A three-man sailing team is seeing action for Saudi Arabia in the 23rd edition of the Asian Optimist Championship for 2014 which got under way in Bahrain on Friday.

This event recognized as an International Class by the International Sailing Federation (ISF) is hosted by Bahrain Maritime Sports Association Club in Al Jazaeer Beach in Zallaq. It has attracted enries from 21 countries and will run until April 6.

Leading the Saudi delegation is Rashid Ghanim Al-Qahtani, a member of the Saudi Arabian Union of Marine and the head of sports activities in the Royal Commission in Jubail.

Hammad Al-Hammad, Abdul Aziz Al-Qasab and Abdul Aziz Al-Mugbil are the three Saudi entries in the competition featuring the optimist, a small single-handed sailing dinghy intended for use by children up to the age of 15.

The others on the Saudi team are Captain Abdullah Al-Arab in charge of administration, coach Muhammad Al-Otaibi and his deputy Abdul Muhaimen Al-Qasab.

To prepare for this international competition the Saudi sailing team did a 10-day camp under the aegis of Royal Commission for Jubail Marine Club.