Oman’s global event hosting capabilities has been given a huge endorsement, with Oman Sail being selected to host the World Championships for three Olympic classes – 49er, 49erFX and Nacra at Al Mussanah Sports City, the first global Olympic sailing class event post the Tokyo Games.
Teams from all over the world will journey to the Sultanate to participate in the championships hosted at the world-class Al Mussanah Sports City in November 2021 in a week-long festival of sailing. Commenting on the same, Oman Sail CEO David Graham said: “Oman has an impressive history of hosting international sailing events, and we are proud to add the 2021 49er, 49erFX and Nacra World Championships to that list. The superb facilities in Mussanah, which are the legacy of the 2010 Asian Beach Games, have been a successful venue for many sailing events including the Laser World Championships, the RS:X Worlds, Laser Radial Championship and the IODA Asian and Oceanian Championships in 2019.”
The sailing community across the globe has come to love Oman’s beautiful landscapes, peace loving people, rich culture and heritage and exceptional hospitality. Speaking about the opportunity, Oman Sail Head of Marketing Aisha Al Mahrami said, “Compiling the bid document was a team effort but it is easy writing about our beautiful, welcoming, and peaceful country.
“The late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, God Rest His Soul, established Oman Sail to reignite Oman’s maritime heritage and it is this mission that drives us. We are delighted we won; it is for him.”
The news that Oman will host the 2021 49er, 49erFX and Nacra World Championships has been applauded by the global sailing community. President of Asian Sailing Federation, Malav Shroff said, “I was highly impressed with Oman Sail’s hosting capabilities during the 2019 International Asian and Oceanian Optimist Championships, which saw almost 200 of the world’s best young sailors compete at the Al Mussanah Sports City. It’s an Olympic standard sailing venue and the organisation was of the highest possible standard. The conditions were also perfect; the winter months in Oman, which are characterised by blue skies, warm weather, and a consistent windspeed of around 14 knots, are just made for sailing.”
As well as showing the world the culture and rich history of Oman, the 2021 World Championships will be the first time for many people in Oman to see current Asian 49er Champions Musab Al Hadi and Waleed Al Kindi in action. The pair are currently prepping for their attempt to become the first Omani Sailors to qualify for the Olympic Games in Abu Dhabi.