Acclaimed off-road triathlon Xterra will hold their first ever championship in Middle East at the Sultanate of Oman’s picturesque Governorate of Musandam.
After a preparatory ‘Xterra Festival’ in November, the main event will be held in March 2023, which will be part of the World Tour and a qualifier to the Xterra World Championship 2023 in Italy.
Sayyid Ibrahim bin Said al Busaidy, Minister of State and Governor of Musandam, launched the championship in Muscat on Thursday.
“This will be great opportunity for the Governorate of Musandam to open up its doors to international athletes and global tourists with its natural beauty and unique landscape. We are ready to host the Xterra Championship. All the necessary infrastructure will be ready on time,” Sayyid Ibrahim told Oman Daily Observer after the launch ceremony at the InterContinental Hotel.
“We express our extreme happiness for this project, which reflects the aspiration of the Omani youth and what they strive to achieve. We have partnered with the private sector to enable growth and build capabilities to place us at the forefront of organising world events in the service of the country and the governorate. The attempt is to engage all segments of society and bolster the progress in achieving the Oman Vision 2040 goals which aim to involve the youth in different aspects and strengthen the tourism related aspects of the governorate,” he added.
As the first Omani city to ever host an off-road triathlon, Xterra will place Musandam on the historical map as the first city in the Middle East to host an event of this kind.
The preparatory ‘Xterra Festival’ will include a variety of off-road races, establishing the importance of sports tourism to the local community and preparing the city to host this exciting event.
UNIQUE EVENT
Mohammed bin Khalfan al Obaidani, Chief Executive Officer of Tri.Me Sporting Events, said the championship will be a unique edition in Musandam.
“It will be a world-class unique edition in Musandam provided the mountains and picturesque background set up for the races.”
“Since 2014, we at Tri.Me Sporting Events have been aspiring to host a Xterra Championship in Oman. And with the trust bestowed to us to be the operating company by the Minister of State and Governor of Musandam, our aspiration is now a mission. The first Xterra event in Oman at the charming Governorate of Musandam will be done with the aim of creating a world-wide annual destination for off-road sports and sports tourism,” Al Obaidani said.
Ali al Tamimi, Operations Director at the Championship, said the event will consist of three stages.
“The Championship consists of three stages, starting with a 1.5 km swimming course, followed by a 30 km off-road cycling course and concluded with the 11 km trail run.”
“The three courses are designed with extra care to keep up with the natures of both the race and the governorate. The route will take the athletes on a journey through the beautiful starting from Khor Najd to Khasab Fort, followed by a trail run in-between the farms and wadis, to conclude the championship at the historical site of Khasab Fort.
Further details of the championship will be announced in May.
Musandam is an Omani Governorate which is situated at the far north facing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important waterways in the world. Musandam is known for its charming nature and serene views and is considered a place for mass-tourism gathering.
“We work to enable the Governorate of Musandam to host international events, which will aid in the development of the area. These events will also enable the Omani youth to contribute in the current major development phase of the governorate” Mubarak al Rahbi, Office Manager of Minister of State and Governor of Musandam, said.
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