Muscat, Oman, is to host the final and deciding event of the 2022 44Cup season, set to be held from 7 - 11 December.
Hosted by Oman Sail, Muscat will be the last event of the five-stop international tour in 2022.
The 44Cup features Ireland's Simon Johnson and Cian Guilfoyle as crew in the 10-boat fleet.
As previously reported, this started in Lanzarote in Spain in early February and continues to Cascais in Portugal, Marstrand in Sweden and is followed by its World Championship in Portoroz, Slovenia before heading for its grand finale in the Middle East.
Muscat will extend a warm welcome to the fleet of ten high-performance one-design RC44s, which will be based in and racing on the warm waters off Al Mouj Marina in the heart of the Omani capital.
Muscat and Al Mouj Marina are well known to the 44Cup crews, having hosted the fleet here in 2013, when it was won by Chris Bake's Team Aqua and in 2014 when the top trophy went to Vladimir Prosikhin's Team Nika. "There is a passion for sailing in Oman and thanks to Oman Sail, a great development programme for youth sailing. As a professional racing circuit, the fact that the conditions are tricky is ideal for exciting racing. We had a lot of fun sailing there last time we went," explains Team Aqua's tactician Cameron Appleton.
Since 2009 Oman Sail has been attempting to rekindle the country’s maritime eminence and to provide opportunities for the Omani youth to learn from the sport of sailing.
Oman Sail has become a globally recognised initiative in the process. Omani high-performance sailors are now competing in several leading racing circuits and Oman Sail hosts an increasing number of key international events along their nation’s splendid coastline. In 2021 alone they hosted, among others, the Asian Windsurfing Championships, the 2021 49er, 49er FX and Nacra 17 Asian and World Championships, the ILCA Radial World Championship in Mussanah and brought the sailing season to a close with the successful hosting of the Youth Sailing World Championships.
Welcoming the 44Cup to Oman, CEO of Oman Sail Dr. Khamis Al Jabri said: "The high-speed, high-performance racing on show during the 44Cup is always a spectacular sight to behold. With some of the world’s best professional sailors competing, the ideal winter sailing conditions will provide an excellent arena for the top prizes to be decided. We look forward to welcoming the teams to Oman and sharing our famed warm hospitality at the finale of this year’s series."
Artemis Racing's tactician Andy Horton added: "It feels like an adventure to go to Oman for a regatta. The climate is perfect for winter racing, the culture and the people are welcoming. It's always exciting to go back.”
