Doha: Sail Qatar 2015 will kick off today with the Optimist Team racing, organisers of the event Qatar Sailing & Water-Sports Federation (QSWSF) said here yesterday.
Besides the Optimist Team racing, sailors will compete in the Optimist, Laser 4.7, Laser RDL, Laser STD and Hobie – 16 categories in the five-day sailing regatta.
Sailors from 14 countries including Argentina, UAE, Australia, Belgium, British, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Italy, New Zealand, UK, Singapore, Spain and hosts Qatar will vie for top honours.
The maximum number of competitors will be seen in action in the Optimist class where in 37 sailors will compete for the individual and team events.
Hosts Qatar will have 11 competitors in the Optimist class, the biggest among the countries competing in the Optimist class. Singapore have sent ten sailors, while UAE and Kuwait have five sailors in the category.
Young sailors from Argentina, Belgium, New Zealand and Spain will try to control their sails in the Doha waters.
The local squad in the Optimist consists of Kheireddine Bouchema, Ali Al Sharshani, Abdulla Al Sharshani, Mohcen Al Sharshani, Mohmed Al Sharshani, Ali Al Marhoon, Yacine Al Benzarti, Zaid Al Awamlah, Shahed Al Awamlah, Ghanim Al Sewaidi and Abdurehman Al Nasser.
Nine other local competitors will be try their luck in four other categories of Laser 4.7, Laser RDL, Laser STD and Hobie – 16.
Waleed Al Sharshani and Mohammed Al Mohannadi will be seen in action in Laser RDL, while Faris Al Bakri, Ali Al Muftah and Eman Abu Yusef will sail in Laser STD class. Yusef, is one of the two female sailors Qatar is fielding in the championship.
Garisaa, is the second female sailor from Qatar and will compete alongside team-mates Abdulrehman Al Jeneh and Mohammed Al Sewaidi in the Laser 4.7 class.
Hassan Al Baker is the lone competitor from Qatar who will be competing in the Hobie-16 class .
Today’s action begins from 2.00pm while for the next four days races will start at 11.00am.
The closing ceremony will take place on October 20 and the last three races will be held in the morning session.
Sail Qatar 2015 is one of the two races QSWSF is hosting this month.
From October 23 to 31 QSWSF will also host the IODA Asian and Oceania Championship at the Katara Beach.
The QSWSF said top sailors from Asian and world will be seen in action in the championships.
Elite Qatari sailors are also competing in both championships in line with QSWSF’s long term strategy to encourage Qatari youth participation in sailing and water sports. So far 16 countries have confirmed their participation in the IODA Asian and Oceania Championship and a few of them are likely to do so in the coming days. Among the participating nations which have sent their entries are Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Oman, China Taipei, Qatar, Singapore, USA, Italy, Turkey, Finland, China, UAE, Thailand and India
A total of 118 will be competing, including 38 female sailors. A large of number of officials will also be in Qatar for the championship, informed QSWSF.
Qatar has announced a 16 member squad comprising of four females sailors of , Israa Alsulaiti, Vera Palazzi, Anna Borras and Shahed Al Awamlah. The rest of the Qatar team members are Kheireddine Bouchema, Ali Al Sharshani, Abdulla Al - Sharshani, Mohcen Al Sharshani, Mohmed Al Sharshani, Ali Al Marhoon, Yacine Al Benzarti, Zaid Al Awamlah, Gililiano Palazzi, Ghanim Al Sewaidi, Abdurehman Al Nasser and Maxence Boggio.
In February, QSWSF hosted the Qatar International Regatta, Sail the Gulf and Qatar Match Racing.
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