 |
From the left: Trainee Gaute Mæland Goa, Chairman Sail Training International Nigel Rowe, Her Excellency Zainab Ali Al Qasmiyeh, Commodore Yaqoob bin Yousuf Al Kamashki, Deputy Mayoress Bjørg Tysdal Moe and trainee Charlotte Emilie Olaussen. Photo: E. Ashley. |
Sail Training International today announces a unique new trophy and annual bursary scheme funded by the Sultanate of Oman.
The bursary scheme will see a €50,000 (NOK 400.000,-) invested every year to assist young people from around the World to benefit from the life-changing experience gained from participation in the races and regattas organised by Sail Training International.
The scheme will help to fund 100 young people every year, with a particular focus on the disadvantaged and disabled.
As part of this collaboration with Sail Training International, the Sultanate of Oman has donated a new prestige trophy to be awarded for the first time this year at the International Sail Training and Tall Ships Conference 2011, Sail Training International’s annual conference. The Sultan Qaboos Sailing Trophy will be presented to an individual, vessel operator, or sail training organisation for ‘outstanding services to sail training for young people’.
The bursary scheme is being piloted this year with 25 young trainees selected by the national sail training organisations of Belgium, France, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. They will all participate in the final leg of The Tall Ships Races 2011 from Stavanger (Norway) to Halmstad (Sweden), starting 31 July.
Charlotte Emilie Olaussen and Gaute Mæland Goa, both 17 year old students from Stavanger, Norway, is two of the lucky trainees selected for the pilot scheme racing to Halmstad, Sweden on Norwegian vessel, Prolific.
Ms Olaussen comments: “I’m extremely excited about the adventure ahead and didn’t ever imagine that I would be sailing to Sweden this summer, which will be my first time at sea. It’s been fantastic meeting my fellow trainees from many different countries and I feel proud to welcome them to Stavanger. On behalf of all of us selected for the pilot scheme, we would like to thank the Sultanate of Oman, our national sail training organisations for choosing us, and Sail Training International for making this happen. Maybe we will even sail to Oman one day!”
The Sultanate of Oman Bursary Scheme is open to any young person regardless of background, physical ability or sailing experience.
More information is available from national sail training organisations and via www.sailtraininginternational.org.