Muscat: Oman Sail’s youth sailing squad concluded this year’s International Suleymanpasa Optimist Cup in Tekirdag, Turkiye, with a top 10 placement and four sailors finishing in the top 20. The team competed alongside 274 sailors in one of the most prestigious youth events in the sailing calendar, racing for five days against teams from 12 nations, including a strong local Turkish contingent and sailors from Southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia.
Tamim bin Sulaiman al Balushi, one of Oman Sail’s top-performing youth sailors this year, finished 10th, just ahead of his teammate Saud bin Talib al Shaqsi, team gold medallist at the 2023 Arab Games, who came 11th.
Firas bin Haitham al Nabhani, also a team gold medallist at the 2023 Arab Games, finished 16th, and Hood bin Saad al Nofali, gold medallist at the 2024 Gulf Youth Games, placed 19th. Khamis bin Nasser al Mashikhi, another gold medallist at the 2024 Gulf Youth Games, ended in 32nd position.
Boran Öden, from the host club in Tekirdag, claimed the gold medal with three wins from six races. His teammate Hayrettin Eren Çakir secured the silver, while Georgi Karagiozov from Bulgaria took home the bronze. Of the top 50 sailors, 33 were from Turkiye, including five of the top 10, representing Tekirdag.
Abdulaziz al Shidi, Oman Sail’s Acting Director of Sailing, remarked, “We are very pleased with the progress our squad has made, especially against more experienced sailors. Participation in international events is a crucial step in our performance pathway and provides our sailors with valuable opportunities to develop and gain experience in challenging conditions. We now look forward to Mussanah Race Week and hope for a strong finish to this season.”
Speaking on the team’s performance, Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Zadjali, Oman Sail’s Assistant Youth Head Coach, said, “Finishing in the top 10 demonstrates the high standard of our sailors and our ability to compete internationally. Having four sailors in the top 20 further highlights the growth of youth sailing in Oman. The International Suleymanpasa Optimist Cup featured a large Turkish contingent, with several sailors competing on their home waters, so to end the event with all our sailors in the top 50 is a very positive result.”
The next event in the Optimist team’s calendar is the 13th edition of Mussanah Race Week, from October 1-8, 2024, at Barceló Mussanah Resort. Sailors from across the region will compete in Optimist, ILCA 4, ILCA 6, ILCA 7 and the Para Inclusive RS Venture Connect class, in one of Oman Sail’s signature events.
Preparations will soon commence at Oman Sail’s Sailing Schools in Mussanah, Sur and Al Mouj Muscat, where the team will analyse their performance in Turkiye, work on technical and tactical elements and ensure the sailors are ready for the next challenge.
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