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T H I R D
Q U A R T E R
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02. Oman air majan Majan is rebranded and relaunched as Oman Air Majan. Sidney Gavignet ends August by smashing a World Record before preparing for the Route du Rhum at the end of October.
08. ExtrEmE 40s After a strong result in JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race both Extreme 40s followed up with strong showing in the Cowes Week leg of the Extreme Sailing Series. Less than a month later they were in Germany for the unpredictable Kiel leg closely followed by Trapani, Italy for a new set of conditions in a new venue.
14. Oman sailing schOOl More instructors qualified as Senior Instructors in the UK whilst others remained in Oman where the Sailing School was kept busy with a diverse group of young sailors.
18. tOur dE FrancE À la VOilE The five Omani sailors completed the month-long marathon in perfect conditions with strong winds, rolling waves and clear blue skies. By the end of the epic race, they had taken the results they were looking for.
22. clippEr rOund thE WOrld racE After ten months Ahmed Al Ma’amari and Abdullah Al Busaidi crossed the finish line of the Clipper Race in England. On returning to Oman they were greeted by 100’s of friends, family and colleagues.
26. jEWEl OF muscat Fireworks and dancing marked the arrival of Jewel of Muscat into Keppel Bay, Singapore after a long and successful journey. Captain Saleh Al Jabri was given Oman’s highest honour on behalf of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
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PHOTOGRAPHy By: Mark Lloyd, Bruno Bouvry, Ingmar Jense
Welcome When you have only been sailing for a couple of years, the courage needed to get onboard a powerful racing catamaran with professional sailors and compete at the highest level is impressive. I applaud Khamis Al Anbouri for doing it. It was unthinkable that the team would be leading the series with one race to go. Khamis’ confidence and skill come from preparation – he has worked incredibly hard. The entire Oman Sail team is delighted the work is paying off, he is an inspiration to his colleagues who are waiting in anticipation to see if The Wave, Muscat can hold off Groupe Edmonde de Rothschild and take the Extreme Sailing Series crown. Last Quarter we promised a face-lift for our flagship boat Majan, she has been renamed Oman Air Majan. Not long after the paint was dry on the mainsail, Oman Air Majan became the fastest sailboat on the planet to sail around Britain and Ireland. Racing against the clock on a technically demanding course is perfect training for the Route du Rhum. The promotion for the Sultanate in this legendary race will be unprecedented within France. This is all the more relevant with Oman Air’s direct flights from Paris to Muscat. Sidney Gavignet is an inspiration to our offshore sailors and Mohsin Al Busaidi has communicated that he would like to
compete in the next Route du Rhum (2014); it’s a tough goal, one I advocate - Oman Sail’s athletes really believe in pushing targets. December’s Muscat Asian Beach Games is a very important competition for the nation’s sailors. They have worked hard all year for this event and the squad to represent Oman has almost all been selected. Their schedule has intensified and they have relocated their training camp to Musannah. Oman’s National Squad will be up against tough competition, however I know they will be giving 100% effort and they will sail with distinction, making Oman and it’s people proud. Issa Al Ismaili, Oman Sail’s Director of Events, has been focusing on bringing sailing events to Oman. In February 2011, a fleet of 30ft yachts will depart from Manama, Bahrain and race to Muscat, with stopovers on route. Under Issa’s direction we have also submitted some extremely credible bids to host world events. Ahmed Al Ma’amari and Abdullah Al Busaidi left the UK on September 22nd 2009 to sail around the world and on July 17th they completed the voyage. Both sailors did their country proud. On their return to Muscat the welcome was impressive, the arrivals hall of Muscat International Airport was bursting with family, colleagues and supporters.
On completing the Jewel of Muscat’s successful voyage from Muscat to Singapore, Captain Saleh Al Jabri was awarded one of Oman’s highest accolades, The Medal of Honour, on behalf of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. We now welcome Saleh back to Oman Sail where he continues to inspire the Omani youth to get afloat and experience the riches that learning to sail has to offer.
