ABU DHABI // Keep kicking, keep kicking … and hundreds did just that.
Children and adults took the dive at Yas Waterworld yesterday in a bid to break the Guinness World Record for the largest swimming lesson.
It was the fourth year in a row that thousands of people at waterparks and swimming pools around the world united for the event, which is aimed at saving children by teaching them to swim.
Last year a record 24,803 adults and children in 16 countries on five continents took part.
Tim Mo, Yas Waterworld's manager, said the park hoped to break the record for the largest number of swimmers at a single venue.
Mr Mo said the record was 611 people, beaten by the number who took part at Yas yesterday.
Crowds of excited swimmers started gathering by the park's wave pool at about 6pm, an hour early.
Fatima Teedani, 9, said she had been swimming for five years and her favourite stroke was front crawl.
"It is important to know how to swim," Fatima said.
Her sister Aiysha, 8, and brother Joseph, 11, were also among the swimmers.
"I love being in the water," said Joseph.
A blur of arms and legs raced to the pool as the starting whistle blew.
"Nobody can learn to swim in 30 minutes but this is all about safety awareness and what people need to do to be safe in and near the water," said swimming instructor Maria Holmes, who led the lesson.
Ms Holmes, from Bulgaria, taught floating and breathing techniques, arm movements and the right kicking action.
Syed Faisel, 36, of Abu Dhabi, took his son Syed Humaid, 2, to the event.
"We came to hopefully see the record being broken," the father said.
Sabah Elnaim, 35, took her three daughters Isra, 10, Ayat, 6, and Eman, 2, who she said were very excited to be part of a global event.
"I think it is important they get good training to learn how to swim," said Ms Elnaim, from Sudan.
Mr Mo said: "In the UAE, not a lot of people are used to going into the water.
"We feel it is our job to give back to the community and teach them how to stay safe."
Swimmers also turned up in numbers to Dubai's Aquaventure waterpark at Atlantis, The Palm.
Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental, injury-related death for children up to the age of 14 years.
Research shows if a child doesn't learn to swim by the age of nine, it is unlikely they ever will.
"As a waterpark and a family attraction located in a country with a sizeable shoreline, the importance of knowing how to swim and having the ability to enjoy water-based activities is very relevant to us here in the UAE," said Mike Oswald, general manager at Yas Waterworld.
"This seemed like a great way to get involved in a global drive to spread the message of the life-saving value of learning to swim."
Those that took part in the record-breaking attempt had free access to the park's rides after the event.
The World's Largest Swimming Lesson was created by the World Waterpark Association in 2010.
Event organisers estimated that more than 35,000 participants at more than 700 venues took part this year's attempt, an increase of more than 40 per cent increase on last year's record.
The exact number of participants this year has yet to be determined.
jbell@thenational.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ticket prices
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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
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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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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The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
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Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
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
