Oman Sail’s 49er Team Arrives in Vilamoura Ahead of 8th Portugal Grand Prix

Oman Sail’s high-performance 49er team has arrived in Vilamoura, Portugal, completing the second of two pre-event training camps ahead of the 8th Portugal Grand Prix, which kicks off on 25 February. Representing Oman in the 49er class will be sailors Waleed Al Kindi and Ahmed Al Hasani, competing in an event that gathers some of the world’s top athletes across 49er, 49erFX, ILCA 6, ILCA 7, and 470 Olympic sailing classes.

The team is guided by specialist coach Jacek Nowak, who has supported the sailors through both pre-event training camps and will provide daily coaching during the championship.

Hashim Al Rashdi, Oman Sail’s Head of Performance, highlighted the importance of the event: “The Portugal Grand Prix is a key fixture on the Olympic sailing calendar. It offers an opportunity to learn from the world’s best, test our performance, and fine-tune ahead of Olympic qualifiers. Our aim remains to represent Oman at the Olympic Games and compete for a medal, and racing at this level is essential for our preparation.”

Coach Jacek Nowak added, “Vilamoura presents a new challenge with open-sea racing and highly ranked competitors. Our two training camps here, in January and early February, helped us understand the conditions and strategies needed for success. We are confident in a strong showing at this championship.”

The competition will take place at Marina de Vilamoura, a premier sailing venue that hosted the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championships and serves as a year-round training base for elite sailors. Four days of racing are scheduled to begin on 25 February, marking a crucial stage in Oman Sail’s journey toward Olympic qualification.