Muscat, 1st Feb 2021: Registration for the annual youth sailing event Mussanah Race Week is now open with young sailors from around the world welcome to train and compete in Oman. Set to take place in Al Mussanah Sports City from 26-31 October 2021, the event 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.
Rashid Al Kindi, Oman Sail Director of Sailing, said, “Mussanah Race Week has been an exciting fixture in our sailing calendars for a decade now, bringing the best and brightest young sailing talent to Oman. We have seen the benefits of testing our home-grown sailors against the best in the world and providing the platform for young people from different cultures to learn from each other. We are proud to introduce the RS Venture class for the first time to welcome persons with disabilities to the event.”
He added, “It is a great opportunity to include the RS Venture class to let young sailors join those sailing aboard the Optimist and Laser 4.7 classes. It is our hope that the professional and competitive environment at Mussanah Race Week will help to hone their skills and provide useful insight into the possibilities a career in sailing can offer.”
Following four days of racing, participating sailors and coaches will be able to take part in three days of classroom-based training and practice races with coaching in each of the classes provided by world-class professional sailors.
Feras Asqul, Oman Sail’s Mussanah Race Week Project Manager, said: “Taking part in Mussanah Race Week is the ideal preparation for international regattas, both now as a sailing prospect and providing valuable lessons and experience to benefit the competitors in the future. We are looking forward to welcoming sailors from around the world to Mussanah once again and to continue expanding the event with the introduction of the RS Venture class in order to become one of the most important events for local and international sailors to compete and gain experience in an ideal learning environment.”
Al Mussanah Sports City, located 85km north of Muscat, was purpose-built to host Olympic-standard international sporting events with facilities to accommodate thousands of guests, global media and up to 400 boats at its onsite marina. The venue has become synonymous with sailing, successfully hosting high profile events including the 2013 Laser World Championship and 2015 Laser Radial World Championship, among others and is also home to Oman Sail’s sailing school.
