Muscat – Sailors faced another day of challenging tactical waters and stiff competition at the Barceló Mussanah Resort as the 15th Mussanah Race Week and the 3rd Arab Women’s Sailing Championship completed the second day of racing. Fleets across the Optimist, ILCA 4, ILCA 6, ILCA 7, and the Para Inclusive Hansa 303 class pushed their endurance and skill to the limit, with four more races setting the stage for a dramatic final conclusion to both competitions.
Laila Mohamed of Egypt continues to lead the Optimist competition at the 3rd Arab Women’s Sailing Championship with three wins from the four races sailed today, ending the day sixth overall. Oman’s Abeer Kalil Al Zakwani finished the day in second, five points back, and 13th overall after recording one win and three more podium finishes. Dana Abdullah of Bahrain remains in third, 24th overall.
Overall Optimist standings remain the unchanged with leader Khaled Yahya Al Sarihi of Oman on top after the second day with three podium finishes. Krishna Venkitachalam of India is second courtesy of a win in the second-last race of the day, while Mohammed Ziyad Al Qasmi of Oman is third after notching a win and a second placed finish.
The ILCA 4 competition is still led by Karma Waleed of Egypt who repeated yesterday’s form to remain top of the standing after winning the last two races of the day. Hood Saad Al Nofli of Oman and Abdulrahman Al Bahri of the UAE switched places with the Omani sailor in second place after two second placed finishes from the four races. Tarteel Zaid Al Hasani of Oman ends the day fourth overall, and second in the women’s competition. Hadeel Yousef Al Mushairfi of Oman rounds out the top three in the women’s competition, sitting tenth overall in a very close fleet.
Ines Nabel Gmati of Tunisia added two more wins and two second placed finishes to extend her lead in the women’s ILCA 6 category and remain one point clear in the overall standings while Kholoud Mostafa of Egypt is second – third overall, five points behind. Ameena Shah of Kuwait took third with series of third placed finishes, while Maryam Ihab, also of Egypt drops to fourth. Simeon Hristov, representing the UAE, remains second overall the day in second with two wins. Oman’s highest ranked sailor after day two is still Elyas Badar Al Fadhali in eighth overall, while Ibtisam Al Salmi ended the day in ninth overall.
Egyptian sailor Karma Waleed expressed her satisfaction with her performance, saying: “I am happy to maintain my lead and hope to continue performing well in the remaining races. Today's racing was challenging, particularly with the stronger winds and boats competing closely together. This is my second time competing at Mussanah Race Week, having previously participated in 2022. The event offers excellent organisation, varied sailing conditions and strong competition, providing a valuable opportunity for sailors to develop their skills and gain experience.”
Dawood Abdullah of Bahrain excelled today in the ILCA 7 competition, recording two wins and a second place to take top spot from Oman’s Al Mutasem Humood Al Farsi who drops to second. Hamza Ismail Al Ali from the UAE remains third after an impressive day on the water while Oman’s Al Salim Ali Al Hamdani ended the day in forth.
Emirati sailor Hamza Al Ali expressed satisfaction with his performance, saying: “I am pleased to be competing among the top three after returning to racing following a break of nearly 15 months. My previous experience has helped me adapt to the racing conditions, particularly the strong winds, which presented an additional challenge. Mussanah Race Week is one of the key events we look forward to competing in every year, thanks to its excellent organisation, facilities and high level of competition.”
Omani Al Mutasem Al Farsi highlighted the challenging conditions on the second day of racing, saying: “I made a good start in the first race, but the increasing wind strength made the following races more demanding. ILCA 7 requires strong physical fitness to handle changing conditions. The event brings together experienced sailors, making the competition particularly strong. I aim to learn from today's races, improve my performance and achieve better results in the remaining races.”
The Para Inclusive Hansa 303 competition remains close at the top with the crew of Buthaina Al Balushi-Malik Al Qartoob breaking yesterday’s tie with three consecutive wins to lead Anwer Al Balushi-Adil Al Siyabi. The pair of Anas Al Hashmi-Ahmed Al Araimi remain third, with Moosa Al Nafai-Maher Al Balushi fourth, just one point ahead of Hashim Al Hashmi-Sabri Al Alawi in fifth.
As the races reach their height, preparations are now underway for the official closing ceremony and prize-giving celebration. The closing ceremony will be held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Hinai, Ambassador-at-Large at the Oman Foreign Ministry, in the presence of Sheikh Khalifa Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Arab Sailing Federation, and Dr. Khamis Salim Al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail.
Looking ahead to the conclusion of the event and the upcoming closing ceremony, Hamad Al Yahmadi, Project Manager, said: "We are witnessing incredible resilience and high-performance racing across all classes as the competition heats up. As we look forward to our closing ceremony, we are honoured to welcome distinguished leaders and dignitaries to celebrate the achievements of our sailors. These championships continue to serve as a powerful platform for empowering young athletes, accelerating female participation in maritime sports, and fostering regional unity, supported by the world-class infrastructure here at Mussanah."
Praising the professionalism and expertise of the Omani race management team, Marina Psychogiou, Principal Race Officer, said: “The championships feature two racecourses, including a dedicated course for inclusive sailing classes and another accommodating approximately 85 boats across four classes. Managing these races requires careful planning, coordination and experienced race officials. The Omani race management team has demonstrated exceptional professionalism, drawing on years of experience in organising international sailing events to ensure that racing is conducted safely, fairly and efficiently.”
She added: “One of the key strengths of this event is the experience and dedication of the Omani race officials, supported by international expertise. Their work ensures that all participating sailors can compete with confidence in a fair and well-organised environment. It is also encouraging to see two women holding senior leadership positions in race management and judging. This reflects the opportunities available to women in Oman and presents a positive image of the Sultanate’s commitment to supporting women in international sporting events.”
Both Mussanah Race Week and the 3rd Arab Women’s Sailing Championships aim to support Oman Sail’s strategy of nurturing national talent, empowering women in sport, and elevating the nation’s standing as a premier global hub for sports tourism and international events in line with Oman Vision 2040.
The 2026 edition is presented by Renaissance Services as title partner; the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism; Barceló Mussanah Resort as host and bronze partner; alongside supporting partners National Mineral Water Company (Tanuf), the Arab Sailing Association, the Oman Maritime Sports Committee, and the Royal Navy of Oman’s Directorate of Medical Services at the Medical City for Military and Security Services.