Aramex Dubai to Muscat Offshore Sailing Race has a new line honours leader after the fleet reached the Strait of Hormuz.
Galway Bay Sailing Club entry Nagini, the Farr 30 sailed by Ronan Considine, leads on elapsed time after the decisive “Race to the Corner”.
As Afloat reported earlier, the smallest in the IRC fleet, Nagini, is flying under Irish colours with a fully West of Ireland crew.
On board are 2014 Round Ireland Race winner Aodhan FitzGerald, Tom Murphy and Ruairc Ó Tuairisc from Galway Bay Sailing Club, and Louis Molloy of Mayo Sailing Club.
In IRC, the GBSC crew are lying 12th overall.
After the first full day at sea, falling wind speeds have compressed the 33-boat fleet on the 360-nautical-mile course from Dubai to Muscat.
Majed Aki’s Astartia sails past the Strait of Hormuz in light airs during the Aramex Dubai to Muscat Offshore Sailing Race, as the fleet slows after the Race to the Corner in calm, testing conditions.
In the early hours of Sunday, the frontrunners crossed the Race to the Corner timing point at the edge of the Strait of Hormuz.
Heaven Can Wait, the Beneteau First 53 skippered by Julien Monie and Darren Sheppard, was first across at 04:13 local time, ahead of Ivana and Aleks, with Khaleesi leading the multihulls.
At the Musandam turning point, shipping traffic and the wind shadow of the mountains created the race’s first major compression zone.
Phil Ellerby’s Exodus briefly overhauled Nagini after threading the narrow inshore gap, while the Farr 30 opted for a wider, cleaner lane.
The two boats are now locked in a close battle at the head of the fleet as conditions remain light.
For Heaven Can Wait, the corner proved costly.
“At about 2am we destroyed our big A5 spinnaker,” said Darren Sheppard. “Today has been light and completely flat. We’re settling in for a frustrating night.”
The French-flagged boat has since slipped to 11th on the water.
Notorious I, sailed by Stuart Clarke and Simon Reeves, mounted a strong recovery after losing time to fishing nets on the opening night.
“After losing an hour, we went wide and got back to fourth by sunset,” Clarke said.
At halfway, more than 180 nautical miles remain to the finish at Marina Bandar Al Rowdha in Muscat.
With boats slowed to 1–2 knots in the Dibba wind shadow, small gains are proving decisive.
The line honours contest remains wide open.
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