Category: Sports

With F1 starting again this weekend I figured it would be a perfect time to talk about Halo F1. It’s an always on display that you can build yourself and displays a bunch of F1 info on it.

There are three parts to Halo F1, the stand which you can 3D print at home, the touch screen which you can order from AliExpress and costs around 5.5KD including delivery, and the software which is super easy to install.

The screen I ordered from AliExpress was the following:
Guition ESP32-S3 8M PSRAM 4M FLASH 4.3-inch IPS 480*272 LCD display module with WIFI and Bluetooth
AliExpress Link

It’s a JC4827W543 board and I ordered the capacitive touch version for $15.31 and with shipping to Kuwait the total came out to $18.98. The stand I printed out myself on my 3D printer and the files for it are available on Maker World.

Once you get the screen you just plug it in to USB-C and visit the website halof1.com so you can flash the screen through the browser with the Halo F1 software. Then it’s a matter of connecting to the screen’s Wifi and filling in your home network details and thats it. The screen updates the info automatically through your home wifi network, displays the upcoming race dates and timings in your local time as well as other info like current driver standings.

If you want to find out more about Halo F1 their website has all the details. Link

Squatwolf, the Dubai based performance wear brand, has just opened its first store in Kuwait.

The brand started in 2016 from a small apartment when its founders saw a gap in the market for affordable, high quality gym wear designed specifically for the Middle East. Back then, most fitness apparel options available in the region were either expensive international brands or lower quality alternatives. Since then, the brand has grown into a popular regional and global name.

The new store is located in an alleyway in the Electra district at The Avenues Phase 4, behind The Body Shop and in front of Intersport.

Jaber AlSabah is a 16 year old racing driver currently competing internationally in the British Formula 4 Championship. F4 is widely considered the starting point for drivers on their journey to Formula 1, and that’s the goal every driver is working towards, including Jaber.

Jaber first got into racing at the age of 12 when his dad bought him a racing sim. He was instantly hooked and would spend hours daily practicing and improving. Seeing how committed he was, his dad eventually took him karting at Kuwait Motor Town. From that point on, he knew this was what he wanted to pursue.

Jaber began his racing career in the Rotax Karting Championship, followed by the IAME series. After climbing through the karting ranks, he moved up to Formula 4 last year with a seat at Xcel Motorsport.

Kuwait has a pretty big car culture, and in some motorsports like drag racing, we’re actually very competitive. But when it comes to single seater racing, especially at an international level, it’s still pretty rare to see Kuwaiti drivers making their way up the ranks. That could be partly because until 2019, we didn’t have a proper race track in Kuwait.

Racing isn’t just a hobby for Jaber, it’s his career and something he takes very seriously. It demands a huge amount of time, focus, and dedication, and there’s very little room for error. His ultimate goal, like every driver, is Formula 1, but with only 22 drivers on the grid, he knows how competitive that path is. He thinks a more realistic route could be endurance racing like WEC or GT racing, both of which are still at a very high level.

KMT played a big role in Jaber’s journey, without it, it would have been much harder to get started, and he might never have discovered his passion for racing. Support from local companies like Gulf Cables, Warba Insurance, Motorgy, and Kuwait Airways has also helped a lot since racing is an expensive sport.

I’m a big fan of KMT, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we start seeing even younger drivers competing internationally. If you want to follow Jaber’s journey, he’s on Instagram @jab3ralsabah

Photos by Stanley Deslandes

The Swiss premium sportswear brand On just opened their first location in Kuwait at The Avenues. This is only their second location in the Gulf with the other store being in Riyadh.

The Kuwait store has On’s full range of footwear, apparel, and accessories across running, outdoor, training, tennis, and lifestyle categories.

If you want to check it out, the store is located in the Electra area near Pick, where the old entrance to Debenhams used to be. During Ramadan they’re open from 10AM to 4PM and then again 7:30PM to 1:30AM.

Back in 2020 I posted about the Extreme Sports van parked outside Green Island renting bicycles to anyone who wanted to ride up and down the Gulf Road. That was before the waterfront makeover and the addition of dedicated bike paths.

A few days ago, Extreme Sports soft launched their first Extreme Bike Rentals storefront on the Gulf Road pathway outside Green Island. They’re planning to open four more spots along the Gulf Road, with approximately one new location launching every 10 days.

The other locations will be next to the Kuwait Towers, opposite the Kuwait Society of Engineers, next to Villa Fayrouz, and next to the Swimming Pool Complex.

They have bicycles and tricycles available to rent in adult and kids sizes, and they haven’t increased their prices. It’s still just KD3 per hour. At the moment they’re open from 6AM to 10PM, but during Ramadan the timings will change to 3PM to 3AM. @extremebikerentals

Since the 24th Annual Kuwait International Camel Racing Championship starts today, I thought it would be the perfect time to share these photos taken by Mark Lowey in 1988.

Mark Lowey (also known as AbuJack) worked for the Kuwait National Petroleum Company and lived in Kuwait with his wife from 1985 to 1988. One Friday on his day off, Mark and a friend headed to the camel races, where he captured a number of photos. This was during a period when camel jockeys were mostly children, a practice that was later banned in the 2000s.