David Graham Chief Executive Officer
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Oman Air Majan
The Record Breaker After her appearance in Cowes Week (see page 9), Majan returned to her base in Lorient, France where she took delivery of her new sails, completing her transformation to Oman Air Majan. Her first official outing as Oman Air Majan, and skipper Sidney Gavignet’s first singlehanded race on her, was an attempt at the coveted Round Britain and Ireland Record. She was given ‘code green’ on the morning of the 19th of August, lining up at Lizard Point, the south-westernmost point of England and the official starting point for the record-attempt. From the outset Sidney had to weave his way through one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world before changing direction to reach the northern most point of Britain. Off Scotland, in the merciless North Sea, he encountered winds
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in excess of 40 knots (88km/h) and massive waves that pushed him to his limits, resulting in only 2-hours sleep over 24-hours. Once he started his run to the south, keeping Ireland to his left, Sidney sailed consistent speeds that saw him smash not only the single-handed record by 1 day 15 hours 30 minutes and 44 seconds., but also the fully crewed record by 1 hour and 7 seconds. With their participation in the Route du Rhum creeping up fast this record will make Sidney and Oman Air Majan’s competitors take notice of the Omani entry. Along with the Omani technical shore team who are in France helping to prepare the boat, Sidney also has Mohsin Al Busaidi working very closely with him in all aspects of the sailing preparation.The Route du Rhum is raced every four years and is
one of France’s most revered sporting events. When the mixed fleet of almost 70 boats leaves France on October 31st, there will be as many as 250,000 people lining the cliffs of St. Malo watching the departure and another several million watching live on national television. As Oman Air Majan is one of the largest competitors in the race, and Sidney Gavignet, a popular character, there will be a lot of focus on Oman Air as well as Oman the country.
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The new Round Britain and Ireland record set by Sidney Gavignet on Oman Air Majan
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Oman Air Majan
Route du Rhum start: St Malo, 31st October, 2010 Finish: Pointe- à-Pitre, Guadeloupe distancE: 3,542 miles (6 times the length of Oman) The Route du Rhum remains one of the most challenging ocean races. Every edition of the race since it began has its own story, but there is one thing the sailors can be sure of - sailing through severe storms that will test both their body and soul before they finally reach the finishing line in Guadeloupe. Philip Georgiou, Chief Officer of Corporate Affairs, Oman Air, commented: “Oman Air Majan is a magnificent vessel and we are delighted to be sponsoring her in this high
Oman Air Majan:
The Statistics Length
32m
Width
16.5m
Mast Height
32.5m
Mainsail Surface
550m2
Skipper
Sidney Gavignet
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profile international event. At the Happy Baie Festival around 3,000 people came on the first day to see and photograph Oman Air Majan as it is the only boat from the Middle East to take part in the Route du Rhum. We are thrilled that visitors also made many enquiries about the Sultanate’s potential in sailing as well as tourism.”
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Being a part of something so big and so important for Oman is awe-inspiring. Sailing with Sidney and being part of his team is pushing my development and I look forward to bringing Oman Air Majan back home to Muscat from Guadeloupe. Mohsin Al Busaidi
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In an interview with fellow round the world sailor, Sam Davies, Sidney Gavignet was asked about his contribution to the Oman Sail project. He replied as follows: “I am here to teach, to share my knowledge and experience whilst hopefully inspiring people who are new to sailing. The Route du Rhum is a defining event for Oman Sail, it shows the Omani sailors and shore crew what it means to get prepare for a race and the level of hard work and determination that is needed.
Hopefully, France will be a good instructor too. The French are mad about sailing and the Omani team is seeing how diverse the sport is and what it offers. The sport of sailing hardly existed in Oman before Oman Sail but now it’s growing and they are succeeding in their goals.”
