Tuesday 12 / August / 2025
Muscat: A team of four Optimist sailors from Oman Sail will represent the nation at this year’s International Optimist Team Race in Cologny, Switzerland, from 14-17 August 2025. Led by Hashim Al Rashdi, Oman Sail’s Head Coach – Performance, and coached by Sultan Al Zadjali, the team will join 12 teams from around the world on Lake Geneva for an unforgettable sailing experience.
The team comprises Khamis Nasser Al Meshaikhi, Mohammed Ziyad Al Qasmi, Tarteel Zaid Al Hasani and Hadeel Yousuf Al Mushaifri. Racing will be in teams of four, beginning with a round-robin phase, to give all teams the opportunity to compete against each other. From there, the quarterfinals and semifinals will see competition intensify, before the coveted finals.
Hashim Al Rashdi, Head Coach - Performance, said, “This is another exciting opportunity for our young sailors to gain experience in a high-calibre competition. The waters of Lake Geneva have been home to elite sailing for decades and it is an honour to take part at the 2025 International Optimist Team Race. We will be aiming for a good performance and continue the progress we have made together this season.”
Khamis Nasser Al Meshaikhi, member of the Optimist team, added, “It will be a great experience to test ourselves against other young sailors from around the world. We are all improving with each race, and in training, so this gives us the chance to put those learnings into practice and see where we rank as a team. There are several competitions in the coming months, so every race is important in terms of our development.”
The 2025 International Optimist Team Race is organised by the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG). More information about the event is available here.
The team will arrive in Switzerland after competing in the African Optimist Championship from 2–9 August in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which featured 75 sailors from 14 nations. Khamis Al Meshaikhi finished 18th overall, followed by Tarteel Al Hasani in 36th, Hadeel Al Mushaifri in 45th, Mohammed Al Qasmi in 47th, and Khalid Al Sarhi in 52nd.
Following the conclusion of the event, the team will head to Sur for the Oman Sailing Championship from 18-22 August, before beginning their preparations for 14th edition of Mussanah Race Week from 15-22 October and the IODA Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship, also held in Mussanah, from 25 October – 1 November.
