Oman Sail is gearing up for a packed winter season as competitive sailing is back on the agenda with seven major tournaments taking place between October and December. The return of sport to the Sultanate will be a welcome boost to Oman’s tourism and will see an influx of sailors, coaches, race officials and media from around the world, expected to exceed 2,400.
Mussanah Race Week 2015 (© Matias Capizzano)
Here’s what the packed calendar looks like!
Asian Windsurfing Championships
The Asian Windsurfing Championships frontline the packed calendar, on Oct. 11 in Musandam. The event includes six days of qualifying, featuring 50 riders from 15 countries across all three classes, in separate male and female competitions. After five days of racing, the winners will be named Asian Champion in Formula Windsurfing Foil, Techno293 Junior, Techno293 Youth, Techno293 Plus Youth and Techno293 Plus Open classes.
Mussanah Race Week
Being held from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, this annual youth sailing event is in its 11th year and has traditionally brought world and continental youth champions to the Sultanate’s shores to sail against the best young sailors. This year, for the first time in the event’s history, Oman Sail will mark the 11th edition by introducing a boat class for young persons with disabilities known as ‘RS Venture’, alongside the Optimist and Laser 4.7 classes.
Asian 49er, 49er FX & Nacra 17 Championships
Kicking off on Nov. 5, the event will see 114 male and female sailors in the Asian Sailing Federation finalise preparations for the 49er World Championships. On till Nov. 9, the event will allow crews in the 49er, 49er FX and Nacra 17 to gain vital experience ahead of the World Championships while competing for the title of Asian Champion.
49er, 49er FX & Nacra 17 Championships
The world championships event will be held from Nov.16 to Nov. 25th and will include three days of qualifying featuring 400 sailors across all three classes before the highest performers breakaway to form the ‘Gold Fleet’ and compete for medals in the Finals Series over the final three days.
Laser World Championships 2013. Mussanah. Oman. Day 1 of racing close to the Mussanah shore. Credit: Lloyd Images
Sailing Arabia – The Tour
Sailing Arabia – Tour makes a comeback, with world-class sailors competing in the DIAM class, as they explore the breath-taking coastlines of the Omani peninsula. The race (Nov. 25 – Dec. 5) begins in Mussanah before heading south to Sur and finishing up in Muscat. This is the 11th edition of the event.
2021 ICLA Radial World Championships
Mussanah once again plays host to a world championship as the 2021 ICLA Radial World Championships gets underway on Nov. 29 and will be on till Dec. 6. Oman was chosen as a late replacement host when Houston, Texas, in the United States had to withdraw. The sailing event will see160 of the best male and female Laser Radial sailors from around the world competing for the world champions’ title.
Youth Sailing World Championships
The final event of the season is the most prestigious as the 50th edition of the Youth Sailing World Championships that has come to Oman for the very first time. Regarded as a blue-chip event by World Sailing, the Youth World Championships are a highlight of the global sailing calendar and the perfect way to bring an action-packed winter season to a close.
Archive Image RSX World Championships
Watch out For: Oman Sail has also secured the World Race Walking Team Championships, which will take place in Muscat in March 2022.
