Muscat: The first edition of "Oman Downwinder 2024" initiative will kick off on Tuesday, starting from Al Duqm beach in the Al Wusta Governorate, passing along the Omani coasts northward, and ending at the Ras Al Jinz reserve in the Al Sharqiyah South Governorate.
The initiative will continue from July 2 to 8, with the participation of 12 professional athletes from and outside of the Sultanate of Oman. The first edition will organise by the Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran Group), as part of its ongoing efforts to achieve tourism diversification and enhance the adventure tourism sector.
The initiative was announced at a ceremony held yesterday at the W Muscat Hotel, attended by Dr Hashil bin Obaid al Mahrouqi, CEO of (Omran Group), Dr Khamis bin Salem al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, and several officials from various entities.
The event aims to highlight the Sultanate of Oman's tourist attractions through accompanying media coverage. Several Omani and international athletes will participate, including Barakat al Kandi, who has 12 years of experience in paragliding, and Azan al Sanani, a passionate marine photographer and certified diving instructor from the Professional Diving Instructors Association with over 15,000 registered dives to date. Also participating are Majid al Kharousi, a Downwinder enthusiast, Robin Lenten, the Dutch professional who won the Red Bull race in 2005, Hannah Wheatley, British Downwinder champion, Mito Montero, a surf instructor and Brazilian athlete Fernando Fernandes, an innovator in inclusive sports for people with disabilities.
The Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran Group) is collaborating in organising the Oman Downwinder Races with the national travel operator and the Oman Adventure Center, aiming to promote local content by involving many local institutions and small and medium-sized enterprises in organising the various accompanying stages.
Hashil al Mahrouqi Said, "The Sultanate of Oman is distinguished by its abundant and diverse natural assets, making it a leading destination for offering unique tourism products and experiences. Organising these events reflects our belief in the pivotal role that sporting events play in promoting and highlighting tourist attractions globally, which supports the growth of the tourism sector and enhances the Sultanate of Oman's position on the international tourism map."
He affirmed that organising these Sports is in line with the group's strategic directions in achieving tourism diversification and enhancing the adventure tourism sector by utilising unique and diverse natural potential, reflecting its commitment to providing sustainable and environmentally friendly experiences for adventure enthusiasts from all over the world.
Marcelo Antunes Ferreira, CEO of Sea and Beach Projects, emphasised that "The Oman Downwinder represents an exceptional experience and will contribute to attracting many professional and amateur athletes, in light of the global expansion of this sport." He added, "This represents a good opportunity for the Sultanate of Oman to attract athletes and encourage the global community to visit it," he ended.
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