The event was held under the patronage of HE Federica Favi, Ambassador of Italy to the Sultanate of Oman, and Dana Sarhani, RAHBC Commodore, and in partnership with the Italian Sailing Federation, Oman Sail, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and the Italian Embassy in Muscat at Sohar Gardens.
The Ras Al Hamra Boat Club (RAHBC) last night warmly welcomed Caterina Banti, Gold medalist at Tokyo 2020 in the Nacra 17 class to Oman for an exclusive evening with the Italian and sailing communities in Oman on Nov 10 .
The event was held under the patronage of HE Federica Favi, Ambassador of Italy to the Sultanate of Oman, and Dana Sarhani, RAHBC Commodore, and in partnership with the Italian Sailing Federation, Oman Sail, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and the Italian Embassy in Muscat at Sohar Gardens.
Guest speakers also included Dr Francesco Ettore, President of the Italian Sailing Federation, and Dr Khamis Al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail.
The guests were warmly welcomed by Adel Foory, President of RAHRC and his team who manage the club and its 45 sections that are run primarily by volunteers since 1961. Adel commented “we are proud of our sailing community who have navigated their way through the last few months and have kept their passion for sailing alive despite restrictions with courses and activities. They were the last community to host an event in 2020 and the first community to host their RAHBC annual regatta when things reopened”.
Dana Sarhani, RAHBC Commodore, said, “It is a great honour to welcome Caterina Banti to Oman and provide an opportunity for her to share her sailing experiences and achievements with Club members. We are equally honoured that Dr Ettore and Dr Al Jabri can share stories from their extensive maritime careers. Oman and Italy both have a deep affinity with the sea and sailing, and we were able to hear first-hand their visions on the future of this sport and gather the views of those best placed in Oman to make these plans a reality.”
Caterina Banti is the one of the most successful sailors in Italian history, winning gold at the 2018 Nacra 17 World Championships, and three gold medals at the Nacra 17 European Championships between 2017 and 2020. Her gold in Japan with teammate Ruggero Tita was Italy’s fourth Olympic gold medal in sailing and the first since 2000.
Guests were enthralled by the story of her rise through the sport, the determination to qualify and how she coped with the postponement of the Games. Dr Ettore shared an insight into the strategy for a more inclusive and youth-oriented sport while Dr Al Jabri gave his perspective on sailing in Oman and the potential for Oman Sail to win a medal at future Olympic Games.
Caterina Banti is the one of the most successful sailors in Italian history, winning gold at the 2018 Nacra 17 World Championships, and three gold medals at the Nacra 17 European Championships between 2017 and 2020. Her gold in Japan with teammate Ruggero Tita was Italy’s fourth Olympic gold medal in sailing and the first since 2000.
Other speakers throughout the evening included champion sailor Musab Al Hadi; Ibtisam Al Salmi, one of the first female sailors in the country; Oman Sail’s Head of Performance Hashim Al Rashdi; and manager of SailFree, the first para sailing programme in the region, Khamis Al Anbouri.
Each panellist answered questions on the future of the sport, with a particular focus on how sailors can use their position to encourage more women and young people to take to the water whilst also highlighting the values of hard work, dedication and teamwork.
The evening concluded with a reception and the commitment by stakeholders to further explore joint ways of working together to benefit the sport of sailing both in Oman and Italy.
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
About Ras Al Hamra Recreation Club (RAHRC)
The RAHRC was established in the early 1970’s by Petroleum Development Oman PDO as a recreational facility to cater for its employees. The RAHRC has organically evolved over the years as a volunteer based recreational club that is primarily run by members.
RAHRC offers a diverse array of recreational activities that include a library, toddlers hut, arts and crafts section, amongst a thriving sports community which has tennis, volleyball, football, as well as a Hispanic, Dutch, Canadian to name a few sections that traditionally host events at the club.
The community is thriving and is managed by Saleh Sharji, General Manager who oversees the operations of assets and the all 45 sections and a dedicated team. Adel Foory, is a honorary President, selected by PDO leadership for his excellence in leadership skills and is spearheading the futuristic development of the club.
The RAHBC was established in the early 1970’s by volunteer sailors. It hosts a community with various sections, that include Sailing, Windsurfing, diving, kayaking, stand up pad
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