Mussanah: The third day of the 2025 World Sailing Inclusion Championships concluded today in the Sultanate of Oman amid rising competitive momentum and the approach of the championship’s decisive moments.
Organised by Oman Sail, the first edition of this new global event brings together an exceptional lineup of elite sailors from around the world who are all demonstrating exceptional skill and tactical brilliance on the water.
On Monday, the championship will conclude its inaugural edition with an official closing ceremony held under the patronage of Dr. Laila bint Ahmed Al-Najjar, Minister of Social Development, and attended by senior representatives from World Sailing, Dr.
Khamis bin Salem Al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, strategic partners, and participating teams.
The ceremony will mark the culmination of eight days of racing and side events that have strengthened Oman’s position as a global leader in inclusive sailing, affirming the nation’s commitment to Oman Vision 2040—particularly in human empowerment, sports development, and sustainable tourism.
Day Three proved to be a turning point, with notable shifts in the standings across several classes.
Off the water, multiple initiatives echoed the championship’s pillars of inclusion, community engagement, and environmental sustainability, most prominently a beach-cleaning campaign involving sailors and volunteers from various nations.
Sailors are competing across four internationally recognised classes: One Person Keelboat (Hansa 303), Two Person Keelboat (RS Venture Connect), Intellectual Impairment (ILCA 6), and Visually Impaired (FarEast 28R).
The third day of the championship saw continued strong competition across all four categories, with most leaders maintaining their positions as the final day approaches.
In the One Person Keelboat (Hansa 303), Britain’s Rory McKinna kept his lead, followed by Japan’s Takumi Niwa and Portugal’s João Pinto, while Oman’s Malik Al Qurtubi advanced to 11th.
In the Intellectual Impairment (ILCA 6) event, Britain’s Murray Macdonald remained dominant, with Hong Kong’s Tsz Hin Cheung in second and the UAE’s Marwan Suloom holding third.
In the Two Person Keelboat (RS Venture Connect), team Poland, featuring Piotr Cichocki and Olga Gornas-Grudzien stayed on top, Portugal represented by Pedro Câncio REIS and Guilherme Ribeiro moved into second, and Greece represented by Vasilis Christoforou and Thodoris Alexas placed third, while Oman’s Zaher Al Atbi and Hassan Al Lawati ranked 14th.
In the Visually Impaired (FarEast 28R) category, the Great Britain team led by Lucy Hodges continued to lead the fleet, followed by Spain’s Daniel Anglada Pich in second place, while the British team led by Karl Haines slipped to third.
Marwan Suloom (UAE – ILCA 6) expressed his delight at reaching third place: “The competition is incredibly strong. Today’s results reflect our preparation and determination.
We aim to deliver an even stronger performance in the final race day and proudly represent the UAE and Special Olympics UAE.”
Zaida Pérez Bugueño (Chile – Hansa 303) shared how meaningful the championship has been despite flight disruptions and a long journey: “The organisation, facilities, and accommodation is exceptional and perfectly suited for athletes’ needs. Omani hospitality is unique. I’m here to enjoy the experience—sailing for me is therapeutic, and on the water, differences disappear.”
Rory McKinna (Great Britain – Hansa 303) praised the event’s message: “This championship truly embodies inclusivity. The facilities are excellent and easy to access, and my performance has been improving race by race.”
Murray Macdonald (Great Britain – ILCA 6) described the day’s challenges: “The light winds and sea conditions made the racing demanding. I won the first race and recovered from a slow start in the second to take third. Focus is essential until the very last moment.”
Oman is competing in the RS Venture Connect and Hansa 303 classes through Oman Sail’s SailFree programme, joining a field that reflects the rapid global growth of inclusive sailing.
As the final races approach, teams and spectators await the announcement of the first-ever world champions in this landmark edition—a historic moment for inclusive sailing worldwide.
The championship features broad international representation, with teams from across Asia—including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, India, Hong Kong China, Japan, Korea, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, and host nation Oman—and strong participation from Europe, such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Spain, France, the UK, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, and Sweden.
The Americas are represented by Canada, the USA, Chile, Uruguay, and Trinidad & Tobago, while Australia represents Oceania.
This remarkable geographic diversity underscores the championship’s role as a truly global platform, uniting athletes under the shared values of equality, inclusion, and empowerment.
As part of the championship’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability, Oman Sail organised a comprehensive programme of green initiatives to run for the duration of the event.
Beginning with a beach-cleaning campaign in Mussanah, where a team of 91 volunteers from Oman Sail, stakeholders and supporters, and Barceló Mussanah Resort joined forces to remove 106 bags of waste, mostly single- use plastics and discarded fishing equipment, from the beach - as part of efforts to highlight the importance of protecting the environment and reaffirm Oman Sail’s commitment to sustainable sailing, recycling, and waste reduction.
Additional sustainability activities included a food-waste awareness session and a guided bio-digester tour where participants learned how food waste from the venue - including waste generated during the event - is converted into eco-soil used onsite.
A Climate Fresk workshop further inspired athletes and teams through an interactive, science-based card activity designed to deepen understanding of the causes and impacts of climate change.
Together, these initiatives reinforced the championship’s vision of delivering a socially and environmentally responsible global sporting event.
The championships are powered by Oman Sail and Oman Maritime Sports Committee and supported by World Sailing’s global partners Musto and Kuehne+Nagel; Strategic Partners the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, Experience Oman, and the Al Batinah South Governorate; and Bronze Partners Barceló Mussanah Resort, OXY Oman, Visit Oman, Tanuf, and Mazoon Dairy.
