Monday 25 / November / 2024
Muscat – The 13th edition of Oman Sail’s Mussanah Race Week proved incredibly successful for the hosts with an impressive haul of 10 medals across the five events. Concluding the competition with four gold, two silver and four bronze, including overall team bronze in the Optimist event, highlighting the depth of talent emerging at Oman Sail’s Sailing Schools.
Once the waves had calmed, and the sailors had returned to shore, the winners received their prizes at a ceremony attended by Guest of Honour, H.E. Eng. Masoud bin Said Al Hashimi, Governor of South Al Batinah.
Earlier in the day, Oman’s Al Moatsem Al Farsi put on a masterclass in ILCA 6 sailing to claim victory and take the gold medal. Teammate Hatem Al Araimi performed well, too, on the last day to win bronze. Othman Al Hammadi from UAE finished in second place and wins the silver medal. In the girl’s competition, Ibtisam Al Salmi finished third, just behind Camelia Al Qubaisi of UAE in first and Maanya Reddy of India in second.
Husain Al Jabri led all the way to the finish in the ILCA 7 competition to seal the gold medal for Oman. Teammate Abdulmalik Al Hinai showed his determination by rising from third on day two to second on the final day to claim silver. Hamza Al Ali of UAE completed the top three and wins the bronze medal.
Oman’s Abdulatif Al Qasmi put in a series of great performances to move up the ILCA 4 rankings and take gold on the final day. Ending the first day in fourth, he progressed to second and a supreme display in the last series of races saw him take gold. Shashank Batham of India finished second, just ahead of Akshat Kumar Dohare of India in third. The ILCA 4 girls competition was won by Marwa Al Hammadi of UAE, ahead of the Indian pair of Somya Singh Patel in second and Shagun Jha in third.
In an all-Omani fleet, the four RS Venture Connect crews continued to switch places right up until the final day. The crew of Zahir Al Atbi and Ahmed Al Shikili reclaimed top spot to win the gold, ahead of Sultan Al Wahabi and Adil Al Siyabi in second and Ghaliya Al Jabri and Malik Al Qartobi in third.
Abdulla Yahya from UAE continued his good form to take gold in the Optimist competition ahead of Adison Ein from Thailand in second and UAE teammate Khalifa Al Romaithi who finished third. In the girl’s competition, India’s Shreya Krishna Lakshminarayanan won the gold medal ahead of teammate Kommaravelly Lahari in second, with Tong Xuan Ya from Thailand completing the top three. The under-12s competition was won by Khalifa Al Romaithi of UAE, ahead of the Thai duo of Chanyacart Ittivorakul in second and Prin Kantharak.
The team racing gold went to Thailand courtesy of the four podium positions, edging UAE into the silver medal position, while Oman settled for third place and the bronze medal.
H.E. Eng. Masoud Said Al Hashimi, Governor of South Al Batinah, said: “We are delighted to be part of this major sporting event, which brings together sailors from around the world and showcases Oman’s efforts to promote maritime sports locally and internationally. Mussanah Race Week highlights the natural assets of South Al Batinah, positioning it as a prime tourism and sports destination. We commend the broad participation, and the successes achieved in competition and organisation, and we appreciate the efforts of the organisers, sponsors, and partners. We look forward to maintaining this excellence in future editions, keeping Oman a top destination for sailing."
Dr. Khamis Salem Al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, expressed his satisfaction with the success of the 13th Mussanah Race Week, saying: “This year saw the participation of 104 sailors, making it one of the largest editions. This annual event is designed for emerging sailors worldwide who aspire to professional sailing. The programs combine theory and practice to sharpen participants' skills and prepare them for success in the sport."
Al Jabri continued: “These activities align with our strategy to boost sports tourism and support the national economy under Oman’s Vision 2040. Oman Sail has led in hosting over 34 international events, bringing substantial economic, social, and media benefits. Mussanah Sailing School is now a renowned global center for maritime sports. We were also thrilled that the Netherlands team selected our school as their training venue, contributing to their gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games."
“We were also pleased to host the National Judges Workshop, organised by the Asian Sailing Federation, which aimed to empower Asian women in sailing event officiating. Six female judges from Oman Sail were trained through this workshop.”
The CEO emphasised that one of the core objectives is to maximize tourism benefits for Oman, from hotel occupancy to exploring various destinations, while also supporting sectors like aviation and transportation. He reaffirmed Oman Sail’s commitment to the ‘Clean Regatta’ initiative, promoting sustainable environmental practices by reducing single-use plastics, encouraging recycling, and protecting marine life."
He concluded by highlighting the selection of Mussanah Sailing School as a Category A Asian High-Performance Training Center, further cementing its status as a preferred destination for year-round training camps, thanks to its advanced facilities and ideal conditions. Oman Sail will continue working to achieve milestones, host major events, and contribute to the objectives of Oman Vision 2040."
Mussanah Race Week was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Barceló Mussanah Resort, Pocari Sweat, and Al Khoud Pure Drinking Water.