Sidney, Bon Vent! Shirley Robinson Double Olympic gold medallist
Mohsin Al Busaidi The first Arab to sail non-stop around the world Sam Davies Team Oman Air Majan
Khamis Al Anbouri Bowman of Oman Sail's Extreme 40 The Wave, Muscat
Saleh Al Jabri Captain Jewel of Muscat
Loick Peyron Skipper of Oman Sail's Extreme 40 Masirah
Paul Campbell-James Skipper of Oman Sail's Extreme 40 The Wave, Muscat
Dame Ellen MacArthur Fellow single handed sailor
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Extreme 40s
Cowes Week At the end of July the Extreme 40 show rolled into the everpopular and competitive arena of Cowes Week. An annual fixture in the world sailing calendar, the event never fails to disappoint with strong winds and over 1,000 boats with a range of speeds and sizes competing in long and short races. The Extreme 40s were racing off Egypt Point on the Isle of Wight, a place which has become a must-visit during Cowes Week as the boats race so close to the shore. The crews of the Oman Sail Extreme 40s are at home in these waters as this is their European training base. Both had high hopes for the event as they have had success here before, Masirah won in Cowes last year and The Wave, Muscat won their class in this year’s Round the Island Race.
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The two teams fought hard and quickly came out on top with two other teams, trading places in the top four throughout the week. It was the crew of The Wave, Muscat, with Khamis Al Anbouri maintaining his role of bowman and joined by Fahad Al Hasani as 5th man, who clinched the overall win in the final race of the event. Masirah pushed hard until the end but were forced into fourth place.
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Cowes delivered more than just success on the water as Oman Sail used the event to showcase Oman. Oman Sail were proud to be able to host His Highness Sayyid Tariq bin Shabib Al Said and the Omani Ambassador to the United Kingdom as well as other distinguished guests in the sophisticated Amouage Lounge. One of the highlights of the week was the appearance of Oman Air Majan. Ahmad Al Harthy, Oman’s famous race car driver, also sponsored by Oman Air, was there with his competition Porsche and joined Sidney Gavignet onboard before having a go on the Extreme 40s. Thousands of members of the public visited the ‘Oman Experience’ and were greeted in true Omani spirit by the Oman Sail staff who spoke passionately about the country and what it offers the discerning visitor. Many of the spectators visited The Wave, Muscat’s stand and had an insight into the properties and lifestyle available in Muscat.
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Extreme 40s
Kiel and Trapani Less than a month after Cowes Week the teams were back in Germany and the sailing city of Kiel. Every year this venue offers a mixed bag of conditions and 2010 was no different. During the four days of competition, the teams experienced gale force winds, torrential downpours, at calms and bright sunshine - all adding up to a great spectacle for the 60,000 people who watched the event. Consistency was the key to success but it took a few gambles on the part of the crew of The Wave, Muscat to ďŹ nish the event in third place, only three points ahead of Masirah who scored their second fourth place in a row. Leg 4 of the Extreme Sailing Series saw the teams travel from Kiel to Trapani, on the beautiful Italian island of Sicily. Racing was in the harbour and it was tight, thrilling and closer than ever. The second day saw strong winds gusting through the race course and many of the Extreme 40s earning their name and sailing right on the edge.
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Loick Peyron and his team on Masirah came within a few degrees of capsizing but managed to recover and push on to claim second overall after four days. The event belonged to The Wave, Muscat as they sailed consistently and reveled in the changing conditions to bring home the gold and stand on the top step of the podium. Going into the last event in Spain it is The Wave, Muscat who lead overall with Masirah only four points behind in fourth.
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The King of the Wave In his debut season as a full-time member of an Extreme 40, Khamis Al Anbouri has gone from strength to strength. Rubbing shoulders with world champions, Olympic sailors and round the world sailors has had a positive effect on him and he is now part of an elite club. The achievement over three years for this quiet yet confident powerhouse is nothing short of extraordinary and comes as a result of Khamis’ drive and commitment to being a world-class sailor and representing Oman.
