2022 Mediterranean Games: Oran set for sailing success

Algeria's second city Oran is set to host the Mediterranean Games from June 25th. This multisports event will see more than 6000 athletes from 26 countries from across the Mediterranean region participate. Sailing will be among the 24 sports and 244 individual events.

The nautical base of “Les Andalouses” is the venue for the game's sailing competitions, located some 30 km from the centre of Oran. 

Blessed with magnificent white sands, the beach is one of the most popular in the region. Its name originates from the 15th Century after refugees fleeing Spain, following the fall of Andalusia, landed there.  

Nazim Addou - President of the Oran Sailing League and Director of the sailing competition at the Games told Euronews why the beach was an easy choice for this year's competitions. 

"The Andalouses site was chosen for its waters and its perfect conditions, as we can see, especially the west wind which is dominant during this time of year. We hope that we will have the same conditions throughout the Mediterranean Games," he said. 

170 athletes are due to take part in the sailing competitions which will take place from June 27th until July 3rd. 

The competition’s sailing events include some classics, such as the women's Laser Radial and men's Laser standard, but also the brand new iQFOiL for both men and women, which sees the board fly over the water and reach top speeds of 30 knots. This will become an Olympic discipline in Paris 2024, so the Oran Games are seen as a good test for the windsurfers. 

"The big challenge we are facing is the new Olympic board, the iQFOiL”, says Fatima Abid, African windsurfing champion 2016. “We used to ride the RS:X board, which you stay on the water with. But with the iQFOiL, you have to go above