EL GOUNA RED SEA, 23 September 2026: El Gouna Red Sea, the vibrant, year-round destination offering a complete lifestyle experience developed by Orascom Development Egypt, hosted a major lineup of watersports events this September, with more than 1,000 Egyptian and international athletes, emerging talents and sports enthusiasts taking part in the sixth edition of the El Gouna Water Sports Festival (GWSF Vol. 6) and OCEANMAN El Gouna 2026, in the presence of Ahmed Abdel Khalek, Director General of Tourism and Sports Events at the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Together, the events highlight El Gouna Red Sea’s diverse watersports offering and its ability to host major sporting events that attract participants and visitors from Egypt and around the world.
The events are held under the patronage and supervision of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, represented by the General Administration of Tourism and Sports Events; the Ministry of Tourism, represented by the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board; and the Ministry of Environment, represented by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency.
Organized by Fly Events, GWSF Vol. 6 will take place across two weekends, combining competitive watersports with music, entertainment and community programming. The first weekend, from 17–19 September at Kitepower El Gouna, will focus on Kitesurfing, Big Air, Kite Racing and Wing Foil, bringing together Egyptian and international riders, emerging talents and watersports enthusiasts.
The festival will continue from 24–26 September at Sliders Cable Park, where the focus will shift to wakeboarding alongside other watersports activities, music and entertainment. Across both weekends, the festival will offer a mix of competition and leisure programming for participants and visitors.
Alongside the festival, OCEANMAN El Gouna 2026 will bring together around 800 swimmers from Egypt and more than 38 countries, highlighting the event’s growing international reach and creating an inclusive open-water swimming experience in El Gouna Red Sea. Egyptian participants account for 70.8% of entries, while international swimmers represent 29.2%, with athletes coming from markets including the UK, Italy, Spain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, USA, Germany, France, Türkiye, Greece, Japan, Brazil, Switzerland and China, among others.
Mohamed Amer, CEO of El Gouna Red Sea and Managing Director of Orascom Development Egypt, commented: “Sport has been part of El Gouna Red Sea’s story from the beginning, with watersports and active lifestyles becoming an integral part of everyday life in the town. Throughout the year, athletes and enthusiasts can train, practice, and enjoy a wide range of sports, supported by the natural setting, established facilities, and infrastructure available across El Gouna Red Sea. Today, events such as El Gouna Watersports Festival and OCEANMAN build on this year-round sporting ecosystem, bringing together athletes and enthusiasts from Egypt and around the world while showcasing what El Gouna can offer as a destination for sport, travel and an active way of life. For us, hosting these events is not only about the competition itself; they are an extension of a much bigger commitment to creating an environment where sport can be practiced, enjoyed, and advanced throughout the year, while strengthening El Gouna’s role as a year-round destination for sports and active tourism.”
The 2026 edition will feature six race formats catering to different ages and abilities: the 500m OceanKids race, Team Relay, 2km Sprint, the newly introduced 2km Fins race, 5km Half OCEANMAN and the flagship 10km OCEANMAN race. The competition brings together professional and amateur swimmers, young athletes and Masters competitors, with around 21% of participants under the age of 18, alongside Masters swimmers aged 50 and above, including athletes in their 70s and beyond.
Inclusivity is also a key part of OCEANMAN El Gouna 2026. Para athletes will compete in the 5km race, while a swimmer with Down syndrome who participated in the 2km race last year will return for the 2026 edition. OceanKids will also welcome a child with special needs, further reflecting the event’s inclusive approach and its ability to bring together swimmers across different generations, backgrounds and levels of experience.
Together, GWSF Vol. 6 and OCEANMAN El Gouna 2026 support El Gouna Red Sea’s wider vision of driving visitation while showcasing the town’s watersports venues, hospitality offering and year-round active lifestyle. By creating a platform for Egyptian and international athletes, emerging talents, families and visitors, El Gouna Red Sea continues to grow its role as a natural home for watersports and sports tourism in the region.
It's worth mentioning that El Gouna Red Sea has established a year-round sports ecosystem, supported by its Red Sea setting and dedicated infrastructure and facilities that enable a wide range of activities throughout the year. From kitesurfing, wakeboarding, diving and open-water swimming to golf and other sports, the town provides residents, visitors and athletes with opportunities to train, practice and participate across different disciplines. This year-round offering is complemented by continued investment in the infrastructure and resources that support athletes at different levels, with major sporting events and competitions building on an active sports culture that is already embedded in the destination.