing world and is beginning to feel at home with being seen as a role-model and American sweetheart.
"At first yes, it was just the 'girl who was attacked by a shark', but over the last few years it has changed. I always want to be seen as a surfer and I really am now seen as a surfer, but it's also more than that too," she says.
"It feels strange being thought of as a role model, but because of what happened to me, I really want to bring hope and inspiration to people who need it. I hope I can do that for them. What happened to me was pretty bad, but I lived and I'm happy and I get to do the thing I love.
"I hope people who go through everyday troubles are able to see that you can overcome anything if you set your mind to it."
The girl whose motto is "dream high, dream big and never give up" is 19th on the women's WQS leader board and has a good chance of making the cut this year. The top 16 men's and women's surfers make it through to the ASP World Tour.
Following a spirited performance at the Hurley US Open in July, where she came third in her heat but missed the cut with a 8.67 score, Hamilton battled her way to the semi finals of the Oakley Rio Surf International in Brazil last week, before begin knocked out of the final four in a one-on-one tussle with eventual winner Australian surfer Jessi Miley-Dyer.
Hamilton now turns her attention to the Vans Hawaiian Pro on her home turf from November 12 to 24. A good performance in Hawaii could prove enough to catapult her into the realms of the world's top surfing champions.
"My philosophy on life is to always have a positive attitude. It comes down to practising and believing. I know I'm good enough," she says.
"Unfortunately it is not always up to me. It's up to the waves, up to the ocean, and God. I leave it in his hands. I have a dream and I believe I'll achieve it."
@Email:sports@thenational.ae
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
GOODBYE%20JULIA
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Company%20Profile
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Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Carzaty%2C%20now%20Kavak%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarzaty%20launched%20in%202018%2C%20Kavak%20in%20the%20GCC%20launched%20in%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20140%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Automotive%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarzaty%20raised%20%246m%20in%20equity%20and%20%244m%20in%20debt%3B%20Kavak%20plans%20%24130m%20investment%20in%20the%20GCC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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.
Company%20Profile
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Zodi%20%26%20Tehu%3A%20Princes%20Of%20The%20Desert
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEric%20Barbier%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYoussef%20Hajdi%2C%20Nadia%20Benzakour%2C%20Yasser%20Drief%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Fireball
Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.
A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.
"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Avatar%20(2009)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
