Third Year in A Row – Somabay Welcomes OCEANMAN Championships

Somabay hosted the prestigious Oceanman Somabay Championship for the third year in a row, that took place on October 20- 21. This esteemed global open-water swimming competition welcomed around 417 swimmers from different countries worldwide, bringing together both professional and amateur open-water swimmers on a single, competitive platform.

The Oceanman Somabay Championship featured a diverse array of races designed to cater to swimmers of all levels of expertise. Participants had the opportunity to showcase their skills in six exciting races, including the 1 KM open water “OceanFins” race, the challenging 10km race, the 5km race, the 1.5km sprint, the OceanKids Race, specially crafted for young swimming enthusiasts, and the OceanTeams Race, where groups of three swimmers competed in a series of three 500m open-water swimming rounds.

“The resonance of this year’s Oceanman Somabay Championship has been exceptionally positive,” stated Ashraf El Siessy, Chief Hospitality Officer at Somabay. “Uniting swimmers from 42 different nations, with merely 30% local participants, serves as a testament to Somabay’s unwavering dedication to fostering international sports engagement and advancing sports tourism in Egypt.”

In a significant move this year, the event’s venue was relocated to the picturesque Somabay Marina, providing participants and spectators with a stunning backdrop for this thrilling competition.

The event schedule started on October 20 with the registration and kit collection for participants, to be followed by a race briefing for all participants. On the following day, the action began with the Oceanman Race, followed by the Half Oceanman Race, then The Sprint Race, the OceanKids Race, and the OceanTeams Race.

Throughout the championship, the safety and well-being of all participants are of utmost importance. The event provided essential services, including accident insurance for all swimmers, in-water safety measures, and medical assistance with an ambulance and first aid support readily available. All participants received a finisher medal, a race bag containing a swim cap, a race t-shirt, sponsor gifts, and a timing chip.

To recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the swimmers, trophies, and medals were awarded to the first, second, and third-place winners in various categories.

The event promised to be an exhilarating experience for both participants and spectators, offering a merchandising shop on-site, hydration and feeding stations both in the water and on the ground, and a range of additional amenities.