Oman Sail’s youth team looking to impress at Sur championship

Muscat: Twenty sailors from Oman Sail’s youth squad have taken to the water for the first day of this year’s Oman Sailing Championship, taking place from 18-22 August at Mokha Beach in the Wilayat of Sur.

The sailors, who recently completed a Summer Camp at Ras Al Hadd in preparation for the event, will compete in Optimist, ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 classes.

In addition to Oman Sail’s youth squad, three Optimist sailors from the Kuwait Sea Sport Club will also participate in the championship, adding a new dimension to the event and fostering greater regional collaboration in the sport.

The Oman Sailing Championship 2024 is being held as part of the Sur Maritime Sports Festival, organised by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and the Office of the Governor of South Al Sharqiyah, and running from 18-28 August.

Abdul Aziz Al Shidi, Acting Director of Sailing at Oman Sail, said, “We are very proud to stage the Oman Sailing Championship during the Sur Marine Sports Festival and share sailing with a wider audience by promoting the potential of the sport to energise Omani youth. The twenty sailors chosen to take part in the championship are the top ranked young sailors in our program and will go on to represent Oman in national and international regattas in the coming months.”

Sultan Al Zadjali, Oman Sail’s Assistant Youth Head Coach, added, “Our training camp in Ras Al Hadd provided the ideal preparation for this event, and the upcoming regattas, to give our sailors an opportunity to perform at the highest level. We are looking forward to the Oman Sailing Championship and to entertaining visitors to the Sur Marine Sports Festival over the coming week.”

After the conclusion of the Oman Sailing Championship 2024, members of Oman Sail’s youth squad will travel to Tekirdag, Türkiye, to race at the VIII.InternationalSuleymanpasa Optimist Cup from 1-5 September 2024.

The annual event attracts sailors from south eastern Europe, as well as North Africa and West Asia with a strong Turkish contingent expected once again this year.

This will be followed by the 13th edition of Mussanah Race Week, organised by Oman Sail at Barceló Mussanah Resort from 1-8 October 2024, where the team will join sailors from across the region to compete in Optimist and ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes, as well as the Para Inclusive RS Venture Connect class.