Watching Khamis mature as a sailor in such a short time has been nothing short of stellar. Any of the Extreme 40s on the circuit would be happy to have him on board and I am proud to have been a mentor to him and help him become a professional sailor. Pete Cumming, Oman Sail Extreme 40 Team Captain
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It has been a long, hard journey to get to this point but it has all paid off. I have learned so much and I am ready and waiting to bring another Omani sailor on the Extreme 40 fulltime. One day I hope to be part of an all Omani team that would be incredible. Khamis Al Anbouri, Bowman- The Wave, Muscat
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Oman Sailing School Five more arrive Senior instructors The development and expansion of the Oman Sailing Schools took another step forward with the successful qualification of five more Omani Senior Instructors. Attending a specialized course at Rockley, in England, all five were assessed on their skills for running a sailing school.
Ali Ambusaidi
Saleh Al Jabri
Summer Times Although the summer months were hot ones, the Sailing School was still a hive of activity. The instructors developed two courses for the summer months; Open Weeks Sponsored by Renaissance Services, these weeks targeted Omani children from the surrounding villages such as Haramel, Al Bustan and Sidab. They were a perfect way
The results are significant in the growth of the programme as the plans for new schools in Musannah, Sur and The Wave, Muscat come closer to fruition. Congratulations to our new instructors.
Omar Al Jabri
Mohammed Al Balushi
to keep the kids entertained whilst learning a new skill, working together and developing leadership. As well as these bright hopes, many of the slightly older Omanis who tried out for full-time positions at the Sailing School were invited back to develop their interest in sailing.
Ali Al Shuhaimi
Sultan’s Armed Forces The Sailing School saw a new angle to regular training with visits from groups representing the Royal Army of Oman (RAO), Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), Royal Guard of Oman (RGO), and Royal Oman Police (ROP) Coastguard. These courses were so successful that an Inter-Services Regatta is planned for later in the year (See Looking Ahead on page 28).
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8th -16th
December
National Team Both the Laser and Hobie 16 teams have focused their training on Europe with the Lasers basing themselves in the 2012 Olympic venue in the UK and the Hobie 16s taking part in events in Germany and Poland. Laser Team The Olympic venue in Weymouth, UK, was chosen specifically by the Laser coach, Mark Rhodes, as it would give the Omani sailors the unique opportunity of sailing with the British Olympic hopefuls and sharpening their skills. It would also give an insight into the level of dedication and commitment needed at that level.
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During their time in the UK the team of eight competed in the Laser Performance Global Regatta that attracted a fleet of thirty boats. Musa’ab Al Hadi showed strong form throughout and finished in fourth place, showing impressive and consistent boat speed. Whilst in the UK the Laser team took the opportunity to visit BAE Systems, their sponsors, and take a tour of three Corvette-Class frigates they are building for delivery to Oman.
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is a key milestone for Oman Sail, as this is “ This the first championship won by a purely Omani
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team. This sets the team up to compete with distinction at the Asian Beach Games. Neil Coxon, Director of Training for Oman Sail
Hobie 16 Team Germany and Poland were chosen by Hobie coach Paul Wakelin as there would be three venues which would offer a similar fleetsize as the teams will see in the Asian Beach Games. The first regatta was Germany’s Kiel Week, the biggest mix-fleet regatta in Northern Europe. All four teams performed well posting good scores in many of the races and showing sharp improvements.
The hardest event was saved for last as the teams made their way back to Europe for the European Championships. This was the toughest competition of all with a very high standard of Hobie sailors out in force, but two Omani teams managed to qualify for the Gold fleet, another magnificent achievement as the teams go to Tanzania for the final warm-up event before the Asian Beach Games.
