Saturday, 1st of November 2025
Thailand crowned champion as Singapore dominates podium at 2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship in Oman
Top Aussie in the event was William Harris from Woollahra Sailing Club in Sydney, who finished 30th in the 170 boat fleet.
The 2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship concluded yesterday following a week of exciting and closely contested racing. Hosted and organised by Oman Sail in collaboration with the Oman Maritime Sports Committee and the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA), the championship took place from 25–31 October at Oman Sail’s Mussanah Sailing School at Barceló Mussanah Resort, with more than 180 sailors from 25 countries across Asia and Oceania competing for continental honours.
The closing ceremony was held under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Al Harrasi, Minister of Information, in the presence of several ambassadors, dignitaries, and representatives from the IODA. Champions across multiple categories were celebrated, marking the successful conclusion of a spectacular week of racing under ideal conditions along Mussanah’s shores. This event reaffirmed the Sultanate of Oman’s reputation as a leading host of international sailing championships, building on a successful edition in 2019.
The 2025 edition featured thrilling races and a high level of performance as sailors demonstrated remarkable skill and determination. Thailand and Singapore emerged as the standout nations, sharing top honours after a week of intense competition in perfect sailing conditions.
In the Team Racing Championship, Singapore Team 1 showcased exceptional teamwork to win the 2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Team Racing title, ahead of Thailand, with Singapore Team 2 securing third place. On a continental level, Singapore Team A was recognised as the Top Asian Team, while Team New Zealand earned the title of Top Oceanian Team.
In the Nations Cup, Team USA claimed victory, followed by Argentina 2 in second place and Argentina 1 in third, highlighting the depth of young sailing talent worldwide.
In the highly anticipated Individual Gold Fleet, Sorawit Naksuk from Thailand delivered a dominant performance to secure the 2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship title and the IODA Perpetual Trophy. Ethan Chia from Singapore finished second, while Storm Husky Kim from the USA claimed third place, rounding off an elite podium.
In the Girls’ Division, Anya Zahedi from Singapore was crowned the Best Girl Sailor following consistent racing. She received the IODA Perpetual Trophy, ahead of Li Yuxuan from China and Shreya Lakshminarayanan from India.
In the Bronze Fleet, Soki Higuchi from Japan took first place, followed by Kaito Nakamura also from Japan and Tarteel Al Hasani from Oman. The Silver Fleet saw Kornelia Pajak from the UAE take first, Simon Katz from Argentina second, and Roberta de Oliveira Horn from Brazil third.
Team Oman notably finished with Mohammed Al Qasmi at 42nd overall. Dr. Khamis bin Salem Al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, noted the week as an exceptional showcase of sportsmanship and cultural exchange.
The ceremony concluded with the official handover of the IODA flag to Team Sri Lanka, the host nation for the 2026 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship. Commemorative gifts were presented to IODA and QNB Oman in recognition of their invaluable support.
The 2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship was hosted at Oman Sail’s Mussanah Sailing School, a certified Category A High-Performance Centre.
You can find the results of the 2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship here.
#OptimistChampionship #OmanSail #SailingAustralia #YouthSailing #SailToWin
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