Photo taken during the Qatar’s International Sailing Open Championship at Katara beach.

The Qatar’s International Sailing Open Championship 2016 kicked off Tuesday at Katara beach with participation of 70 contestants from 10 countries, including Kuwait.

The five-day event, organized by the Qatar Sailing and Marine Sports Federation (QSMF), started off with team racing competitions in the Optimist class, where Qatar1 team won the first place, India came second, and Qatar2 placed third.

Meanwhile, three competitions are to be held tomorrow in all five classes; 470, Hobie 16, Laser 4.7, Laser Radial, and Optimist. However, sailboat racing is subject to nature law regarding wind speed, in which a specific speed is required to enable sailors from racing with consideration of their safety.

The international event brings together elite of professional and amateur sailors to compete for valuable awards and trophies offered by the QSMF.

The participating sailors and teams represent Qatar, Kuwait, Tunisia, Sudan, India, UK, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, and France. (KUNA)