Oman's Olympic Class sailors travel to Poland in preparation for 2026 Asian Games
With the Games getting underway in just over 12 months' time, the duo of Musab al Hadi and Waleed al Kindi will travel to Gdynia, Poland, for five days of racing from 14-18 June 2025 with two days of practice before the competition begins.
Hashim al Rashdi, Oman Sail's Head Coach Performance, said: 'Participation in the 49er, 49erFX, and Nacra 17 Open Polish Championships is a key component of our strategy for the 49er Performance Team.
'Our ultimate goal is to win a medal in sailing for Oman at the Olympic Games, and with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games just over three years away, we have to expose our sailors to a high calibre of competition in order to improve. These championships are another opportunity to improve, to learn and to fulfil this objective.'
Jacek Nowal, 49er Coach, added, 'This is an important step on our road to the Asian Games 2026 in Japan. Our sailors have the opportunity to compete against and learn from some of the very best in the world in a very high-level championship. We aim to use this event to acclimatise our sailors to the levels we are aiming for, to maximise their strengths and learn to overcome the challenges most commonly encountered on the water ahead of the Asian Games 2026, which is likely to be a qualification event for the LA28 Olympic Games.'
The 49er, 49erFX, and Nacra 17 Open Polish Championships are organised by the Polish Yachting Association. A maximum of 15 races will be sailed across the five days of the event, with the medal races scheduled for Friday.
The event is held as part of the 26th annual Gdynia Sailing Days festival, one of the largest and most prestigious sailing festivals in Europe – lasting 20 days.
Located on the Baltic Sea, the port city boasts a rich maritime history and a growing reputation as a sailing destination. Gdynia will also host the World Sailing Championships in 2027, which will also be a qualification event for the LA28 Olympic Games.
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