MUSCAT: The 13th edition of Oman Sail’s Musannah Race Week gets underway on October 4 where 100 sailors from nine countries will come together at the Barcelo Musannah Resort for a week of competition and knowledge sharing.
New this year will be a programme for local schools which, for the first time in event history, offers 75 students the chance to race for three days during the competition.
Sailors from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, India, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Singapore and Thailand will compete in Optimist, ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes, as well as the para inclusive RS Venture Connect classes. School students will compete on a special course with the best performing sailors gaining the opportunity to take part as Juniors in future editions of Musannah Race Week.
Competition will be held over 12 races in each class, with no more than three per day.
Racing will take place following three practice days, on October 4-7, to allow sailors the chance to hone their skills, gain experience on the water and test themselves ahead of competitive sailing. Prizes will be awarded for the overall top three in each class, as well as the Junior top three for sailors under the age of 12, and the girls top three, as well as the overall Team Racing competition.
Abdulaziz al Shidi, Oman Sail’s Acting Sailing Director, said, “Musannah Race Week is a much anticipated and much-loved fixture in Oman’s sailing calendar. We are delighted to once again welcome sailors from around the world to experience our nation and build lifelong relationships within the sport. This year’s event introduces the first schools programme which aims to share the competitive atmosphere with new sailors and help them to discover the joy of sailing, kickstarting a long-term opportunity for school students to participate in future sailing events by promoting the sport within local schools.”
Shaima al Asmi, Oman Sail’s Operations Executive and Musannah Race Week Project Manager, added, “Musannah Race Week is a prime example of how inclusive and accessible sailing can be. Young sailors from Oman and across Asia have the chance to make new friends, sail with and against each other, learn new skills and sail in a world class environment. The event supports sailors of all abilities with Optimist, ILCA 4, ILCA 6, ILCA 7 and RS Venture Connect races, and with the addition of school students this year for the first time we are aiming to inspire more of the Omani youth to discover the sport and become part of Musannah Race Week in the future.”
Earlier this year, Oman Sail’s Musannah Sailing School at the Barcelo Musannah Resort was classified as a Category A High Performance Centre by the Asian Sailing Federation. The 55 visiting sailors, as well as the 42 Omani sailors, will have the opportunity during Musannah Race Week to train and sail at the same venue as Asia’s best sailors.
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