Mark actually put together a photo essay from that day, complete with a detailed write up, but it was published on the Aramco Expats website, which shut down a couple of years ago. Luckily I still had some of the photos saved from when I first shared his photos on my blog back in 2021.

Also, for those of you interested in the camel racing championship, it’s taking place from February 7 to 12 and I’ve shared the schedule below.

Saturday, February 7
Morning Races start at 8AM
Afternoon Races start at 3:30PM

Sunday, February 8
Morning Races start at 8AM
Afternoon Races start at 1:30PM

Monday, February 9
Morning Races start at 8AM
Afternoon Races start at 1:30PM

Tuesday, February 10
Morning Races start at 8AM
Afternoon Races start at 1:30PM

Wednesday, February 11
Morning Races start at 8AM
Afternoon Races start at 3:30PM

Thursday, February 12
Races start at 1:30PM

Here is the location of the race track on Google Maps.

Last month, a video filmed by Abdulmalek Marafi went viral, showing his struggle to get from Messila to Kuwait Towers in his wheelchair while training for the Dubai Marathon. Abdulmalek was born with a disability and uses his wheelchair to show people that obstacles can be overcome with motivation.

Two days ago, he took part in the Dubai Marathon and not only finished the race, but broke a world record in the process.

Abdulmalek completed the 42.195 km course in 2 hours and 51 minutes, earning him the world record for the fastest marathon completed in a non-racing wheelchair. That’s obviously an insane time and extremely impressive. If you want to see more of his videos, head over to his Instagram @m3rafie

A couple of years ago, I posted about Kuwait having a National Ski Team. Since then, they’ve been representing Kuwait in various International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) competitions, and just last week the team won two bronze medals in Sarajevo / Bjelasnica (BIH).

Salman AlKandari came third in both the Freeski Slopestyle and Freeski Big Air categories, earning two bronze medals. It was a small competition with a few European countries, but it was still a good stepping stone for Salman and his first podium finishes.

Kuwait on a ski podium feels a lot like the Jamaican bobsled team story, which is why I love it. If you want to stay posted on the Kuwait Ski Team, head to @kuwait_wgc

Back in 1996, the World Wrestling Federation (now the WWE) came to Kuwait for a huge event held at Al Arabi Stadium. It was one of the first major sporting events to take place in Kuwait after the Gulf War. I was a senior in high school at the time and went to the event with my older cousin. I recently found some photos I took and thought they’d be cool to share.

I don’t remember much from the event other than the fact that it was complete chaos, but in a good way. I was a huge WWF fan back then, and so was pretty much everyone else there. Going by the photos I took, it looks like I had pretty good seats. I was close to the ring, but also right by the entrance ramp, which meant I could stick my hand out to the wrestlers as they made their way in.

It was surprisingly difficult to find an accurate list of the fighters who came in 1996, but after checking multiple sources, this seems to be the correct lineup:

Shawn Michaels
Stone Cold Steve Austin
The Undertaker
Bret Hart
Yokozuna
Owen Hart
British Bulldog
Ahmed Johnson
Savio Vega
Bob Backlund
Bushwhackers (Butch & Luke)
Isaac Yankem D.D.S. (later Kane)
Leif Cassidy

The following year, there was another WWF event in Kuwait, which included the likes of The Rock, Mankind, and Vader. That was also when the infamous altercation between the KTV host, Bassam Al Othman, and Vader took place. The Undertaker and Vader were being interviewed live on the morning show when the host asked whether what they did in the ring was real or fake. Vader took offense to the question and attacked the host.

After the interview, the host filed charges at the police station, and Vader was arrested and placed under house arrest for a couple of weeks until the WWF eventually managed to get him out of the country.

Click here if you want to check out all the photos from the event.

Sounds weird to say it, but you can now ski and snowboard in Khaitan. I found out about this place called KARV through @triedbywahab while doom scrolling on TikTok last week. I was pretty surprised I hadn’t heard of it earlier, especially since it’s Kuwait’s first ski academy.

My snowboard has been in storage for a while since I haven’t gone on a ski trip in years. The idea that I could actually snowboard here in Kuwait made me want to check the place out, so I passed by earlier today.

KARV is located in a large building outside a school in Khaitan. The location isn’t that great, but once you’re inside the building it feels like walking into an ice skating rink, except instead of a rink you have three giant treadmill ski slope machines. I didn’t get to try it myself since the snowboard instructor is currently on leave, but watching the skiers gave me the impression that the feel is pretty realistic.

