Oman Kite Festival shares the beauty of Al Ashkharah with athletes from around the world

Times of Oman

7 hours ago

Muscat – The penultimate leg of the Oman Downwinder, part of the Oman Kite Festival 2025 set off from the Pink Lagoon headed for Al Ashkharah, demonstrating the untapped natural beauty in the South Al Sharqiyah Governorate. Organized by OMRAN Group in partnership with Oman Sail, Visit Oman, and Oman Adventure Centre, the Oman Kite Festival reflects the commitment of all stakeholders to develop sports tourism and capitalize on Oman's unique coastline as a world-class tourism experience.
Ayman Abdullah Al Ghafri won the leg, ahead of Al Mukhtar Abdul Karim Al Mujainiin second and Ahmed Mohammed from Egypt in third. These results puts Al Mukhtar Abdul Karim Al Mujainion top, with Ayman Abdullah Al Ghafrisecond and Ahmed Mohammed in third.
With just one more leg remaining, from Ras Al Jinz to Ras Al Hadd on 24 July, the Oman Kite Festival 2025 has successfully showcased the potential of the Omani coastline to attract domestic and international tourists as well as reinforced the Sultanate's position on the international map of adventure and marine sports events.
A slalom competition will also take place on 24 July at Ras Al Hadd, showing the complexity of kite surfing and the visual appeal from a spectator perspective with 90 top-ranked international Kite Festival athletes all taking part. This will be followed by the closing ceremony at Sur Waterfront where the prizes will be presented. In attendance will be the Governor of South Al Sharqiyah, H.E Dr. Yahya bin Badr Al Ma'awali, Dr. Hashil Obaid Al Mahrouqi, CEO of OMRAN Group, Dr. Khamis Salim Al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, Senior management from both organizations, and representatives from event sponsors and partners.
Abdullah Al Farsi, Operation Manager, said, 'The Oman Kite Festival is a key part of OMRAN Group's ongoing efforts to promote adventure tourism and harness Oman's natural assets — especially in coastal destinations like Bar Al Hakman, Ras Al Hadd, Masirah, and Al Ashkharah. To be able to do this with such a high caliber of athlete and of competition highlights the potential for Oman's distinctive coastal destinations to become exceptional platforms for tourism experiences.
'The geographic and thematic expansion of this year's festival activities, building on the success of last year's Oman Downwinder, reflects the Group's vision to develop high-quality events that drive tourism movement. This has been an excellent example of institutional collaboration, through a partnership between OMRAN Group, Oman Sail, and the national travel operator, in cooperation with South Al Sharqiyah and Al Wusta governorates, alongside other entities and government authorities — all of whom deserve our sincere appreciation.'
The Oman Kite Festival serves as a platform to showcase the Sultanate's exceptional coastal and marine landscapes, reinforcing its presence on the global tourism map and attracting enthusiasts of adventure sports and international sporting events. Building on the success of the 2024 Oman Downwinder, the festival aims to position key coastal destinations as premier global kiteboarding venues. It also contributes to the promotion of experience-driven tourism in underexplored areas, supports domestic travel, fosters community development, and raises awareness of Oman as a leading destination for adventure and outdoor experiences.
Theevent is organised by the OMRAN Group, Oman Sail, Visit Oman, and Oman Adventures Centerin collaboration with the Governorates of South Al Sharqiyah and Al Wusta, Salty Rider, and Red Bull Oman.