Next was Poland for the National Championships. Suleiman Al Wahaibi and Abdullatif Al Wahaibi sailed to Gold, a first for Oman and true testament to the burgeoning skills of the sailors. WWW.OMANSAIL.COM 17
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Farr 30 On July 25th, a crisp sunny morning, the crew of Oman Sail’s Renaissance crossed the last finish line of the grueling Tour de France à la Voile. The race began almost exactly one month earlier in the northeast of France and saw the 30-strong fleet sail along France’s coastline to the finish in La Seyne Sur Mer in the southeast. Until this final stage, the race had been plagued with strong currents and unseasonably light winds but perfect sailing conditions presented themselves for the welcoming crowds at the finish. The sight of the whole fleet arriving with spinnakers billowing and crews fighting for balance and speed was an apt finale to the race that
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saw the half Omani, half international crew complete the eight-stages. With a mixed bag of results ranging from 1st to 16th place the crew completed their goal of finishing in the top-five. Their fifth place overall saw them beat many teams who had been together for many editions of the Tour and who had been sailing together for many years. The result is evidence of Renaissance Services ethos that teamwork, leadership and empowering Omanis produces results.
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We gave our maximum, sometimes more, for a month and as a result we reached the goal we set for ourselves. Now I am looking forward to taking the boats back to Oman and being part of Sailing Arabia - The Tour. Nawaf Al Gheedani, 2nd Bow
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Clipper Race
The Final Leg Omani sailors Ahmed Al Ma’amari and Abdullah Al Busaidi left the UK on September 22nd 2009 to race around the world. They were aboard different yachts, Ahmed on Uniquely Singapore and Abdullah on Qingdao, racing against each other and the eight other identical yachts that made up the fleet. Ahead of them lay ten months of watching, listening and learning as they became professional sailors.
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Cape Breton, Canada to Kinsale, Ireland
Cork, Ireland to Ijmuiden, Holland
Ijmuiden, Holland to Hull, England
The last ocean crossing of the race also marked the fleet crossing their outbound longitude, confirmation that they had now sailed around the world! The route across the Atlantic itself was a roller-coaster ride for all the teams and saw them reach their destination in record time for a Clipper fleet. In fact, they were two days quicker than anticipated. Abdullah on Qingdao took third in the leg that brought them closer to Ahmed on Uniquely Singapore’s points tally.
Two days before the fleet left Ireland, all ten boats took part in a parade from Kinsale to Cork where they were moored in the centre of the city. Thousands of people came out over the weekend to see the boats and enjoy the Clipper Festival which the city had put on.
The final hop and skip across the North Sea saw the fleet leave in big seas and storm force winds. The fleet sailing across the wind-farm in the North Sea off Ijmuiden was truly spectacular but it was the sight of the English coast later the next day that fired up the crews of all the boats. This was the end of their epic journey.
During the four-day race to Holland both boats suffered rough waters and mixed fortunes with Uniquely Singapore beating Qingdao by only a few minutes.
July 17th 2010 After sailing almost 41,000 miles, crossing the Atlantic three times and stopping in six continents Ahmed Al Ma’amari and Abdullah Al Busaidi completed the Clipper Round the World Race. Following their friend and colleague Mohsin Al Busaidi, they added the second chapter to Oman’s around the world sailing history. The finish in Hull was watched by almost 100,000 people who lined the waterfront and cheered each boat in to the locks. Several Omani flags were waving in the crowds as friends and family of Ahmed and Abdullah made the journey to welcome them. Both sailors came home to a rapturous welcome in Muscat International Airport. Family, friends and colleagues all showed up to congratulate them and hear their stories. The media also covered their return across local and regional media.
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I have done is “ What something I never would have believed I could do. Two years ago I never would have dreamed that I would sail around the world. Now I am planning what to do next.
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Ahmed Al Ma’amari, Sailor, Clipper yacht Uniquely Singapore
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Jewel of Muscat
Safe arrival After leaving Muscat on the 16th February to great fanfare, Jewel of Muscat made good time as she crossed to Cochin, India and down to Sri Lanka before a very windy crossing to Georgetown, Penang. A brief respite for the crew in Penang was short-lived as the vital trade-winds arrived to carry them down the Malacca Straits and to their destination city of Singapore. Unfortunately the winds didn’t last long and the crew found themselves having to cross the Straits in order to find more wind but she made it to Singapore in time for the celebrations which had been laid-on specially for the arrival of this majestic craft that was to be given to Singapore as a gift.
