For those preparing for the next Red Bull race or just preferring a more sheltered, less pressured running workout, then Constance Halaveli’s fitness centre offers the Lifefitness 95T machine. My wife Lori is a bit of an aficionado of these devices (appreciating the distractions of the TV show to mitigate the workout pain), and she informs me that it is the Mercedes-class of running machines and the best on she has come across in our extensive Maldives travels.
This is a race that any seasoned traveller can relate to. Running to catch your plane, train or…ferry. I remember speeding through the French countryside trying to get to Cherbourg in time for boarding. Hence the basis for another inspired Red Bull competition “Catch the Ferry” this time sited in the picturesque Maldives…
“On May 31, 2014, Red Bull Catch the Ferry will challenge Maldivian endurance runners in an exciting 12.6km race around all three of Malé City’s islands – Male', Villingili and Hulhumale'. To progress, runners need to make it around each of the routes shown on the route map and catch the ferry before it departs to the next leg of the race. Ferries leave at progressively quicker intervals as runners are filtered to the elite of the Maldivian endurance running community. The fastest female and male winner of the race will be crowned champions, with winners getting an opportunity to travel to the Almáty edition of Red Bull 400 in August 2014, the toughest 400m race in the world”
The best view of this innovative road-sea duathlon would be from the “high” rise Traders Hotel where you could watch both the Villigili legs to the west and the Hulumale legs to the north from their lovely Azur lounge, but for those of us overseas, their Facebook page has lots of good photos and commentary.
The Maldives attracts celebrities of all types including famous athletes. After London 2012, a few luminaries like Michael Phelps and Roger Federer popped down for a chill out, so maybe a number of the Sochi stars will now make their way down to escape the chill.
Sochi has shown that a seaside resort can host the Winter Olympics so to make them feel at home why not the Maldives Winter Olympics?…
1. SKELETON – One & Only Reethi Rah
2. SKI JUMPING – Velassaru
3. BOBSLED – Kurumba
4. SKIING – Jumeirah Vittaveli
5. LUGE – Gili Lankanfushi
6. BOARDING – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru
7. HOCKEY – One & Only Reethi Rah
If you prefer amore adventurous route to your towering view, then you need to check out One and Only Reethi Rah’s climbing wall.
“Extreme Engineering, the largest supplier of zip lines, climbing walls, Extreme Airs™ and adventure products in the world, has installed the 1st climbing wall in the Maldives at One&Only Reethi Rah!..The new climbing wall is a key feature at the resort, providing guests with high-action entertainment. The resort is equipped with the Monolith Stationary 5-Climber, a 26 feet tall (7.9 meters) climbing surface. The Monolith Stationary 5-Climber has 5 distinct climbing routes, one with over a 2 foot overhang! Each route will provide a unique, challenging climbing experience. The climbing hold placements can be reconfigured to provide endless combinations on the climbing wall. The route possibilities are very diverse! The very same wall has been used by ESPN for the X-Games’ climbing competition. This model has also been used by the USA Climbing team. The climbing wall comes fully equipped with the patented, Auto-belay systems (the safest patented automatic belay devices on the market). The Auto-belay is a mechanical device (no power required) that keeps climbers safe and secure at all times. The Auto-belay removes the need of a belayer at the bottom of the wall during use. Just click into the carabiner with your climbing harness and you can head straight to the top! The fully redundant system is the safest on the market and the primary choice for climbing wall use. The Extreme Engineering climbing wall is accessible to anyone above 6 years old (minimum weight 45lbs. / 20.5kg and maximum 250lbs. / 113kg).”
The pinnacle of paradise.
Usually resort fitness centres are stuck away in some remote interior corner. Tearing yourself away from your relaxation for a workout is hard enough that you don’t need the resorts to tear you away from the beautiful surroundings to boot. On the contrary, having a vista of paradise to look at would be a great distraction from the tedium.
Viceroy’s over water fitness centre’s superb design fully exploits the brave move to place it over water with floor to ceiling windows and two large sliding doors to invite even more of the inspiring outdoors into the gymnasium.
