Oman’s Optimist National Sailing Squad will have to fend off the challenge from bright new young sailing talent when the 2015 Oman Optimist Championships get underway in Sur next week. The eight members of the squad, fresh from their recent training camp in Greece, will gather for a further week of preparation in Sur before racing starts on August 13, and are expected to be at the peak of their form.

But with more than 40 other youngsters, representing Oman Sail’s four sailing schools, eager to make their mark and putting incumbents under pressure, higher levels of competition and performance are anticipated across the fleet.

“The Optimist squad will be renewed in part this year because some sailors will graduate due to their age and move on to other classes, so there will be at least three places up for grabs,” explained Marina Psichogiou, Manager of Oman Sail’s Omantel Youth Programme which is co-sponsored by Oman Shipping Company.

“This is a big incentive for the youngsters who want National Sailing Squad places. We are one year further down the line and the National Optimist Sailing Squad have been all over the world competing in competitions and training camps. They have gone back to the sailing centres and shared that knowledge and experience with their peers, so we expect to see a higher levels of performance and skills this year.”

Among squad members looking to impress is Zakariya Al Wahabi, the first Omani youth to be crowned National Optimist Champion at the inaugural event last year, who has gone on to represent his country at international Optimist competitions around the world.

He will be keen to retain his crown but will have stiff competition from other squad members looking to impress ahead of the World Optimist Championships in Poland later this month, the IODA Optimist African championships in Algeria in September and the Asian and Oceanian Championships in Doha in October.

Three individual podium places are up for grabs as well as the Under 11 prize which last year was won by Saud Al Abri. In addition, there is the coveted sailing school prize and The Wave, Muscat has plenty to do in 2015 to prevent Sur, Marina Bandar Al Rowdha and Mussanah from wrestling the schools trophy away from them.

The 2015 Oman Optimist Championships will be held at Oman Sail’s newest sailing school at Sur, which was opened last year and funded by Oman LNG. The competitors will arrive on August 11 with a practice race scheduled the following day.

Racing, which will be managed and officiated entirely by Sur coaches, will start on August 13 and continue through to August 16, culminating in a major prize-giving ceremony.