(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Community spirit was as much a winner as sailing at Muscat's Shatti al Qurm beach at the weekend where more than 2,000 visitors arrived to ensure the success of Oman Sail's ‘Try Sailing' event.The response to the two-day event, which invited adults and children to try dinghy sailing, kite surfing, banana boating and other fun water sports even took the organisers by surprise.With registration for 300 participants per day quickly filled to capacity on both Thursday and Friday, many more were also eager to get out on the water and try their hand, all of which points to the growing popularity and interest in the sport.Scores of social media posts and photographs by enthusiastic bloggers on Facebook and Twitter confirmed the success of the event with constant messages and pictures streaming about the many fun activities ashore and out on the water.‘Fantastic event! Thanks for the family fun and wonderful memories,' said one tweet. Another wrote: ‘@Oman Sail great initiative at the Shatti beach! Well done!'Participants at the beach were also full of praise. ''I'm happy to be involved in this event together with my family, to enjoy the rides on the boats allocated to experience sailing. It gave a good impression to my children."I would like to thank Oman Sail for creating events like these that attract hundreds of sailing fans,'' said one mother.One of the fathers said he had heard about Try Sailing through the media and brought his children to see what it was all about: ''We enjoyed the day and had so much fun learning about the sea and sailing."The sailing instructors taught our children also about the qualities needed for sailing like the patience and endurance. It is a good thing.''Issa al Ismaili, Oman Sail's director of events, said the response and interaction that took place among the community both before and during the event went way beyond their expectations for the event.Ismaili thanked the Ministry of Tourism for its support in promoting the public beach sailing event as part of the Muscat 2012 campaign.He also thanked the radio partners for the wide coverage and all the other media representatives for the assistance they gave to creating what will be remembered as a great family event for everyone, Omanis and expats, old and young alike.''The event will help promote Oman Sail's commercial activities such as sailing, yacht chartering and other water sport activities that are offered in our sailing school for both nationals and expats in Oman and we hope to see more such water activities,'' said Ismaili.The ‘Public beach event' in Muscat will be followed by a similar event in Sohar in November. Three further events are planned for 2013.The ‘Public beach sailing events' serve as an introduction to the many other opportunities offered by Oman Sail for enjoying sailing either as a regular sport, as a leisure activity to enjoy with friends, for corporate team building or as a way to relax and entertain clients and business associates.A wide range of packages are available, from corporate packages, to sail training at one of three sailing schools where courses are accredited by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), or even the option of a day or overnight charter cruise on a 44ft luxury catamaran.
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