Ancient Tides - A Film by Cabrinha Egypt
Cabrinha Egypt just released their film 'Ancient Tides', the first documentary about kiteboarding in Egypt. Enjoy this beautiful video taking you Egypt's the bright blue lagoons with some of the best kite conditions in the world. We spoke to Cabrinha Egypt's Marketing Manager Jaida Mahmoud about the production, their inspiration and how kiteboarding in Egypt grew rapidly over the years.
Hi Jaida, 'Ancient Tides' showcases the kitesurfing community in Egypt. What was your motivation to do a documentary and who was involved in the production?
We've always had this idea for years back that we wanted to contribute to our country positively in some way. The idea was triggered when we started receiving so many messages from people abroad asking about the locations of the kiting spots we post about. People couldn’t believe this is Egypt. So, we finally put the idea to action last June by filming a kitesurfing documentary narrated by the Cabrinha Egypt Team in an attempt to show the world the true beauty of kitesurfing in Egypt. The documentary also serves to promote and develop kitesurfing as a sport to Egyptians.
ANCIENT TIDES is the first Egyptian kiteboarding documentary and also the first Cabrinha Egypt production. We brought Ismail El Hamawy, whom filmed and edited the movie, and was able to deliver through his camera lens exactly what we wanted to portray for Egypt. This documentary featured Omar Abdel Fattah, who established Cabrinha Egypt 6 years ago and is the master mind behind its huge success. Hassan Taha, our Business Development manager, who plays a very big part of expanding the market, Jaida Mahmoud (myself), the Marketing manager, who also led this project of Ancient Tides and of course, our talented team riders Sherif Abu-Zeid, Momo Best and Salma Sherif, that share the same passion for the sport and our country.
What’s the intention of the video and what message do you want to share with the world?
Egypt received its share of bad press and media coverage following the revolution in 2010 and even though tourism is picking up, it never recovered back to its full potential. We hope this documentary will spread worldwide and that eventually we get rid of all the negative perceptions some foreigners might have on Egypt. Yes, Egypt is known with its phenomenal history, but not only that, Egypt still holds hidden gems and magical beaches; some of the best in the world.
What are the conditions like for kiting?
Here in Egypt, we’re lucky to be surrounded by the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. You will find the turquoise water, white sandy beaches and warm water temperature 10 months a year. You’ve got butter flat beaches across the Red Sea and medium swells across the Mediterranean Sea.
How would you say did the kite community grow in the past years?
Egypt’s kiting community is growing year on year and we see now more national competitions that push riders to grow and compete nationally and internationally. Kitesurfing by far is one of the most watersports that has attracted Egyptian locals into it. We see plenty of new locals enter the sport every year. We have talented youth that could grow to become internationally recognized. We also have quite a big influx of tourists for kiteboarding along the Red Sea in cities like El Gouna, Hurghada, Safaga, Hamata, and Marsa Allam.
You are managing the Marketing side of Cabrinha Egypt.. How did you find in this position and what do you love about it?
I’ve been in the marketing profession for 6 years now and recently started marketing for Cabrinha Egypt. Working in the kiting industry is so different. You get to market something you are so passionate about, and not only that, your work involves beach, fun, and sun. You get to meet amazing people nationally and internationally that share the same passion for the sport. It’s a huge market in Egypt, that I can see is expanding month on month.
I feel proud to belong to such an amazing and strong brand as Cabrinha. A brand that people can trust and rely on and I’m also so lucky to belong to such a passionate team here in Cabrinha Egypt.
How did you get into kiting and what’s your current Cabrinha set up?
I got into kiting when I met my husband, who’s been kiting now for 14 years. I wouldn’t say it was an easy journey for him to teach me kiting, but at the end he did! Not only that, but he got me to love it to an extent that I market it to the world as well.
Where do you see the sport in Egypt in 5 years?
Now with how strong social media is, people get to see the world more often through pics and vids. We definitely see Egypt becoming one of the top destinations for kiting. We are working hard to recognize talented youth and support them in reaching their goals of entering the international arena. In the next 5 years, hopefully you will see some young Egyptians ripping the waters and turning some heads.
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