DOHA: The six-day Qatar Optimist Cup 2014 – contested by 32 Sailors from eleven countries - will kick off from today at Katara’s Cultural Village.
The event, which is open for competitors born in 1999 or after, is organised by Qatar Sailing and Rowing Federation (QSRF) in cooperation with Doha Sailing Club. The event will end on January 2.
Besides hosts Qatar, sailors from Algeria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Netherlands, Switzerland and Turkey will be seen in action at the championship.
The first day is reserved for practice and also for the opening ceremony while one day is set aside for team racing.
Qatar is one of the four countries which will field sailors in both the boys and girls categories.
Turkey, India and Netherlands will have one girl competitor each in the event.
As many as three races will be competed per day, depending on the weather conditions.
Hosts Qatar will field a total of 13 sailors in the weeklong event.
The Qatari squad includes Khairadin Bu Shama, Zeyad Al Awalma, Yasin Benzarti, Ali Al Sharshani, Abdullah Al Sharshani, Moshin Al Sharshani, Mohammad Al Sharshani, Ali Al Marhoun, Rashid Al Awalma, Abdulrahman Al Nasr, Ghanim Al Sulait and Rashid Talfat.
Meanwhile the Organising Committee chaired by Khalifa Al Suwaidi, the QSRF President held coordination meeting with different committees to discuss organisational issues and ahead of the championship.
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