The sailors represent 56 countries and are entered in 11 youth events including the male and female divisions of the 29er skiff, 420 two-person dinghy, ILCA 6 one-person dinghy, along with the mixed two-person multihull, the Nacra 15.

New additions to the class line-up are male and female categories in windsurfer Bic Techno 293+ and Kiteboarding Formula Kite.

Held at the Barceló Mussanah Resort in Mussanah, it is set to be the 50^th edition of the event and the first since 2019 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The resort also held the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships last month.

"Every sailor here at the Youth Worlds should feel very proud to be here, representing their country," said the event's principal race officer Marina Psychogyiou.

"Even if a sailor doesn’t finish as high up the results as they would like, they must still remember that they are here because they are the best sailor from their home nation.

"I wish all of them the very best of luck and we will do everything we can to make sure they enjoy the competition and take home great memories of Oman."

The Opening Ceremony is set to officially welcome the athletes on December 11 while racing is due to start on December 13 and finish on December 17.

"It’s great to see such a strong entry for the Youth Sailing World Championships, thanks to the efforts that sailors and their national teams have made to travel to Oman under such challenging circumstances," said David Graham, chief executive of World Sailing.

"At World Sailing, more than ever, we are placing a strong focus on promoting youth development, particularly among emerging nations.

"Anyone who has earned their place at the Youth Worlds is a shining inspiration to other young sailors around the world.

"I wish them all the very best for the coming week of friendly competition."