The Dubai to Muscat Race Sohar Education Program completed the first week of all five schools’ teaching sessions by sponsors of the Dubai to Muscat Silver Anniversary Sailing Race. GEMS students learned about GPS technology, tracking and satellite communications on Monday in an interactive session with Thuraya, the region’s leading mobile satellite communications company, while at Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, students from Gems Wellington Silicon Oasis had the first on water session in the programme.
Students at Wellington International School enjoyed a hands-on demonstration by GoPro, the first of two by a company which “makes the world's most versatile cameras”. On Thursday, the children from First Point School at The Villa, were given a lesson in what Sport360 looks for in a press release, as well as given hints on the kind of questions to ask in a professional sports interview. Taught by Mark Lomas, Online Managing Editor of Sport360,
Mark commented “the students were surprisingly good, they came up with really intelligent and well thought out questions”.
Adam Rizvi, a student on the programme said of the lesson, “there was more to being a journalist than I thought there was”.
Already a keen sailor, Sam Matthews aged 11 said “I am excited to combine my sailing with learning all about the industries around the sport”.
The introductory session of the Sohar Education Programme, named after the 25 year old solid silver trophy of the Dubai to Muscat Yacht Race, was held on 5th September, at the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club. The students gathered to get an overview of the program, and meet the sponsors and professionals conducting the courses. Students then toured the yachts which will be participating in the race, to learn what different parts of a yacht are called and sailing terminology that will be used during the event.
The Sohar Education Program was developed by the UAE Sailing and Rowing Federation, in conjunction with the program sponsors – Sport360, GoPro, Premier Composites Technology, Thuraya, Dubai Customs Authority, Pindar and Dubai Offshore Sailing Club. This is the first year the education program will be held in conjunction with the race. The course subjects revolve around offshore sailing and event management.
Students will be assigned a boat during the race and will be responsible for generating press releases and social media posts. The education program is designed around teaching students the skills required to support this activity. In the sessions with Thuraya, the students are learning about both the tracking technology they will use to monitor progress of their boat during the race and satellite communications technology they will use to communicate real time with their team skipper, and to download video and images taken by the crew. In the sessions with GoPro, students will learn how to edit and convert the live footage they take into videos, advertisements and social media posts.
There are five GEMS schools signed up for the Sohar Education Program and high interest from several others for future years. The schools are Wellington Silicon Oasis, GEMS Modern Academy, First Point School, GEMS New Millennium and Wellington International School. Sessions with the sponsors are in a rotational schedule, allowing each school group to learn from each of the supporting companies.
The students range in age from 10 to 14yrs. One of the Sohar Education Program teaching objectives is to encourage the children to have the confidence and the skills to teach each other. This philosophy is embedded throughout the program, with peer groups learning from each other.
The 2016 edition of the Dubai to Muscat offshore race is the 25th anniversary of the event. The race is organised by the United Arab Emirates Sailing and Rowing Federation (UAE SARF), in association with Oman’s Ministry of Sports Affairs, and recognised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC). The race is scheduled for 5 days, departing from Dubai Offshore Sailing Club in Dubai on 10 November and ending at 6:00 p.m. on 15 November at Al Mouj Marina in Muscat.
Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nayhan, Chairman of the Sailing and Rowing Federation of the UAE said today, “It is very good to see the sporting community and sailing community giving back to the children of the future. The Sohar Education Program, named after the trophy of the race, is a collaboration of sponsors and the professionals around the race teaching their speciality to children, passing on their knowledge to the next generation in a practical way.”
Further details are available on the website at www.dubaitomuscatrace.com and Facebook page Dubai to Muscat Silver Anniversary Yacht Race.
Contact communications@sarf.ae