OMAN SAIL TO WELCOME SAILORS FROM 14 COUNTRIES ACROSS THE REGION
AS HOSTS OF THE ARAB SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP 2022
MUSCAT: Oman Sail has been named host of the Arab Sailing Championship 2022, due to take place from 11-15 October 2022 at Barceló Mussanah Resort. Returning for the first time since 2019 in Egypt, expected sailors from 14 countries across the region will compete over five days, which are Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia and the UAE.
The Championship is open to Optimist, ILCA 4, ILCA 6, ILCA 7, RS:X and iQFOiL windsurfing and RS Venture para sailing. Alongside prizes for the top three sailors and countries, the best-performing countries overall will also receive prizes.
His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa Abdullah Al Khalifa of Bahrain, President of the Arab Sailing Federation, said, “We are very pleased to be able to announce the return of the Arab Sailing Championship and to host the event in Oman. This is a great opportunity to showcase the sailing skills of young sailors from across the MENA region and mark a return to action for all members of the Arab Sailing Federation as well as a debut for para sailing in the RS Venture class. The Barceló Mussanah Resort is a wonderful venue, capable as we have seen of hosting the very best sailors in the world and we are looking forward to taking to the beautiful clear waters in October.”
Dr Khamis Al Jabri, Oman Sail CEO, said, “This is a great opportunity for our young sailors to test themselves against their peers within the Arab Sailing Federation across several disciplines. Oman Sail has a history of good performances in this championship, and to be able to perform on home water will be a huge honour for our sailors. We are also very proud to be able to include para sailing this year as sailing in Oman and across the region continues to take great strides towards inclusivity and equality while proving sailing is a sport for all.”
Barceló Mussanah Resort has gained significant notoriety as a world-class host venue for international sailing events. Most recently the destination welcomed over 800 international guests, including 357 sailors, for the 50th edition of the Youth Sailing World Championships – the largest ever edition of one of the most prestigious events in the World Sailing calendar.
The venue will have another chance to impress in November 2022 with the 2022 RS Venture Connect World Championships. This will be the first time an exclusively para sailing championship will have been held in Oman and 27 teams from 15 nations are expected to take part.