Qatar in Colour |
| Khalifa takes a rest while mountain biking in Colorado, United States
How did you become passionate about
water sports?
With Qatar being a peninsula, I always wanted to
explore what our sea had to offer. I first tried scuba
diving, and then came across kitesurfing, which is a
relatively new sport. Qatar has a historic connection to
the sea through pearl diving, and since we’ve moved on
from the trade, there is a danger that this connection
will be lost. Kitesurfing allows me to re-connect with the
elements.
What inspires you?
I draw my inspiration from different aspects of life and
the experiences available to me. I feel the more we
experience life outside of our comfort zone, the more we
can appreciate the infinite beauty that life has to offer.
We take tens of thousands of breaths a day, each one can
be inspirational if awareness is brought to those fleeting
moments, so I always try and find inspiration through
slowing down and being more conscious.
It’s an incredibly freeing sport as you can control your
movement both horizontally and vertically, but also very
freeing from a mental and spiritual perspective. Qatar
could be a destination for kitesurfers internationally as
the wind and temperature conditions are ideal. We’re
also seeing a growing number of Qataris getting involved
in sports that will lead them back to the water, and
there are fantastic sports initiatives by Sheikh Jassim bin
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani that encourage Qataris to
reconnect with our environment.
How do you juggle being an entrepreneur with
kitesurfing and other leisure activities?
We all look for some form of financial stability, yet it’s
important we devote energy to our self – the building
block that will influence health, relationships, and overall
life. Working as an entrepreneur can really consume you,
so it’s important to build a great team and culture around
you to help find balance in life. Kitesurfing is one of my
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