(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) The EFG Sailing Arabia-The Tour (SATT) received a boost on Saturday with the participation of Team Abu Dhabi in Saturday's in-port races at the Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club (ADSYC).
Team Abu Dhabi's participation in the SATT's in-port races is expected to be more than just symbolic as it is set to pave the way for closer ties between Oman Sail and the ADSYC, according to Issa al Ismaili, Oman Sail's events director.
Ismaili told Muscat Daily, ''The participation of Team Abu Dhabi in the in-port races is the first step towards greater cooperation in the time to come. It underlines our goal to promote the SATT as an offshore race for regional sailors.''
He added, ''The officials at the ADSYC have supported this race from the beginning. Over the last two years, the club has purchased two Farr 30 boats with the aim of developing keel boat racing.''
The top Oman Sail official said, ''Plans are underway to have a bilateral agreement with them (ADSYC). As part of the cooperation, sailors from Abu Dhabi will get to train with Omani sailors in Oman, and the arrangement would be reciprocal. It would help sailors from Oman and Abu Dhabi get good training and match practice.''
Ismaili said the interest shown by the ADSYC could also open the doors for other GCC nations to participate in the SATT.
Ismaili said, ''New entrants can begin by taking part in the in-port races. After getting an idea of their abilities, they can then move on to offshore racing. The plan laid out by the ADSYC is a positive one.''
Majed Ateeq al Mehairi, the chief executive officer of the ADSYC, said, ''We are seeking cooperation from Oman Sail as they have excellent facilities and top quality sailors. Hopefully, our tie-up with Oman Sail will be beneficial to both the si
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.