Please select your home edition
Edition
Sailingfast 2018 728x90

2019 Optimist Asian and Oceanian Championship in Oman - Day 2

by Oman Sail 5 Oct 2019 16:44 BST 3-6 October 2019
Oman was awarded the Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship by IODA in 2017 © Oman Sail

Oman has put on a spectacular welcome for young sailors from 21 nations at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Asian and Oceanian Championship. Al Mussanah Sports City is the venue for the International Optimist Dinghy Association's (IODA) prestigious showcase event which will see a week of high-intensity racing featuring 141 of the world's best youth sailors.

The regional Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship includes large contingents from Australia, Bahrain, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the UAE, competing against a 16-strong Oman team, as well as teams from, Brazil, Finland, Turkey, the the USA.

At Tuesday's opening ceremony the national teams paraded and were then presented on stage in front of VIPs, the sailors' coaches, family and friends, and guest of honour HE Maithabint Saif al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism and chairwomen of championship host and organiser Oman Sail.

Warmly welcoming the youth sailors IODA Vice President Ajay Narang said: "For the next few days you will experience some magical moments, full of emotion and passion. Through your participation, you share universality with the sailors gathered here - all with one goal in mind - sporting excellence."

"But consider the second goal, to have fun. Whilst you are out on the water contesting titles and onshore preparing for the races and spending time with your fellow sailors, remember to enjoy the fun of sailing. This is the beginning of a lifelong friendship, and also marks the understanding of different cultures and acts as a firm platform for us all to move forward as one family."

"Whilst contesting the Asian and Oceanian titles, remember that it takes more than crossing the finishing line to make a champion. A champion is more than a winner. A champion is someone who respects the rules, rejects doping and competes in the spirit of fair play."

Held in the year Oman Sail celebrates its 10th anniversary, the high-profile Optimist Asian and Oceanian Championship confirms the Sultanate as a world-class venue for international sailing events having previously hosted the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series, the Extreme Sailing Series, and Laser and windsurfing world championships.

Oman was awarded the Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship by IODA in 2017 following a vote by 28 regional members of the international organisation.

Oman Sail CEO David Graham said: "Many Olympians and medallists have sailed in these waters, dreams have come true in these waters, and to have another prestigious international event here, where dreams will be realised again, at this wonderful facility in Al Mussanah, is an honour for us."

Speaking directly to the 141 Optimist sailors he added: "Your sailing careers are at the very start and you are on a great path. A very high percentage of the sailors in the America's Cup, Olympics, the Ocean Race, gained their base skills in the Optimist class."

"If I asked how many of you have Olympic dreams I am confident close to, if not 141, hands will go up. It's why Oman has a big fleet of Optimists and a growing squad of Omani boys and girls sailing them - they are joining you on your pursuit of a full and active life in which sailing is a big part with the Olympics firmly on their radar."

Highlighting the support of Oman's ministries of Sport and Tourism, the Diwan and the Mussanah Millennium Resort, Rashid Al Kindi, Oman Sail's Acting Director of Sailing, said: "We are delighted to welcome so many world-class Optimist sailors to Oman and we are all looking forward to a week of challenging and competitive racing in a fair and friendly environment."

"Mussanah Sports City has fantastic facilities and we have a marvellous team of race officers and officials on hand who will ensure great racing out on the water. It is a not to be missed opportunity for all the sailors to demonstrate their skills and determination."

Following the opening ceremony, the sailors and their teams got a chance to experience Omani culture, food and traditional dancing, camel riding, and henna, an opportunity to make new friends from different cultures.

Racing at the 2019 Asian and Oceanian Championship began on Wednesday 2 October and continues until Sunday 6 October.

Related Articles

Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy 2025 Preview
International sailing & ocean conservation unite in Cascais From July 4 to 6, Cascais hosts the biggest sailing regatta of the year with a strong focus on sustainability. The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy celebrates six years of diversity, competition, and environmental commitment. Posted on 30 Jun
2025 International Classes Regatta preview
The ICR has earned a stellar reputation as an outstanding lead-up regatta for competitors The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) is proud to announce that the 2025 International Classes Regatta (ICR)—the Club's premier annual dinghy event—will take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November 2025. Posted on 27 Jun
South and Southwest Regional Junior Championship
Exciting, high-quality competitive racing for 5 classes at Weymouth There were 145 sailors competing in Topper 5.3 and 4.2, Optimist, RS Feva XL, RS Tera Pro and Sport and ILCA 4 classes. The excellent race team led by PRO Paul Kimmens delivered exciting, high-quality competitive racing for all classes. Posted on 26 Jun
NEYYSA Championship at Ullswater
They had it all: heat, sun, torrential rain, wind, calm, thunder and lightning We had it all at Ullswater, heat, sun, (torrential) rain, wind, calm, thunder and lightning but nothing switched the smiles, sailing and socialising off at the North Region Youth & Junior Championships at Ullswater. Posted on 25 Jun
Welsh Regional Junior Championships
74 boats have a glorious weekend alongside a number of Welsh Sailing initiatives The event was hosted with Dale Yacht Club, Celtic Sea Watersports and Windswept Watersports and attracted a total of 74 entries, including 18 sailors keen to develop their racing skills in the coached regatta fleet. Posted on 25 Jun
All set for NEYYSA Championship at Ullswater
Youth and juniors from all over the NE and Yorkshire will battle this weekend With less than 24 hours until the first warning signal at the North Region Youth & Junior Championships organised by North East & Yorkshire Youth Sailing Association (NEYYSA) and hosted by Ullswater Yacht Club final preparations are in hand. Posted on 20 Jun
Gill Optimist Early Summer Championships
Brightlingsea delivered a thrilling test of skill and adaptability The IOCA Early Summer Championships at Brightlingsea SC delivered a thrilling test of skill and adaptability for the Optimist Fleet, with sailors battling extreme variations in wind speed and direction over two days of racing. Posted on 19 Jun
Cambridgeshire Youth League at Grafham Water
33 sailors took part in windy conditions The second leg of the Cambridgeshire Youth Sailing League took place at Grafham Water Sailing Club on Saturday 14th June. Despite the forecast for strong winds, 33 intrepid young sailors set sail in gusty conditions. Posted on 18 Jun
Tyson Tops 32nd International Optimist Regatta
Getting good starts and sailing fast led to the win at St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands Getting good starts and sailing fast led the USA's Daniel Skutch Tyson to win the 32nd International Optimist Regatta (IOR), hosted at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), June 13-15, 2025. Posted on 16 Jun
2025 TOTE Team Racing Championships
USA National Team Wins ahead of the 32nd International Optimist Regatta A good start and a first-place finish in the final race proved a win for the USA National Team, with sailors representing yacht clubs in Florida, Maryland, Virginia, and Rhode Island, in Thursday's TOTE Team Racing Championship. Posted on 12 Jun