Lucky enough to take part in the first race of the day of the Extreme Sailing Series in Sydney as a guest sailor, KarryOn donned a life-jacket, strapped on a helmet, and hopped aboard a boat – courtesy of Oman.
And it was a successful day for the Arabian Peninsula nation, with the two Omani teams (The Wave, Muscat and Oman Air) on form, winning three races on this opening day on the final act of the series.
With an 11-point series lead going into this final act, Leigh McMillan and his crew – including recently crowned ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year, Sarah Ayton – on The Wave, Muscat were keen to retain their momentum at the top of the fleet and indeed they did, ending the day with three impressive wins.
However, it was team mates on Oman Air who really stole the show with two opening wins and a concluding star performance in the closing race of the day (race 8).
Yet despite the stellar Omani performance yesterday, it was the Danish SAP Extreme Sailing Team who clocked up the most consistent results yesterday to take the overnight lead.
The sailing race is all part of continued efforts by Sultanate of Oman Tourism and Oman Sail to promote the country to an international audience, in a bid to draw more tourism to what many visitors describe as one of the friendliest and hospitable countries in the world.
“I think Oman really stands out as one of those places where you’re going to have a nice time and you’re going to feel safe and people will go out of their way to make you feel welcome.”
Sarah Ayton, crew member, The Wave, Muscat
And these efforts seem to be working.
According to Assim Al Saqri of Oman Sail, many Australians choose Oman again and again as their holiday destination, attracted by the delicious Omani cuisine, outdoor activities (including camping, trekking and camel safaris) and of course sailing trips.
Sailing is a huge part of Omani culture. With more than 3,000 km of sparkling coastline and a history that’s as long as it is legendary – ever heard of Sinbad the Sailor? Yep, he’s Omani – Oman is a bona-fide maritime nation.
In addition to the two Omani teams taking part in the Extreme Sailing Series event, the Sultanate of Oman Tourism have also set up an Oman Tourism Pavilion – described as a “mini Oman” by Assim Al Saqri of Oman Sail – that opened this morning and will run over the weekend.
It will be a voyage of discovery for visitors to Farm Cove who will learn about what the Sultanate of Oman has to offer the discerning traveller.
According to Ben Alcock, the PR & Communications Director for Sultanate of Oman Tourism, the Extreme Sailing Series in Sydney is the perfect chance for Aussies to cheer the Omani boats on and visit the pavilion, where they can sample sumptuous dates, view presentations, have a traditional henna tattoo applied, and find out more about this up-and-coming destination.