Abu Dhabi fields 15 sailors for Oman regatta

Team Abu Dhabi will field 15 sailors at the 15th Mussanah Race Week in Oman, joining more than 100 competitors from seven countries as racing begins on Sunday.

The squad, drawn from the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club Academy’s modern sailing programme, will compete in Optimist and ILCA dinghy classes at Barceló Mussanah Resort. The event’s competitive programme runs from 18 to 21 October, following registration, equipment checks and a scheduled practice race on Saturday.

Organisers have confirmed entries from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Tunisia and India. Oman Sail is staging the regatta with support from the Oman Maritime Sports Committee, bringing together developing sailors and established competitors across several classes.

Six members of the Abu Dhabi squad are entered in Optimist: Hazza Ibrahim Sultan, Noah Nawab Ahmed, Ali Ibrahim Sultan, Ali Saeed Al Rumaithi, Dhiab Fahad Al Mehairi and Rashid Mohammed Al Neyadi.

Nine others will contest the ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 divisions. They are Toprak Caglayan, Hamza Ismail Al Ali, Abdulrahman Abdullah Al Bahri, Mohammed Abdulkarim Al Hammadi, Rashid Sultan Al Dhaheri, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan, Jassim Mohammed Jassim, Simeon Khristov and Abdullah Mohammed Al Neyadi.

The Abu Dhabi contingent is seeking strong finishes against international opposition, with results determined by accumulated performances across the scheduled races rather than a single contest. Organisers have planned up to four races daily, subject to the conditions and decisions of race officials.

The competition covers Optimist, including a junior category, and the three ILCA divisions, alongside inclusive sailing classes using Hansa 303 and RS Venture boats. These categories allow competitors with different experience levels and sailing requirements to participate within the same event programme.

Mussanah Race Week is marking its 15th edition, having been established in 2011 as a platform for youth sailing and competitive development. Its format combines on-water competition with coaching and opportunities for sailors from different national teams to train alongside one another.

Oman Sail has scheduled the closing ceremony and prize presentations for Wednesday, 21 October. Awards are planned for the leading overall competitors in each class, junior sailors aged under 12 and female competitors, reflecting the event’s emphasis on participation as well as competitive results.

The regatta is taking place alongside the third Arab Women’s Sailing Championship, organised by Oman Sail in cooperation with the Arab Sailing Federation and Oman Maritime Sports Committee. That championship is expected to involve about 30 female sailors in Optimist, ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 competition.

Both competitions are based at the Mussanah Sailing School, recognised by the Asian Sailing Federation as a Category A high-performance centre. The school serves as a training venue for developing athletes and provides facilities for organised racing, coaching and equipment preparation.

Abdulaziz Salim Al Shidi, Oman Sail’s acting director of sailing, has described the regatta as an important part of the organisation’s regional talent-development strategy. The organisers have emphasised the connection between entry-level instruction and international competition, particularly for younger athletes progressing through dinghy classes.

Preparations began on Thursday with competitor arrivals, registration and boat allocation. Equipment inspections continued on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s briefing and practice session. The first official races are scheduled for Sunday, with the final competitive day on Wednesday.

The racing schedule sets aside four consecutive days for official competition, giving crews multiple opportunities to recover from a poor result. In fleet racing, each boat’s finishing position contributes to its series score under the sailing instructions. The final standings therefore depend on consistent performance across starts, courses and weather conditions. The number of completed races will depend on conditions.

For the academy’s representatives, the Optimist and ILCA entries provide competition in boat designs. Optimist dinghies are used in youth sailing, while the ILCA divisions use distinct sail configurations suited to competitors. The event’s fleet offers the squad exposure to competitors from several regional and international national programmes.

Environmental measures announced for this edition include recycling facilities, restrictions on single-use plastics and a community beach clean-up. Oman Sail is applying its Clean Regatta arrangements across the venue, extending the programme beyond the races themselves.

Renaissance Services is the presenting partner, while Barceló Mussanah Resort is hosting the participating teams and race activities. The venue is situated approximately 100 kilometres north of Muscat International Airport and accommodates the sailing school and associated waterfront facilities.