MUSANNAH: The official races of the inaugural World Sailing Inclusion Championships 2025 kicked off on Friday along the shores of Musannah, marking the start of a historic global event hosted by the Sultanate of Oman at the Musannah Sailing School, Barcelo Mussanah Resort. This first-of-its-kind
championship brings together sailors from around the world, making it the largest international
platform dedicated to empowering and integrating athletes with disabilities into elite-level sailing
competition.
Racing started following a three-day Inclusive Development Programme organised by World Sailing,
which served as a key preparatory phase for sailors, coaches, and race officials. The opening day
featured intense competition across four internationally recognised classes: the one-person Hansa 303 and two-person RS Venture Connect, plus ILCA 6s for intellectually impaired athletes, and FarEast 28Rs for visually impaired athletes.
The opening day of the competition showcased the remarkable skill and competitive spirit of the sailors, with strong performances across every fleet.
Early race results set the tone for an exciting championship: In the RS Venture Connect class, Team Norway, featuring Henriette Smith and Solfrid Lindhjem Kvinnesland, established an early lead at the top of the leaderboard. They were followed by Team Poland, represented by Piotr Cichocki and Olga Gornas-Grudzien, in second place. Team Norway, sailed by Stian Kristiansen and Elliot Finnestrand, secured third in a promising start to their campaign.
In the Hansa 303 class, Great Britain’s Rory McKinna delivered a standout performance to take first
place, with Takumi Niwa of Japan close behind in second. Portugal’s Joao Pinto claimed third after
demonstrating steady and consistent form throughout the day.
The ILCA 6 category saw Great Britain’s Murray Macdonald dominate the fleet to finish first, while Man
Hong Leung of Hong Kong, China, secured second place. His compatriot, Tsz Hin Cheung, completed the podium in third.
Meanwhile, in the FarEast 28R division for visually impaired sailors, the Great Britain crew led by Lucy
Hodges maintained a commanding performance to clinch first place. Karl Haines followed in second, and Vicki Sheen secured third after a series of tightly contested races.
After the conclusion of the races, Portuguese sailor Joao Pinto expressed his admiration for the
championship’s exceptional conditions, noting that the event offers an ideal environment for high-level competition. He said: “The conditions in Musannah are excellent, and the organisation is being carried out to the highest standards. The varied sea conditions create a positive challenge for sailors and help level the playing field while unifying participation standards — a clear reflection of the championship’s vision to promote inclusivity and integrate athletes with disabilities into the sport.”
TOP-CLASS FACILITY
Pinto also praised the facilities and services provided to the sailors, adding: “All facilities are thoughtfully equipped to meet the needs of athletes with disabilities, and everything is arranged professionally with full consideration for accessibility and competition requirements. The efforts behind the scenes are evident, and the organisation is exactly what a world-class championship of this scale demands.”
Regarding his ambitions for the upcoming races, he said: “Every sailor strives to reach the podium, and that’s what makes the competition intense and challenging. I will give everything I have to achieve a strong result, but ultimately, performance on the water is what matters most. We hope the coming days bring positive results for everyone.”
The Sultanate of Oman is represented in the championship by a group of sailors from the SailFree
programme, a national initiative that has made significant progress in developing and empowering
athletes with disabilities since its launch in 2019. Leading the Omani contingent is Zaher al Atbi,
competing in the RS Venture class.
“It was an encouraging start and gave us great momentum. We are proud to represent Oman in the first global edition of this championship and are committed to delivering a performance that reflects the progress of sailing in our country,” Al Atbi said.
Najwa al Nuaimi from Special Olympics UAE expressed her pride in the team’s participation, emphasising that the UAE delegation is committed to representing the country at the highest level. The team competes in two classes: ILCA 6, represented by sailors Marwan Salloum and Omar al Hammadi and RS Venture, represented by Mohammed al Zubaidi and Mohammed al Owaisi.
She highlighted the team’s intensive preparation in collaboration with Al Hamriyah Club and the UAE
Sailing Federation, noting that the athletes entered the competition with substantial international
experience, including participation in the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, Special
Olympics Berlin 2023, and the first Special Olympics Regional Sailing Championship hosted in the UAE in 2024.
Races will continue over five days, culminating in a closing ceremony on December 8, where winners
across all four classes will be honoured. Higher levels of competition are expected in the coming days as sailors strive for podium positions in this landmark edition.
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