RNO celebrates handing over of Sultan Qaboos Sailing Award

Sports Sunday 02/December/2018 18:22 PM
By: Times News Service
RNO celebrates handing over of Sultan Qaboos Sailing Award

SEVILLE, Spain: The Ministry of Defence, represented by the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) celebrated the handing over of the Sultan Qaboos Sailing Award in Seville, Spain which was held from November 28 to December 2, coinciding with the Sultanate's celebrations of the 48th glorious National Day.
The handing over ceremony was held under the auspices of Kefayah bint Khamis Al Raisiya, the Sultanate's accredited ambassador to Spain.
The eight edition of the award went to a vessel from Denmark in recognition of the efforts made by the vessel’s crew to host a number of youths who have been suffering from some social and legal problems. This gesture had a positive effect on their life. The sailors also provided some youths with training using some of their boats which was commissioned in 1997. The crew captured the award despite tough competition by other sailing boats from around the world.
The Sultan Qaboos Sailing Award is supervised by the Ministry of Defence in cooperation with the Sail Training International (STI). The award had been launched for the first time in Norway in 2011 in response to Royal orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
The Sultan Qaboos Award for Sailing is the world’s most prestigious sailing award. It supports training in sailing all over the world. It is awarded to organizations, individuals and vessels which provide training in sailing. It also provides financial support to 100 of youths involved in sailing and to those who receive training.
The award ceremony was attended by Commodore Salim bin Saif Al Mazine, Commander of Sultan Qaboos Military Academy at the Royal Navy of Oman, RNO officers, STI Chairman and a number of sailing professionals.