A century after its founding, the Royal Yacht Club of Tangier is charting a bold course into its second century. This October, the historic marina will host two major international competitions that promise to turn the Strait of Gibraltar into a stage for global sailing and sport fishing.
From October 20 to 25, the club will welcome the Morocco Open Optimist Championship, bringing together more than 120 young sailors from nine countries, including Argentina, Italy, Finland, Portugal, Spain, and Singapore. The event, held under the Royal Moroccan Sailing Federation, highlights Tangier’s growing role in training the next generation of sailors.
Just days later, from October 23 to 26, the marina will come alive again for the 3rd “Copa Del Estrecho” International Sport Fishing Tournament, drawing 63 boats and 250 competitors from Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, Italy, and Turkey.
“This centennial isn’t just about looking back — it’s about redefining our responsibility to the sea,” said Ahmed Benani, president of the Royal Yacht Club of Tangier. “We’ve spent 100 years building a culture of respect for the ocean, and that commitment continues.”
This year’s tournament will also launch a strategic artificial reef program, developed in partnership with the National Institute of Fisheries Research, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, and the Tangier Port Authority. Another initiative, “Seen Waste, Collected Waste,” will encourage participants to collect marine litter, with prizes for the largest cleanup efforts.
In a humanitarian touch, all fish caught during the event will be donated to local orphanages, reinforcing the club’s social mission.
The celebrations will culminate with an award ceremony on October 25 at 6 p.m., followed by an interactive exhibition on marine biodiversity — a reminder that the club’s future, like the sea it calls home, is both vast and full of promise.