Wednesday 25 / March / 2026
Muscat: Oman Sail’s high-performance 49er team will travel to Palma, Mallorca, to compete at the 55th Princess Sofia Regatta, joining sailors from around the world at he first regatta of the season. Getting underway on 27 March, the week-long regatta will see Oman Sail’s Waleed Al Kindi and Ahmed Al Hasani take on join a fleet of more than 95 sailors all looking to kickstart their Olympic qualification campaign.
The team will be coached by experienced 49er sailor and coach Jacek Nowak and following a solid performance at the recent Vilamoura Championship, the team looks forward to building on this progress.
Oman Sail continues to promote the nation through sailing, inspire the Omani youth and position Oman as a world class host venue. Participation in the Princess Sofia Regatta is the start of a journey which aims to end in qualification for the LA28 Olympic Games as Oman Sail targets its ultimate goal of winning an Olympic medal in sailing.
Hashim Al Rashdi, Oman Sail’s Head Coach Performance, said, “The Princess Sofia Regatta is a very prestigious event with a rich history. As part of the Sailing Grand Slam Series it brings together the best sailors in the world across all events. Our goal is to qualify for the Olympic Games LA28, and this is the first step in that journey. We need to compete against a high calibre fleet in high profile events to test our sailors and improve on and off the water. Vilamoura was a great experience and proved we belong among the best. This is another chance to gain valuable experience and prepare for the challenges to come.”
49er coach Jacek Nowak added, “Every event from now on is a learning opportunity. We will look to build on the progress made in Vilamoura and put ourselves in a position to qualify. Recent training camps and competitive events have seen both sailors improve physically, mentally and tactically, and we are looking forward to another positive performance in Palma.”
Racing begins on 27 March with 15 races scheduled until the medals series on 4 April. The event is being held in open water off the beach at the Club Nàutic S’Arenal.
The team will also be competing at Semaine Olympique Françaises in Hyères, France, from 18-25 April, and Kiel Week in Germany from 20-28 June – both also Sailing Grand Slam Series events – with the 2026 49er World Championships scheduled for 12-17 May in Quiberon, France.
Later in the year, the team will sail at the 49er European Championship in Germany and Gdynia Sailing Days in Poland, both in July.
