MUSCAT: The 14th edition of Musannah Race Week kicked off with outstanding performances, perfect sailing conditions and strong international participation, setting the stage for a thrilling week of competition. Over 120 young sailors from seven countries Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, India, China and Singapore took part in the opening races across Optimist, ILCA 4, ILCA 6, ILCA 7 and Para Inclusive classes.
In the Optimist fleet, UAE Jean Luc Soaren leads overall, followed by Singapore Anya Zahedi the top ranked girl and Indias Shreya Krishna Lakshminarayanan in third, China’s Yuxuan Li and Yi Jia Ni complete the top five, while Singapore’s Zeph Wan and Ethan Chia remain close contenders among the boys, with only four races completed, the standings remain tight, promising intense battles ahead.
The ILCA 4 category saw UAE’s Abdulla al Zoubaidi dominate early, with Omani sailors Tamim al Balushi and Aws al Busaidy close behind, Oman’s strength was also evident in the ILCA 6, where Al Moatsem al Farsi took the early lead with three wins and a second place finish, followed by UAE’s CA Mohammad al Hammadi, while Kuwait’s Amina Shah is the highest ranked female in third.
Oman’s sailors swept the ILCA 7 podium on day one, led by Hussain al Jabri with four consecutive wins, Team-mates Al Salim al Hamdani and Ali al Saadi follow closely after consistent top three finishes.
In Para Inclusive racing, Zahir al Atabi and Abdulrahman al Hamdani claimed all three wins in the Hansa 303 class, ahead of Malik al Qartoubi and Ahmed Zaal Nabout in second and Hassan al Lawati with Adil al Siyabi in third.
Competitors will contest up to 12 races in each class, with trophies awarded for overall, junior and girls categories, as well as team racing honours.
Musannah Race Week also continues its leadership in sustainability, building on its Gold Level Clean Regatta certification, Partnering with Barcelo Mussanah Resort, this year’s edition emphasises eco friendly practices such as biodegradable materials, local sourcing and a food waste recycling system that produces organic fertiliser.
The week includes environmental workshops and a beach cleanup, reinforcing Oman Sail’s mission to protect marine life and promote responsible sportsmanship.
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