Tuesday 16 / June / 2026
Muscat: A squad of five Optimist sailors from Oman Sail will travel to Tanger, Morocco, for the 2026 Optimist World Championship, beginning on 18 June 2026. The 10-day event, held at the The Royal Yacht Club de Tanger under the authority of the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA), brings together 292 of the world’s best young sailors from over 72 nations around the globe.
Representing Oman will be Mohammed Sulaiman Al Balushi, winner of the bronze medal in the U11 category at the 2026 Arab Sailing Championships, Mohammed Nabel Al Balushi, Khalid Yahya Al Sarihi, silver medalist in the Optimist class at the 2026 Arab Sailing Championships, Mohammed Ziyad Al Qasmi and Mohammed Said Al Qartoubi. The team will be coached by Sultan Al Zadjali and Nawaf Al Ghadani, the team leader.
Nawaf Al Ghadani, Deputy Head of Sailing Schools and Team Leader, said, “The Optimist World Championship is the highlight of the Optimist calendar. Sailors from around the world have been training all year for this opportunity – as have we, and we are going to Morocco with great preparation and high hopes for an excellent performance.”
Sultan Al Zadjali, Assistant Head Coach Youth, added, “Our sailors have been performing at a high level all season and with each event the team gets stronger. The Optimist World Championships are a great chance to represent the nation on the global stage, gain experience at a world-level competition and, hopefully, bring medals home to Oman.”
Racing begins on Saturday 20 June and will continue for a full week, until the Medal Series on Saturday 27 June, with 12 racings scheduled in total.
The 2026 Optimist World Championships are the latest in a busy season for the team, which continues with a Summer Sailing Camp at Ras Al Hadd where they will join Oman Sail’s full roster of sailing teams for five weeks of preparation. The Optimist team will compete at the 2026 Optimist European Championships in Gydnia, Poland, at the end of July, before returning home to Oman for the Oman Sailing Championship in August. The action continues into October with the 15th edition of Mussanah Race Week.
Oman Sail’s commitment to developing the youth of Oman extends beyond sailing by providing opportunities for life-long learning and leadership development where the skills learned on the water and in a sailing environment can be applied to a multitude of situations. Oman Sail has also earned a reputation as a valued host venue, partner, and member of the world sailing community. By promoting the country regionally and internationally, Oman Sail has been able to welcome to the world to its shores and use sailing to deliver on the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