The academy is open to ages 6 and up, with both public and private classes available. Public classes are shared with up to three other people, while private classes are one on one with the instructor. Prices are as follows:

1 Hour Public: KD 22
1 Hour Private: KD 35
5 Hours Public Package: KD 100
5 Hours Private Package: KD 150

Ski and snowboard equipment is provided, but if you have your own gear you can bring it and use it. They’ve been open for around two months and are still in their soft launch phase, so they’re still working on the final touches. KARV is open daily from 1PM to 9PM, except Fridays. All bookings are done through their website, but as mentioned, snowboarding classes are temporarily unavailable. If you want to find out more or book a ski class, head to @karv.ski

Aseer Time, the largest juice shop franchise in Kuwait, made headlines a few months ago after opening their first store in China. Now they’re back in the news again after becoming an official sponsor of Spanish football team Sevilla FC.

Sevilla FC, founded in 1890, is based in Seville and known for its passionate fans and strong European record. They’ve won the UEFA Europa League a record seven times, making them one of Europe’s most successful clubs in that competition.

Aseer Time isn’t just a sponsor, they’re also the team’s official juice for this season.

If you’re interested in learning more about the partnership or owning an Aseer Time franchise, you can contact them on WhatsApp at +96567090966.

Last year I got a tour of Messilah Beach and shared photos of the space, and since then quite a bit has changed. Messilah Beach is now set to open this coming weekend, and the biggest update since my last visit is that there will no longer be a ticketing system to enter. It’s now open entry for everyone.

The Messilah Beach project includes various water play zones, kids play areas, tennis, football and basketball courts, plenty of restaurants, and a large beach area. Visitors will be able to explore the different facilities and only pay for the activities they take part in.

Not everything is open yet. Right now, Fun Quest, Trampo at The Beach (which looks incredible), Oliver restaurant, 1% Coffee, Trolley, and the sports courts are open. Over the next few weeks more concepts will be opening including Chocomelt, Ananas, Zooba, Frost Gelato, Good Stuff, Mr. Holmes, Soul Juice, Potato & Sweet, Thai Wok, &Cookies, and Just Juice. A fun entertainment park will also be popping up on the beach this winter.

The soft opening is this weekend and there will be various activities taking place from sunset to 10PM, including DJ performances, sea-themed parades, and food trucks right by the shore. So if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, you can pass by and check the place out. @messilahbeach

For more photos, click here.

Provin, my go-to app for ordering supplements, just went through a brand refresh and launched a new campaign centered around Strength, Beauty, and Balance. The idea behind it is simple but powerful. Health looks different for everyone, and Provin wants to be there for your personal wellness goals, whatever they are.

They’re one of the few local brands that really focus on high-quality supplements and herbal remedies, carrying over 100 international brands including popular ones like NOW, Thorne, Goli, Health Nag, and Optimum Nutrition. They’ve also started curating clean beauty and personal care products such as aluminum-free deodorants, fluoride-free toothpastes, and creams that are as clean as the supplements they carry.

They deliver across the GCC and can deliver chilled products within Kuwait in under 3 hours, which is impressive for anyone who’s ordered supplements or probiotics before. Some of the exclusive brands they carry, like Thorne, are priced close to international rates without the usual crazy local markups.

Their new campaign is about redefining what wellness means to you, whether you’re chasing strength, beauty, or balance. If you’ve never ordered from Provin or want to find out more, check them out at @weareprovin

The Kuwait Motor Town racetrack is now open again to cyclists every Monday and Tuesday starting tomorrow, and it’s free.

The track is 5.6KM long but has three different configurations, each with a different length, so you can pick and choose which section you want to ride on. The track isn’t flat either with a lot of elevations which makes it more fun and dynamic.

Cycling on the racetrack is a really relaxed experience because it’s empty and quiet. There usually aren’t many riders, and even when there are, there’s plenty of space for everyone since the track is huge. Unlike riding on the Gulf Road cycling path, you don’t have to worry about running over cats or crashing into kids.

The track is beautiful at sunset, and even after the sun goes down, you can keep riding under the bright track lights.

If you want to go cycling at the track, it’s open to the public from 4PM to 8PM on Mondays and Tuesdays. It’s free and doesn’t require registration. Just park your car and ride into the racetrack. There’s a security guard with a sign-in sheet just write your name and number and continue onto the track. The only requirement is a helmet.

Rollerblades, scooters, and skateboards aren’t allowed, but you can walk, jog, or run. They also don’t rent bikes, so it’s BYOB.

To stay updated on other KMT activities and events, head over to their Instagram account @kmtkw

One big complaint I keep hearing is how difficult it is to make friends in Kuwait. My advice is always to join a hobby group or club since in my experience it’s one of the quickest ways to meet new people and people you’ll actually have something in common with. If you like running, then keep reading.

Morning Milers is a local running club that started last year by three friends, Rebecca Jones, Pip Field, and Sophie Bray. They caught the running bug and wanted some company on their runs, so they invited a few friends to join. Before they knew it, the group began to grow, and what started as a few casual jogs turned into the amazing and supportive community they have today.

The club meets twice a week for runs. Every Wednesday they meet at 6:30PM in Al Shaheed Park, and on Fridays they meet at 8AM, but the location changes every week. Each run ends with coffee and chats.

If you’re interested in running and meeting new people, follow them on Instagram and join their WhatsApp group linked in their profile. @morningmilersrungroup