As the global governing body for sailing, World Sailing prioritizes the development and promotion of the sport worldwide. In the Middle East, a region often highlighted in the media for negative reasons, World Sailing is making strides to foster competitive sailing.
The first of two recent workshops took place in Aqaba, Jordan, where nine participants—six men and three women—completed a Level 1 Technical Course for Coaches. Led by Mohamed Gamal, a World Sailing Coach Developer from Egypt, the course focused on equipping attendees with the skills to teach beginners how to sail. By the end of the training, participants were expected to help their students read weather reports, assess sailing conditions, rig and launch their boats, navigate safely in any direction, and return to their starting point in winds of 5–15 knots. Supported by the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity fund and organized in collaboration with The Royal Jordanian Marine Sports Federation, this initiative aims to create a robust foundation for teaching sailing in Jordan and to support the sport’s growth in the region.
In another effort to promote gender equity in sailing, World Sailing hosted its first all-female Race Management Clinic in Dubai, UAE. Held in partnership with the UAE Sailing and Rowing Federation at the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club in Jumeirah, the clinic was led by International Race Officers Pınar Coskuner Genç (Turkey) and Becky Ashburn (USA). Genç, who served as the Principal Race Officer at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and Ashburn worked with 20 women from Algeria, Greece, Iran, Morocco, the UAE, and the UK.
The clinic covered the theoretical and practical aspects of race management, including the rules and logistics of organizing regattas. Participants also applied their knowledge on the water, preparing them to contribute to high-level sailing competitions such as the World Sailing Championships and the Olympic Games. The program included the new Level 0 online course alongside the traditional Level 1 curriculum.
“This is an exciting new initiative for World Sailing, and we’re proud to host the first all-women’s race management clinic in the Middle East,” said Ashburn. “We’ve brought together coaches, sailors, and volunteers eager to participate in race management. By blending classroom learning with practical, on-water training, we’re building skills to set effective race courses and run successful regattas.”
Both the Royal Jordanian Marine Sports Federation and the UAE Sailing and Rowing Federation plan to build on the momentum of these sessions. Jordan is set to host a Level 2 Race Coach Course in 2025, while the UAE aims to organize a Judging Clinic and additional coaching courses to further strengthen the sport’s regional development.
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