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Renaissance Interschool Regatta showcases Oman's talent

Renaissance Interschool Regatta showcases Oman's talent

Observer02-03-2025
MUSCAT: The Renaissance Interschool Regatta (RIR) 2025 produced excellent sailing, tense racing and offered a glimpse at Oman's future sailing stars as 45 schoolchildren took to the waters of Al Mouj Muscat in their Optimist dinghies. Brought together from 15 government schools in Muscat, Sur and Al Mussanah, and part of the Oman Sail Community Sailing Program, sponsored by Renaissance Services, the sailors all showed how impressive their progress has and how bright their futures could be.
Mohammed al Balushi (Musab bin Al-Zubair Basic Education School, Al Mussanah) won the boy's event after a close battle with Ibrahim al Maskari (Durat Al-Ajyal Basic Education School, Muscat) who had to settle for second place. Timur al Amri (Durat Al-Ajyal Basic Education School, Muscat) finished third. In the girl's competition, Mariam al Hadhrami (Al-Safa Basic Education School, Mussanah) won the gold medal ahead of Mariam al Hashar (Sur Basic Education School, Sur) who finished second, with Jameela al Jalboobi (Sur Basic Education School, Sur) finishing third.
Top three winners of School Category
Sur Basic Education School ended the regatta as the best performing school. Sailors from the school edged Durat Al-Ajyal Basic Education School, Muscat, into second and the Al-Rawae Basic Education School, Muscat, took the bronze.
Stephen R Thomas, CEO, Renaissance Services, said, 'The Renaissance Interschool Regatta is a great opportunity to showcase the benefits of the Community Sailing Program. We are pleased to support these young sailors through this programme, which not only teaches them how to sail but also imparts valuable lessons that go beyond the sport. It is encouraging to see so many young people taking an interest in sailing and contributing to Oman's rich maritime traditions.'
The Renaissance Interschool Regatta
Abdulaziz al Shidi, Oman Sail's Acting Director Sailing, added, 'The Interschool Regatta, sponsored by Renaissance Services, is one of the leading youth sports events in Oman, combining competition with a focus on enriching the community. Through sport, the sailors learn valuable lessons to take with them on and off the water, and starting with the Community Sailing Program, Oman Sail and Renaissance Services are delighted to create a platform to develop the abilities of young Omanis.'
The Oman Sail Community Sailing Program, sponsored by Renaissance Services, has already introduced 301 boys and girls to the sport this year as part of an annual commitment to teach a total of 900 students aged 8-10 from government schools in Al Batinah South, Al Sharqiyah South and Muscat governorates each year.
Each student takes part in a five-week sailing course with one weekly session on the water using the Optimist boat and participates in a beach clean-up to help keep the environment clean for Oman's native wildlife and marine species – as well as ensuring sailors of all ages and levels can enjoy clean seas.
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