Sihanoukville will host an international sailing tournament later this year.
According to the Cambodian SEA Games Organizing Committee, the event will be co-hosted by the Cambodia Sailing Federation (CSF) and the Singapore Sailing Federation (SSF) (CAMSOC).
Cambodia will hold its first international sailing event
Tourism Minister Thong Khon, who is also the vice president of CAMSOC, stated that the CSF and their Singaporean counterparts came up with the concept after discovering that the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam will not feature sailing.
According to the Minister, the event will take place in December 2021.
“Sailors from both nations must train and compete at a high level. This tournament would be a fantastic chance for them to prepare for the SEA Games in 2023.”
He said
Sailing will be included in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia
Sailing was also a component of the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines. However, just five countries—the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Myanmar—were represented in the sailing tournament.
Thai and Filipino sailors won eight of the nine gold medals on offer at the 2019 SEA Games.
According to CAMSOC, the organizers anticipate seven to eight countries from the area participating.
According to a CAMSOC official, it will also be an excellent opportunity to promote the sport locally.
For the last six years, the CSF has worked tirelessly to promote and improve sailing in Cambodia, led by millionaire Gordon Tang.
The CSF was founded in 2015 and became a member of World Sailing two years later.
Thanks to Tang’s generosity, Cambodia has been able to host an annual national sailing championship and send competitors to compete in 21 sailing tournaments across the world.
Cambodian sailors took part in the 2017 SEA Games, the 2018 Asian Games, the Johor Sailing Regatta, the 39th Singapore Open Windsurfing Championship 2020, the Pattaya Cup, and the Singapore National Sailing Championship, among other international competitions.
Cambodian sailors not only participated in, but also excelled in, international contests. Cambodia has received 11 medals in international sailing competitions so far, including one gold, one silver, and nine bronze medals.
Tang also funded the training of Cambodian sailors in China and other nations.
However, finance, people, infrastructure, and sailing venues have all been issues that have kept Cambodia from hosting an international sailing tournament for many years.
Cambodia is mostly a landlocked nation, with just a few places ideals for sailing contests. Only four of Cambodia’s 25 provinces (Kep, Koh Kong, Kampot, and Preah Sihanouk) have access to the sea.
