This will be the 16th season of racing between the high-performance owner-driver one design monohulls and will once again bring together the worlds of sailing and business.
Pravasi samwad.com
Muscat – Oman Sail will host nine of the world’s best crews as this year’s 44Cup kicks off at Al Mouj Muscat Marina from 1-5 March 2023. The 44Cup Oman marks the start of a five-event season taking place over the next seven months.
This will be the 16th season of racing between the high-performance owner-driver one design monohulls and will once again bring together the worlds of sailing and business.
Oman’s own team, Oman Sail, is taking part in the first leg of 44Cup this year, following a successful debut at last season’s 44Cup Oman finale. The crew will be skippered by Musab Al Hadi, one of Oman’s most accomplished sailors, with Hussain Al Jabri serving as tactician and Nasser Al Mashari as main trimmer.
The other members of the team include Waleed Al-Kindi, Haitham Al Wahaibi, Akram Al Wahabi, Raad Al Hadi, Yassir Al Rahbi, Abdulrahman Al Mashari, Ali Al Balushi Ahmed Al Hasani.
Among the members is Ibtisam Al Salmi, the first female Omani sailor to race in the 44Cup. All the members together will add valuable experience to the team. They will be supported on shore by Sulaiman Almanji and Piri Nagy.
They will be joined by eight teams from six countries and principalities across Europe, including last season’s winners Charisma representing Monaco, runners-up Ceeref powered by Hrastnik 1860 from Slovenia, and third placed Team Nika also from Monaco. Joining them will be Aleph Racing of France, Sweden’s Artemis Racing, Black Star Racing Team from Switzerland, and Peninsula Racing and Team Aqua from Great Britain.
The 44Cup allows amateur owner drivers to race against some of the world’s best sailors in some of the most beautiful and diverse sailing venues around the world, and the 44Cup Oman will be a unique platform for Omani businesses to meet the owners of the 44Cup boats.
Maryam Al Jadidi, Oman Sail’s Senior Project Manager, said, “We are delighted to host the 44Cup Oman again this year and welcome the teams back to Muscat once more. The race is an ideal opportunity to show Oman’s capabilities as a world class host venue, share the sport with visitors from around the world, and strengthen bonds between sport and business in line with the goals of Oman Vision 2040. Together with our partners, we are looking forward to another exciting exhibition of high-performance racing at Al Mouj Muscat Marina.”
Jessica Gray, 44Cup Communications & Event Manager, said, “This year’s 44Cup promises to be more exciting than ever before with new venues, new crew members and new boats launching. Muscat is hosting the first event of the season and we are look forward to a week of good competitive racing in a wonderful venue. In December 44Cup season finale proved that Al Mouj Muscat Marina is the ideal venue to experience the racing from the shore, and this season’s opening event will give spectators another chance to get close to the action.”
Among the members is Ibtisam Al Salmi, the first female Omani sailor to race in the 44Cup. All the members together will add valuable experience to the team. They will be supported on shore by Sulaiman Almanji and Piri Nagy.
Racing at Al Mouj Muscat Marina begins on Thursday 2 March after a practice day, and continues until Saturday 5 March when the prizes will be awarded. Each race typically lasts 40 minutes or less, with team owners at the help and professional sailors deciding tactics. The action is intense, and teams are frequently separated by just seconds at the finishing line.
The second event in the 44Cup season will be in Marstrand, Sweden, from 28 June-2 July, and then Cowes, UK, from 9-13 August. The fourth event of the season will be at the Alcaidesa Marina in Spain, next to the border with Gibraltar, before heading to Calero Marinas in the Canary Islands for the season finale.
The 44Cup Oman is presented by official partners Oman Sail, organisers of the event, and host venue Al Mouj Muscat, in association with Automotive partner Mercedes-EQ, and official supporters Transom Catering and Tanuf Water.
For more information about the 44Cup, please visit www.44cup.org.
About Oman Sail:
Operating under Oman Tourism Development Company, Oman Sail is tasked with rekindling the country’s maritime eminence, promote the Sultanate around the world through sailing, contribute to the sustainable prosperity of the nation and provide long-term learning opportunities for the youth.
Since 2008, Oman Sail has built a solid foundation around Sailing, Tourism, Commerce, Health and Environment, all underpinned with competency-based development for its workforce. Committed to offering both men and women equal opportunities to learn, Oman Sail’s programmes focus on nurturing young talent to develop the sailing champions of tomorrow, increasing revenue in the tourism, activity and experiential learning markets and gaining prominent international exposure for the country.
The company has a strong track record in delivering a portfolio of events across the Sultanate to showcase Oman’s natural beauty, tourism potential, the people’s hospitality, and the infrastructure readiness for business opportunities. More information can be found on www.omansail.com
More information can be found on our website: www.omansail.com
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