TAYLOR KNOX WINS FOUR SEASONS MALDIVES CHAMPIONS TROPHY

 TK tops Tom Curren in Grand Final of multi-finned specialty event

CONDITIONS: Luxurious, to say the least. The Four Season Maldives is a one-of-a-kind contest that focuses more on vintage than vengeance. Game-changing world champs converge on the Maldives' perfect waves, competing on single-fins, twinnies and thrusters while soaking up the grandeur of the resort's first-class accommodation.
"They woke me up after the first division, I went 'Oh, this is serious here'," overall winner Taylor Knox said after his single-fin defeat. "But at the end of the day you get to go back to the Four Seasons and live in the lap of luxury so you really can't get mad at any point."

Plus, the surf at Sultan's Point was about as far away from a three-to-the-beach grindfest as the Maldives are to Huntington Beach. Clean, head-high righthanders provided a perfect canvas for both California regularfooters to duke it out. (Knox qualified for the Grand Final by taking both the twin-fin and the thruster divisions. Curren secured his final's berth with a win in the single-fin and a runner-up in the twin.)
HIGHLIGHTS:
With a six-surfer field filled with former world champs and hard-nosed, long-time tour vets, the friendly event eventually relit some competitive fires.

Two-time ASP World Champ Damien Hardman knocked off three-time ASP Champ Tom Curren last year for the 2012 victory but Curren appeared on a mission this time around and opened up with a win in the single-fin division. Knox and Curren skated to first and second respectively in the twin-fin match. While "Iceman" Hardman pipped Curren in the thruster division's semifinals but couldn't surpass Knox's form in the three-finned final.

"It was good to make the final, but I ran out of puff in the end up against Taylor," said Hardman. "He was surfing probably the best he's been all event and it's pretty hard to raise the bar when someone is getting nines and tens. I did my best, but got beaten by a better man on the day."

The cumulative points ultimately pitted Curren against Knox in the Grand Final and the pair of Californian's each posted two excellent scores while remaining on their thrusters. 

"I got a couple at the start and was thinking 'I'm in a good position here', but as I'm paddling back out, there's Tom sitting in the barrel," said Knox. "I had to use my priority because I knew he had taken the lead. I held myself back and waited it out for that set wave right at the end."

41-year-old Knox is eight years younger than Curren, but neither took each other lightly. 

"I'm really stoked to have made the final," said Curren. "The waves came today and the weather was nice but I had a bad start to the heat. I was able to come back with a good score and at least the final was a close finish so I can't complain. Taylor was in-form all event. He's been surfing strong and with a lot of power. In these conditions especially, he is really hard to beat."

QUOTES:
"It's weird, on the surface it's not that serious, but there is an undercurrent that it is serious. You feel like you are always looking over your shoulder and everyone has their guard up. We aren't hassling each other like we used to do back in the '90s but everyone definitely wants to win." - Damien Hardman

"The guys are a little bit more into it than what I expected. I thought it was going to be a groovy, little fun event but they care. They really care." - Taylor Knox.

"Never underestimate the competitive spirit of these guys. They don't want to lose, especially to a girl. It doesn't matter how many world titles you have." - Layne Beachley

OVERALL RESULTS:
1st Taylor Knox 
2nd Tom Curren 
3rd Damien Hardman 
4th Pedro Henrique 
5th Tom Carroll 
6th Layne Beachley
Source from Surfline

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Maldives Island Resort Six Senses Laamu Sold for USD70 Million

Property was sold to Leisure Frontiers Limited, a subsidiary of Singapore-based Hotel Properties Limited. Six Senses Hotels, Resorts & Spas will continue to manage the resort.

Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group has advised Olhuveli Laamu Holdings Pvt Ltd on the USD70 million sale of the 97-villa luxury Six Senses Laamu resort in the Maldives to Leisure Frontiers Limited, a subsidiary of Singapore-based Hotel Properties Limited. Six Senses Hotels, Resorts & Spas will continue to manage the resort.

Six Senses Laamu comprises 70 over-water villas and 27 beachfront villas, supported by a wide range of world-class amenities and facilities. The resort is set within Laamu Atoll to the south of the Maldives archipelago, in one of the few undiscovered and virtually untouched lagoons in the tropical island paradise of the Maldives.

Nihat Ercan, Senior Vice President, Investment Sales Asia, Hotels & Hospitality, Jones Lang LaSalle said, “The Maldives is one of the world’s strongest gateway resort destinations and has had a phenomenal first half of the year, with visitor arrivals up 17% over the same period last year. Average room rates in the Maldives significantly outpace all other resort markets and a continued positive outlook has the island nation firmly on investors’ radar, in particular amongst purchasers from Asia and the Middle East.”

Scott Hetherington, CEO Asia of Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group said, “Six Senses Laamu will be Jones Lang LaSalle’s fourth transaction in the Maldives and sixth in the Indian Ocean over the past two years, bringing the total transaction volume overseen by the Group in the Indian Ocean to more than USD350 million.”

– ends –

About Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE:JLL) is a professional services and investment management firm offering specialized real estate services to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying and investing in real estate. With annual revenue of $3.9 billion, Jones Lang LaSalle operates in 70 countries from more than 1,000 locations worldwide. On behalf of its clients, the firm provides management and real estate outsourcing services to a property portfolio of 2.6 billion square feet and completed $63 billion in sales, acquisitions and finance transactions in 2012. Its investment management business, LaSalle Investment Management, has $46.3 billion of real estate assets under management.