Probably my most memorable spa treatment ever (not just in the Maldives) was at Kuramathi’s over-water treatment villa open floor to ceiling on 3 sides (including the west side for a bonus sunset view). My dream rejuvenation double would be a hard workout at Viceroy with the ocean breezes wafting through the gym to infuse me with strength, followed by a mellow deep tissue rub-down at Kuramathi with the same breezes soothing me.
Most resorts have tennis courts, many will provide a player to have a match against, Reethi actually organises regular competitions, but Constance Halaveli provides a tennis referee. And a proper ref chair to sit in (see above). His name is Nilantha Kuarage (not in photo…that’s me) and he can also serve as a coach, teacher and partner too.
The courtside facilities also feature a well equipped “coach”/spectator seat with a parasol shade and cabinet for a water cooler (see below).
The US Open season with this week’s tennis additions has tipped the balance for adding a “Racquet” for racquet sports to the blog category list.
US Tennis Open finale today features two of the stars Djokovic and Nadal who seem to have no difficulty finding each other in the big tournaments in recent years.
While it’s not a problem reading by the beach or going to the gym, finding someone to play against can be a challenge for tennis fans travelling. Sure many resorts will offer resort staff to play, but if you want a full fledged tourney of competition, then you need to go to One & Only Reethi Rah. Reethi feature a weekly visitor tennis tournament…
“Every Wednesday from 4 to 6 pm our Tennis Club hosts a social tournament where guests will compete against each other in mixed teams. This social tournament is a great way to meet new people and discover our tennis facilities.”
No sign up required and complementary. Though watch out if repeat guest, who opened their tennis court, a guy named ‘Djokovic’, is on one of the teams, be warned that he’s a bit of a ringer.
The youngsters at This Wimbledon are pushing the old guard out of the way (a record number of retirements, veteran upsets in early rounds). And one resort keen to aid the youngest tennis generation is LUX Maldives with its ‘Teddy Tennis’ programme…
“Aimed at children aged three to eight, Teddy Tennis combines music, pictures and teddy bear stories to make a child’s first experience of tennis fun and rewarding…Children are introduced to the programme via the story book, ‘Danny Bear joins the Teddy Tennis Academy’, which includes stories that encourage good practices such as eating healthy foods and exercising. A host of Bear characters, such as Molly (who likes to volley) and Boris (who loves to bounce) are used to demonstrate basic tennis movements. Music is used to emphasize the rhythm of the moves. Children then copy the moves on court helped by Head Ted – the tennis coach. Teddy Tennis is a very structured programme, with three core components: Play Sessions, Activities and Music. Children are divided into two age groups: 3 to 5 1/2 (Danny Bear) and 5 ½ to 8 (Johnny Mac Bear). Teddy Tennis Play Sessions are carefully devised to take account of differences in the age, ability and experience of the children involved. Teddy Tennis Music has been specifically created to provide the right rhythm and timing to play each game or activity. Teddy Tennis Activities – over 50 in total – focus on three areas of skill development: Movement Skills, Ball Skills and Racquet Skills.”
Ace!
The Grand Slam hits its apogee this week with the start of the Wimbledon Championships. In fact, the opening session had a distinctly Maldivian touch as the headline for the day was “Stunned Nadal Mauled by Shark” (reference to unseeded victor Steve Darcis’ love of fish complete with tattoos).
Distinquished by its old school grass courts, I have often wondered why a Maldives resort hasn’t added such a posh surface to its resort. But a few top seeds do have a distinctive court surface that is a step in the right direction – astro turf.
The turf has a number of advantages…
The elite astro-trio astro-trio includes
I had to go to a Hawkeye like line judge to figure out the winner. All are floodlit for evening playing. Gili took the first point with the pristine condition of the court which impressed me when I visited it. But Conrad Rangali came back to take the set and match by having a tennis instructor on staff (see picture at bottom) who provides lessons for less than half the price of Gili (and the instructor has to be arranged).
Advantage Rangali!
For those who missed out on a draw in the Water Polo World League starting this week and want to soothe their disappointment in tropical paradise, then Olhuveli offers regular water polo matches in its pool.
Vilamendhoo used to have it in the lagoon which sounds great and reminds me of some Italian seaside towns which hold water polo matches in the seaside harbours (but they have not had matches for a while now).
