Dubai International Boat Show: stunts, races and side-events you shouldn't miss

  DUBAI - The Dubai International Boat Show gears-up for thrills and spills with jet-ski racing, flyboard freestyling and high-speed sailing for what promises to be a real "wild weekend". The show will climax with a Super Saturday guaranteed to get pulses racing as the world's best jet-skiers go head-to-head live along the city's coast. The event – held on Dubai Canal, beside Dubai Ladies Club – will sail into the weekend with gravity-defying sea stunts, thrilling racing, live music and unique hands-on ocean lifestyle experiences throughout. Since getting underway on Tuesday, the Dubai International Boat Show's 27th edition has drawn incredible interest in its main attraction: its buzzing marketplace of more than 450 yachts, boats, catamarans and watercraft. From towering superyachts to family friendly watercraft, there is something for everyone – with entry-level boats starting from the same price as many family cars. The show's weekend lineup is packed with thrills and spills. Visitors and families can watch the professionals reel in some whoppers at the Dubai Fishing Competition, running all day Friday and Saturday; cheer on uber-talented aqua-athletes at the Flyboard and Freestyle Championships on Friday; and see who is the fastest on water at the UAE International Aquabike Championship on Saturday, running from at 10.30am and 2.30pm. "The Dubai International Boat Show is the perfect venue for the UAE International Aquabike Championship. For our competitors, it will be a thrill to compete in front of such an international crowd and feel the support of fans from around the world. This weekend's competition is going to be amazing, both for the competitors and for the crowds that come out to watch," said Riju George, Show Director. The Dubai International Boat Show's Nikki Beach Lounge is sure to be the hot spot for the weekend, serving up delicious drinks and soothing tunes all weekend long. Elsewhere, The Beach will be buzzing with food trucks, live on-water demos and musical acts from around the world. The all-new Watersports Village will be ground zero for once-in-a-lifetime hands-on experiences with SUP, kayaking and canoeing and, for those who want a bit of thrill on land, Dubai International Boat Show's Supercar Promenade will display the most exciting cars on the road.

How to get there

Getting to Dubai International Boat Show has never been easier. Just board one of the free shuttle buses departing from Dubai Mall, or take a complimentary water-taxi from Al Habtoor City Station. Parking at Dubai International Boat Show is ample and free, so finding a spot will be a breeze.

Highlights of the upcoming weekend

Thursday, February 28 Bermuda Diving Center Competition Watch certified SCUBA divers ditch and don their kit at the bottom of Dubai International Boat Show's Dive Pool. Divers will assemble their gear and then kit-up underwater to see who is the fastest below the surface. 8:30pm at the Dive Pool Friday, March 1 Dubai Fishing Competition If you are a fan of fishing, Dubai International Boat Show is where you need to be this weekend. The annual event pits the region's finest fisherman against each other as they fight to reel in the top prize. Head down to the Marina to see who bags the heaviest catch. All day Friday and Saturday at the Marina. Freestyle Competition and Flyboard Championship Champion fly boarders will be chopping up the water on Friday at Dubai International Boat Show. These aqua athletes will fly high above the water, performing thrilling stunts on their water-powered boards. The region's top fly boarders will perform flips and dips, vying for the top spot. From 18:30 at the Marina Display area. Underwater World Photography - talk by Ali Bin Thalith Whether you are looking to hone your skills as a professional underwater photographer, or just wanting to perfect your holiday snaps, Ali Bin Thalith will reveal how to take your shutter bugging under the surface. Learn how to capture beauty under the sea at 19:00 at the Dive MENA Expos Dive Tracks. Saturday, March 2 UAE International Aquabike Championship Watch the world's best aquabike riders make wakes at The Beach this weekend. More than 70 competitors will zip across the surface, with UAE champion jet-ski rider Ali Al Lanjawi, a gold and silver medalist at last year's Asian Games in Jakarta; Abdul Razzak, former World Champion jet-skier from Kuwait; and Australian former world champion, Kevin Reiterer, all racing for top spot. All racers will be on their marks at The Beach from 10.30am – 12.30pm and 2.30pm - 4:30pm.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