Jones Lang LaSalle has over 50 years of experience in Asia Pacific, with over 26,100 employees operating in 79 offices in 14 countries across the region. The firm was named ‘Best Property Consultancy’ in nine Asia Pacific countries at the International Property Awards Asia Pacific 2012, in association with HSBC, and was named the number one real estate advisory firm in Asia Pacific in the Euromoney Real Estate Awards 2012.
www.ap.joneslanglasalle.com
Source from  Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group

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Atmosphere Kanifushi, a new Premium All Inclusive Luxury Resort in Maldives, scheduled for opening in November 2013 in Lhaviyani Atoll.

The newest ‘Platinum Plus – All Inclusive’ luxury resort opening this winter - We are Pleased to inform you, the countdown has begun for one of the most hotly anticipated openings of the year with the launch of the ATMOSPHERE KANIFUSHI MALDIVES – The newest luxury resort and the first resort under Atmosphere brand, set in the Lhaviyani Atoll, will open on November 01^st 2013. 
At a distance of 133 km, Kanifushi Island is just a 30-minute scenic flight from Male’ International Airport via Sea Plane with Trans Maldivian Airways. Enjoy the breath-taking aerial views of the coral formations and colours of the archipelago.

Some of the unique features at Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives – 150 ‘SUNSET VIEW’ DETACHED VILLAS with about 4 meters distance between each villa, offering maximum privacy. All Villas have direct access to the pristine white beach and the beautiful blue lagoon, surrounded by coconut groves and typical vegetation. All villas are built with natural materials, timber, marble & granite and further, the villas are some of the largest entry beach villa in the Maldives – 100 M² , Some of the largest Sunset Family Villas in Maldives - 200 M²  .

Privacy Assured – One of the longest resort islands in Maldives, Short 30-min Sea-plane transfer from Male’ International Airport, Huge Lagoon with Fantastic Array of Marine Life and Reef, First full sized 50m swimming pool in Maldives at the Pool Bar, 2 main swimming pools – Sunrise & Sunset sides of the resort . Entertainment & Recreations Manager Organizing Daily Entertainment & Activities, World-class PADI Certified Diving Centre and Water Sports, 2 Flood-lit Tennis-courts at sports complex with Fully Equipped Gymnasium, Extensive Kid’s club facilities & teen recreational activities, Large Garden Spa complex with 12 treatment rooms. 

Introducing PLATINUM PLUS – A ‘Premium’ All-Inclusive Plan, offering guests genuine value and a Hassle–Free Five-Star Maldivian Resort experience! Platinum Plus takes the regular all-inclusive to a completely new level – from sumptuous buffets to delectable world cuisine. A vast selection of premium brands of alcohol, beer wine and unlimited signature cocktails, excursions and adventures.  

‘Indications show that this will soon become one of the most sought-after five-star all-inclusive resorts in the Maldives; carefully considered inclusions and huge accommodations put it up there with the very best’

For more information’s and Special rates, please do not hesitate to contact us on sales@static-tours.com 

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Ramadan Mubarak 2013

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Six Senses Laamu

Offering an individual and natural style along with the sense of community, the Six Senses Laamu Resort is located on Olhuveli Island of the Laamu Atoll. The intimate yet luxurious resort is encompassed by tropical foliage and pristine azure waters.

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We are now finalizing the last beta version for our testers before the public ....please visit

We are now finalizing the last beta version for our testers before the public ....please visit http://t.co/tVO9CaMV3P http://t.co/LEstNqgzbn

— Static Tours-Maldive (@statictour) June 16, 2013

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Space-age underwater hotel planned for Maldives- Noon Kuredhivaru

Courtesy story and pictures from CNN & Deep Ocean Technology

With its luminous body seemingly hovering above the water, and five spidery legs plunging deep into the sea, this futuristic building could be the mothership in a sci-fi film.

In fact, it's the design for one of the world's largest underwater hotels -- and it could be coming to a beach near you.

Introducing the Water Discus Hotel, a luxury multi-million dollar resort featuring 21 moveable rooms found in the heart of spectacular coral reefs.

Maldives to Dubai

The space-age hotel is now set to be built on the remote -- and postcard perfect -- tropical island of Kuredhivaru in the Maldive Islands, with the National Ministry of Tourism giving the go-ahead to the ambitious plan last week.

The United Arab Emirates may soon be the next home of the high-tech hotel, with a Dubai construction company also in negotiations to build the surreal structure.

                        
                       UNDERWATER HOTEL from Pawel Podwojewski on Vimeo.

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Kuramathi Island Resort

An emerald jewel in the turquoise Maldivian waters, Kuramathi is a stunning island retreat with acres of luxuriant vegetation surrounded by spectacular beaches tapering into an endless sandbank. Villas blend contemporary design and nature, and are set on the beach, amongst lush gardens or over water looking out to the vast Indian Ocean.

Dining options are diverse and many of the six bars offer refreshing cocktails and evening entertainment. A variety of water sports, diving and excursions are also available. The house reef offers hours of adventurous snorkelling and for ultimate relaxation, try some of the innovative therapies available at our spa.
Welcoming and friendly service, all inclusive packages, Bageecha kids club, sports centre, gym, swimming pools, medical centre with hyperbaric chamber, Eco Centre, boutiques, laundry, library, wi-fi internet are just some of the many facilities available to our guests.

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