Some vocations are in the blood. Khalid al Tayer, the Team Abu Dhabi powerboat driver, is a case in point.
"My family has raced everything - dhows, wooden, Formula 1 and Formula 2 powerboats, X-Cats and now Class 1s. I've tried them all, including jet skis and traditional sailing boats," al Tayer said, halfway through his debut Class 1 Powerboat World Championship season.
"My grandfather used to race dhows and wooden sailing boats, the old style ones. But as technology has improved, so have the boats we've raced."
Al Tayer, 31, a born-and-bred racing enthusiast, was always going to follow this career path.
"All my family are racers, it is in our blood. It comes from the cultural and racing traditions of the UAE," he said. "I love the sea and spend all my time there. Even when the racing season ends, I go fishing, diving and swimming with my friends. My father also fishes; my whole family shares a passion for the sea."
Having developed a taste for racing after a teenage experience on a jet-ski, al Tayer's route to Class 1 powerboats has been a gradual, albeit streamlined, process.
"I started racing jet skis in 1998," he added. "I entered the world championship in 2003/04 and finished third, but I've won lots of regional events in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and elsewhere."
Jet skis, he said, are a common starting point for most sea-based motorsport professionals.
"They are to powerboating what karting is to circuit racing - it is a learning ground to discover technique.
"Jet skis helped me develop a strong understanding of the basics. Driving one is not easy and is extremely physically demanding in terms of fitness and concentration. You have to train every day on a jet ski and also swim, run and work out in the gym if you want to be successful."
After progressing through the ranks of Formula 1 and 2 powerboats, al Tayer, from Dubai, was asked to decamp and take a berth in the capital.
"I had started with the [Dubai-based] Victory team and I tested many times in the Class 1 boat, but I was only a reserve driver," al Tayer said. "Then Abu Dhabi International Marine Club [the principal stakeholders in Team Abu Dhabi] contacted me and said 'we want you to be our main driver in Formula 2'.
"At first, I didn't know what was better: a reserve in Class 1, or main driver in F2. I thought for a couple of days and eventually went with Abu Dhabi. It's better to be competing than sitting around doing nothing.
"When I heard that Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa al Nahyan [Team Abu Dhabi's financial backer] wanted to buy a Class 1 boat, well, you know."
With a new Class 1 machine, al Tayer is now eyeing similar international acclaim to the fame achieved by his cousin, Saeed, the class's most successful driver of all-time with 18 career wins.
"Saeed won many world titles and I too want to become world champion, maybe even this year. Why not? There are still six races, Italy, Abu Dhabi and Dubai," said the 31-year-old.
Al Tayer's meteoric rise is all the more impressive considering it is only five months since his Class 1 debut in Brazil, when he lined up in a boat that "was never going to finish the race". The upgraded version, however, has galvanised team fortunes.
"When I jumped into the brand new Abu Dhabi boat in Sweden [round three] it was amazing," al Tayer said. "It was scary, but I have an excellent understanding with Giovanni Carpitella, my throttleman, and we were comfortable and relaxed from the second test.
"I feel like I am improving with every race."
In a notoriously dangerous sport, al Tayer is aware of the pitfalls involved.
"Once, I was practising in Abu Dhabi and the boat lifted into the air, flipped twice and smashed back, roof first, into the water," al Tayer said.
"Every driver should be ready for anything and you need to focus, especially on the first turn, at the first buoy. I respect the dangers, but I am not scared."
Why would he be? Three generations of family genetics have clearly ingrained a thrill of sea-faring competition in the aqua-favouring spirit of Khaled al Tayer.
emegson@thenational.ae
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
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
The specs
Engine:+1.5-litre+turbo
Power:+181hp
Torque:+230Nm
Transmission:+6-speed+automatic
Starting+price:+Dh79,000
On+sale:+Now
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Small Things Like These
Director: Tim Mielants
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Watson, Eileen Walsh
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
Company Profile
Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Klipit
Started: 2022
Founders: Venkat Reddy, Mohammed Al Bulooki, Bilal Merchant, Asif Ahmed, Ovais Merchant
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Digital receipts, finance, blockchain
Funding: $4 million
Investors: Privately/self-funded
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
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
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Company Profile
Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
ROUTE TO TITLE
Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2