Young sailors impress at Inter-school Regatta

MUSCAT: An incredible effort from local schools in the Sultanate has seen twelve educational establishments battling it out on the water, in a bid to be crowned 2016’s best sailing team in the Sultanate.

The final of the sixth annual Renaissance Inter-school Regatta was held at Al Mouj Muscat, last Friday, as part of the Extreme Sailing Series in Muscat. The racing on March 10 produced some top class sailing, with Abu Abali School in Musannah emerging victorious. Asad bin Zurarah School in Musannah finished second and the Abdulrahman bin Aouf School from Sur were placed third. Following the intense competition between the young athletes, HH Sayyid Tareq bin Shabib Al Said, Board member of Renaissance Services, awarded the winners with trophies for their welldeserved victory.

The journey to the trophy began last year, when Oman Sail’s four sailing schools hosted the competition’s heats, which took place on the 5th and 15th November 2016 at Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Millennium Resort Musannah, Sur Marina and Al Mouj, Muscat. The opening stages the competition welcomed a strong field — 109 children aged between 8 and 12 years old participated in the racing, with teams of 3-4 representing each government education school.

The heats saw the best performing students from 25 schools earn their place in the second qualification event, with the top 36 competitors from 12 schools then qualifying for the final. It was these top three teams from each qualifier who showcased their skills on the water last weekend.

David Graham, Oman Sail CEO, said, “The Renaissance Interschool Regatta is an important annual event that gives the opportunity for young sailors to test their skills on the water against their peers; it also allows Oman Sail’s instructors to chart their progress. Now in its 6th edition, the regatta has set many young sailors on a path to a career in sailing. They learn valuable skills and gain great experience in a competitive environment. All participants demonstrated great sportsmanship, and the win for Abu Abali School was well deserved.”

The annual regatta is hosted in partnership with Renaissance Services, who have worked with Oman Sail since 2009 to support the development of the Sultanate’s youth.