MUSANNAH: The curtain fell Friday on an exciting week of competition as the 2025 Optimist Asian and Oceanian Championship concluded in Al Musannah, Organised and hosted by Oman Sail in collaboration with the Oman Maritime Sports Committee and the International Optimist Dinghy Association IODA, the championship brought together more than 180 young sailors from 25 countries across Asia and Oceania for a spectacular showcase of skill, determination and sportsmanship.
Held at Oman Sail’s Mussanah Sailing School, located at the Barcelo Mussanah Resort, the event reaffirmed the Sultanate of Oman’s growing reputation as one of the world’s leading venues for international sailing, the championship was supported by QNB Oman as Gold Partner, alongside Mazoon Dairy, Tanuf Water, Visit Oman and Barcelo Mussanah Resort as Bronze Partners.
The week long event featured close and thrilling races held in perfect weather and wind conditions, allowing participants to display outstanding talent and tactical precision, the championship concluded with a glittering closing ceremony held under the auspices of Dr Abdullah bin Nasser al Harrasi, Minister of Information, in the presence of ambassadors, dignitaries, IODA representatives,l and team officials.
The ceremony celebrated the crowning of the 2025 champions across multiple divisions and included the official handover of the IODA flag to Team Sri Lanka, which will host the next edition in 2026.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS:
In the Team Racing Championship, Singapore Team 1 demonstrated remarkable teamwork and consistency to win the 2025 Optimist Asian and Oceanian Team Racing title, followed by Thailand in second place and Singapore Team 2 in third, Singapore was also named Top Asian Team, while New Zealand received the Top Oceanian Team award.
In the 2025 Optimist Nations Cup, Team USA claimed victory, ahead of Argentina 2 and Argentina 1, reflecting the depth of global youth sailing talent on display in Oman.
In the Individual Gold Fleet, Thailand’s Sorawit Naksuk delivered a dominant performance throughout the week to win the overall 2025 Optimist Asian and Oceanian Championship title and the prestigious IODA Perpetual Trophy, was followed by Ethan Chia from Singapore in second place and Storm Husky Kim from the United States in third.
Among the Top Asian Sailors, Naksuk took first, followed by Singapore’s Ethan Chia and Anya Zahedi, In the Oceanian Division, William Harris from Australia claimed the top spot, ahead of compatriot Balthazar Roche in second and Jeffrey Du from New Zealand in third.
In the Girls’ Division, Singapore’s Anya Zahedi continued her exceptional form to be crowned Best Girl Sailor in Asia and Oceania 2025, ahead of Li Yuxuan from China and Shreya Lakshminarayanan from India.
The Silver Fleet was topped by Kornelia Pajak from the United Arab Emirates, with Simon Katz of Argentina finishing second and Roberta de Oliveira Horn from Brazil in third, in the Bronze Fleet, Japan’s Soki Higuchi and Kaito Nakamura claimed first and second respectively, while Tarteel al Hasani from Oman achieved a remarkable third place finish an inspiring result highlighting the progress of Omani female sailors.
STRONG ORGANISATION AND OMANI PARTICIPATION:
Commenting on the championship’s success, Dr Khamis bin Salem al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, said
“We are proud to have hosted another exceptional week of sailing that brought together over 180 young sailors from 25 countries. This event showcased not only sporting excellence but also friendship, teamwork and cultural exchange, reflecting Oman’s commitment to nurturing global talent.”
added, “Thanks to the continued support of our partners, particularly QNB Oman and the dedication of all organisers, Oman once again proved its capability to deliver world class events, these achievements align with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, which aims to strengthen the nation’s position on the global sporting map and promote sustainable tourism.”
Dr Al Jabri also expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Ministry of Information, the Royal Navy of Oman Medical Services, and the Royal Oman Police Coast Guard for their crucial roles in ensuring the success and safety of the event.
The evening concluded with the IODA flag handover ceremony, in which Ajay Narang, IODA Vice-President for Asia, Oceania and Africa, praised Oman’s outstanding organisation and hospitality, describing the 2025 edition as a ‘benchmark event in IODA history.’
Commemorative gifts were presented to IODA and QNB Oman in recognition of their support, followed by a group photo that marked the end of another world class championship one that once again confirmed Oman’s standing as a global hub for sailing excellence.
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