With the UCI Road World Championships taking place in Qatar later this year, I was curious to learn more about women’s cycling in our neighbouring country. I caught up with Wajeeha Al-Husseini, who shared with me some of the past, present and future initiatives taking place in Qatar to encourage more people to take up cycling. I specifically wanted to find out about any events targeting women and local Qataris.
Wajeeha is a partner of the Carbon Wheels bike shop; a high performance and expert bike shop, run by passionate cyclists for cyclists. Wajeeha has inspired many to get fit and active. She is a communication and brand professional and is passionate about supporting the development of cycling and sports in Qatar, especially amongst women.
The Global Biking Initiative 2015
It was especially on the back of this charity initiative that Qatar started to witness an increase in cycling amongst the local Qataris. In 2013 only five casual Qatari riders were seen out on their bikes, while now in the beginning of 2016, this number has increased significantly and believed to have reached close to 150 local riders, regularly taking to the roads of Doha and Qatar.
The Qatar Charity (QC), in collaboration with Qatar Sandstormers and Qatar Cycling Centre launched the charity initiative “Cyclists for Education” where 35 cyclists including 20 national Qataris took part in an 800km cycling race over seven days, crossing four European countries (starting in Italy and finishing in Germany) with climbing up to 7,000 meters. The charitable project chosen was to build a secondary school for girls in Gaza, based on the belief in the importance of education, particularly in areas where children face challenges and difficulties impeding their access to education. The signing of this agreement came as part of QC’s desire to support charity and sports simultaneously – particularly within Qatari society, where there is a significant need to spread sports consciousness. The challenge was broadcast on Qatar television and inspired Qataris in specific to take up cycling.
The Women’s Cycling Community
In 2015 Wajeeha set up the women’s only cycling Facebook page in Qatar: “The Veloettes”, which is a platform and community encouraging women to get into cycling. Within this page, reserved for women, riders can feel comfortable and encouraged to seek advice from others, organise women’s only rides and share relevant events with each other. This community is growing day by day and has now reached 80 female members, from 30 at the end of 2015. Until recently, the cyclists in the Doha area have been training on the public roads only, but since the opening of the Losail International Circuit to cyclists and runners one night a week, many are now training in this safe and social environment.
Wajeeha shines with excitement as she shares with me the details of the first ever Women’s Only Cycling Day in Qatar “Women on Wheels”, an event taking place on 7th April 2016 organised by Qatar Cycling Centre and with Eulogy Van Dyk in charge of the event planning. The aim of this initiative is to encourage any women, locals as well as expats, to get social on bikes in a closed, safe and supportive environment. The event is free and bikes can be borrowed for free. The Women’s Day, running 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. will start with fun rides and then finish with a criterium race for any competitive female riders. Wajeeha hopes this will encourage more new women into cycling, exercise and sports.
Elite and Competitive Cycling
Amongst the 80 female cyclists in the Doha community, 10-15 women attend and compete regularly. Of those five are “elite”; elite defined as “training seriously for competitions”. Due to the smaller numbers of competitive females, these elite women usually race together with Male B riders, although with separate prize ceremonies.
Wajeeha, partner of the Carbon Wheels bike shop, has recently put together Qatar’s first and only supported female cycling team. The team consists of dedicated female cyclists and the aim of the team is to inspire others and show that women of all ages and capabilities can get into cycling and performance. Each member of the team has their own unique story behind them.
Racing with the Carbon Wheels Women
While visiting Doha, I jumped on the opportunity to join a night time criterium outside the Losail International Circuit on the Pearl. This local race is part of a series of night criteriums organised by Jock Hughson of Qatar Chain Reaction and supported by Carbon Wheels Bike Shop. These races take place on a 2.4K loop. The loops are repeated for 40mins, after which two more loops are to be completed. There are two categories, Male A and then Male B and Women A racing in the same field, again with separate podium prize ceremonies. A total of 41 riders hit the start line, with only three women in the field; myself and two Carbon Wheels riders. Given it was a local event taking place on a weeknight, there was a good turn out and it was a safe, fun and well organised race. The roads were closed and the riders timed with a professional timing system. It was particularly enjoyable getting to know some of the Doha-based cyclists and especially meeting the two women who were very welcoming and appreciated some unusual competition.
The Future of Female Cycling in Qatar
Wajeeha has grand plans for increasing the level of female cycling in Qatar. As the first step in 2016 she is looking to register her Carbon Wheels female team with UCI to enable them to race 2.2 stage races (UCI 2.2 stages invites participation from professional continental teams of the country, UCI continental teams, national teams and regional and club teams). Wajeeha’s aim is to raise awareness of women’s competitive cycling in the Gulf region but also to provide an opportunity for the committed female cyclists in Qatar to become exposed to a higher level of competition and the opportunity to develop their strength and skills in a female environment.
A more ambitious and longer term goal is to bring the UCI 2.2 female stage races to Qatar. With the 8th edition of the Women’s Tour of Qatar (UCI 2.1) just completed in February and with 2.2 male stage races, such as Tour of Al Zubarah running for the fourth time in 2016, Wajeeha aspires to open the Tour of Al Zubarah to a women’s UCI 2.2 field in 2018. The Qatar Cycling Federation currently has their hands full with the preparations for the 2016 UCI Road World Championships, however Wajeeha aims to join the slipstream of these events and begin to establish the foundations for this higher level competitive female cycling event.
This is a very exciting step forward in women’s competitive cycling in the Gulf region and hopefully as the preparations take shape, it will prompt and encourage the surrounding GCC countries to start preparing respective women’s teams for participation and support of this initiative.
Words By: Helle Bachofen von Echt
Photos By: Anton Vos and Carbon Wheels Qatar