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The arrival of Jewel of Muscat was cause for great celebration in Singapore with traditional Omani drummers and dancers welcoming them to shore. Captain Saleh Al Jabri’s son had made the journey to welcome his father, as had Mohsin Al Busaidi. Also there to greet them on arrival at Keppel Bay Marina was President S.R Nathan of Singapore and HH Sayyid Harib bin Thuwainy Al Said and an official delegation comprising of HE Sayyid Badr Bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, HE Mohammed Bin Yousuf Al Zarafi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other senior officials.
During the deliberations Saleh officially gifted the Jewel of Muscat to Singapore where her new home will be in the Maritime Xperiential Museum. The museum, which will pay tribute to the maritime silk route and Asia's rich maritime history, is scheduled to open next year.
On september 5th, saleh was awarded one of Oman’s highest accolades, the medal of honour, by his majesty sultan Qaboos. it was presented to him by his Excellency sayyid haitham bin tariq al said at his office in the ministry of heritage and culture.
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The Jewel is not just a ship sailing to Singapore, it is a symbol of peace and friendship between countries. It is worth our applause when one country reconstructs the oldest shipwreck in the Indian Ocean, then sails it across great bodies of water just to give it to another nation. Today, while many nations are involved in wars, two countries took an initiative for peace. 9th Grade Omani Student
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Looking ahead to the next quarter Oman Air Majan October 31st is the most important date in Oman Air Majan’s diary before the end of the year as that is the start of the Route du Rhum. In the lead up to that date she will sail from her current base in Lorient to Saint Malo, the start-point of the race. Once she reaches the finish line in Guadeloupe the shore crew will be there to help Sidney Gavignet and to sail her back to Oman. Once back she will continue to train Omani offshore sailors and shore crew.
Extreme 40s The Extreme Sailing Series finale returns to Almeria in Spain on the 9th October with both Masirah and The Wave, Muscat aiming to be on the top step of the podium again.
activity as sailors from each of the forces come and practice their racing skills under the keen eye of the Omani instructors. On the 14th-15th October the Sailing School will team up with Red Bull as they run an event which will include a Try Sailing session for the public. Forty of the RS Q’Bas will be on the beach in Shatti Al Qurum during the event with instructors on hand to teach and encourage. In an important development, the Oman Sailing School will take over the watersports operations at the Shangri-La. Run by one of Oman Sail’s Senior Instructors, Omar Al Jabri, a 5-star service will offer guests private tuition, boat hire and kids’ clubs.
Oman Sailing School The Sailing School has a busy few months ahead as the weather cools down and more and more young Omanis come sailing. The Inter-Forces Regatta will take place on December 20th so there will be a lot of
The National Race Team will be focused solely on the Asian Beach Games that take place from the 8th-16th December. The Hobie 16 team will compete in Tanzacat that includes short and long
Follow us on facebook for the latest news, competitions and images. www.facebook.com/OmanSail
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distance races to hone the others skills and fitness. The Laser team will compete in Bahrain at the First Asian Beach Games, an important date in the sailing calendar and a chance to sail against many sailors who will be at the beach games.
Renaissance Renaissance will be joined by five other matching Farr 30s in Oman and will be used for the training of Omani sailors and selection of a team for the Tour of Arabia, a new race that will be similar to the Tour de France à la Voile and take teams along the coast of Arabia, ending in Oman. Ahmed Al Ma’amari and Abdullah Al Busaidi will be key members of the teams after their training over the last year in the Clipper Round the World Race.
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Oman Sail’s new website gives you the latest news and action-packed pictures as well as the most exciting videos in one easy to navigate place:
www.omansail.com The site also showcases the Oman Sail fleet as well as profiles the key sailors, instructors and shore crew members who make it all happen.
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Oman Sail LLC. PO Box 2394, Ruwi 112, Sultanate of Oman. Email: info@omansail.com
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