MUSANNAH: The 2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship officially opened on Monday at Barcelo Musannah Resort with more than 180 young sailors from 25 countries across Asia and Oceania. Racing will take place daily at the Oman Sail Sailing School in Al Musannah until October 31 when the closing and prize-giving ceremony will take place.
The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr Khamis bin Salim al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, and attended by Ajay Narang, Vice-President of the International Optimist Dinghy Association (Ioda) for Africa, Asia and Oceania, along with sports officials, partners and national delegations.
The ceremony featured the raising of the championship flag.
The sailors oath was delivered by Omani sailor Layan al Ruzaiqi and the Judges oath was presented by South Korean referee Sukkong Kim, reflecting unity, sportsmanship and the spirit of fair play among young competitors. In his speech, Ajay Narang, Vice-President of IODA for Asia, Africa and Oceania, expressed his
delight at returning to Oman and praised the exceptional organisation and hospitality, saying: “It is a great honour to welcome young sailors from across Asia and Oceania and the rest of the world to Musannah Sailing School. Seeing this gathering of talented young sailors fills us with pride and optimism for the future of our sport. Each of you carries your nation’s colours and embodies the courage, friendship, and adventure that define the Optimist class – the starting point of every great sailor’s journey."
“On behalf of IODA, I extend our sincere appreciation to Oman Sail, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY), and all partners for their professionalism and dedication."
Narang praised Oman Sail for its exceptional organisation and world class facilities, emphasising that Oman has become a regional leader in hosting international sailing events and nurturing young sailing talent. Sultan al Zadjali, Optimist Coach and Assistant Head Coach at Oman Sail, said: “We are competing this year with a promising group of sailors who have undergone intensive preparation. Our goal is to deliver strong performances that reflect the progress of sailing in Oman while building confidence and experience by racing against some of the best sailors in the region.”
Representing Oman at the 2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship are 10 sailors from Oman Sail’s national sailing schools: Mohammed al Balushi, Habib al Hassani, Al Khalil al Foori, Mohammed al Qasmi, Khalid al Sarihi, Hood al Nofli, Khamis al Mashaikhi, Hadeel al Mushaifri, Tarteel al Hasani and Layan al Ruzaiqi.
Mohammed al Otaibi, Head of the Saudi Arabian delegation, expressed appreciation for Oman’s excellent hosting, saying: “We are delighted to participate in this prestigious continental event hosted by our brothers in Oman, this is the second time the championship has been held in Al Musannah, and we can see remarkable progress in organisation and facilities, the weather and wind conditions are perfect, creating an ideal environment for the competition. Beyond results, this event strengthens regional ties and gives our young sailors invaluable international experience.”
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