Wednesday 19 / August / 2026
Muscat: Five days of high-calibre maritime competition drawn to a close as the Oman Sailing Championship officially concluded in Ras Al Hadd, Sur. Featuring 56 sailors across the Optimist, ILCA 4, ILCA 6, and ILCA 7 fleets, the event brought together 43 Omani sailors from Oman Sail’s national network along with visiting international sailors from the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka.
Sailors faced gruelling conditions across up to 12 high-intensity races off the coast of South Al Sharqiyah, putting into practice weeks of preparation built during Oman Sail’s High-Performance Summer Training Camp.
The closing and prize-giving ceremony was held at the conclusion, attended by Dr Khamis Al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, who presented the medals, and attended by Mohammed Juma al Mukhaini, Senior Manager of Communication and Community Affairs at Oman LNG.
The ceremonies celebrated the outstanding performances, athletic discipline, and sportsmanship displayed throughout the regatta which is a testament to Oman Sail’s commitment to nurturing both talented athletes, role models and future ambassadors for the nation on the global sporting stage.
In the Optimist competition – the largest fleet of the championships – all of the races were very close battles on the water. Mohammed Al Qasmi finished first overall, just ahead of Khaled Yahya Al-Suraihi in second and Theyab Almheri from the UAE in third. Mohammed Sulaiman Al Balushi was the highest-ranked junior and secured the Under-12 title, while Abeer Khalil Al Zakwani was the highest-ranking girl and winner of the Optimist Girls competition.
The ILCA 4 saw fierce competition throughout all 12 races. Ultimately it was Abdulrahman Khalid Al Hadi who triumphed, finishing ahead of Hassan Nassar Al Wahaibi in second. Aws Maher Al Busaidi finished in third.
The ILCA 6 category was won by Mohamed Abdul Kareem ahead of Elias Badr Al Fadhli in second, with Zakaria Mohammed Al Ghafri in third.
Ali Husain Al Sadi won the ILCA 7 competition, while Asalem Ali al Hamdani was a close second, and Almoatasem Al Farsi finished third.
Abdulaziz Al Shidi, Acting Director of Sailing at Oman Sail, said, "The conclusion of both our summer training camp and the Oman Sailing Championship marks a significant milestone in our national sailing calendar. Seeing our national sailors execute high-level tactics alongside international competitors underscores the strength of our youth pathway and high-performance development. It was also a great privilege to welcome the sailors from the UAE and Sri Lanka, which shows that the Oman Sailing Championship is growing in stature and is now seen as an important training and competitive event for overseas sailors, coaches and teams.”
The event was delivered in collaboration with key partners, including the Oman LNG, and Oman Marine Sports Association
