Off Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, Irish yacht Nagini has taken the IRC lead in the Aramex Dubai to Muscat Offshore Sailing Race after three days at sea.
The Galway Bay Mumm 30, skippered by Ronan Considine and crewed entirely by sailors from the west of Ireland, leads the corrected time standings among fully crewed monohulls.
Onboard Nagini are 2014 Round Ireland Race winner Aodhan FitzGerald, Tom Murphy, Ruairc Ó Tuairisc from Galway Bay Sailing Club, and Louis Molloy of Mayo Sailing Club.
UAE-flagged yacht Irish Mumm 30 Nagini sails upwind during Day 3 of the 2026 Aramex Dubai to Muscat Offshore Sailing Race, leading on IRC overall
The boat, smallest in the IRC fleet, is flying the Irish flag with pride. Its light displacement and skilled crew have helped it navigate light winds and tricky currents along the 360-nautical-mile course.
Earlier on monday Feb 2nd, Fitzgerald told Afloat: "Still 2nd. Trying to figure out a way to better that on the 130 nm straight run to Muscat"
Meanwhile, Tan 3, a Dragonfly 40C trimaran skippered by Xavier Bouin, leads both line honours and the multihull division. The boat has pulled 8nm clear of the fleet with under 80nm left to Muscat.
However, Tan 3 may face a penalty for a potential rule breach earlier in the race, according to race officials.
A traditional Emirati fishing dhow spotted off the Gulf coast as Irish offshore racers navigate light winds during the 2026 Aramex Dubai to Muscat Offshore Sailing Race.
Heaven Can Wait, a Beneteau First 53, recovered from spinnaker damage to retake second on the water. Khaleesi is holding third and leading the multihulls.
Double-handed crews continue to impress. Matrix, sailed by Brad Rademeyer and David Blackwell, tops the IRC doublehanded class and sits third overall on corrected time.
“What a race it’s been with light and fluky winds, then champagne sailing conditions,” said Blackwell.
They are locked in a duel with Twister, co-skippered by Sian Rowlands and Matt Britton. “The sun rose this morning to find Twister ahead of us. We've passed them, but they might have the last laugh,” he added.
The last 24 hours have tested tactics and patience. Offshore boats found more breeze, while those going inshore risked being becalmed under mountain shadows. A 2-knot current and 3m tide added complexity.
Night sailing under a full moon brought stunning bioluminescent displays. “It felt like a spaceship,” said Khaleesi's Nathan Clark. “The bow and stern lit up at 4am – it was unreal.”
Not all entrants survived unscathed. Ivana, Aleks, Layla, Gazelle, and Arabian Blonde have retired. Four other boats face possible penalties for entering a restricted area near Iranian waters.
The Notice to Mariners had warned of live firing drills. The race committee is enforcing a strict exclusion zone.
With the finish line approaching, competition remains intense. Nagini, last year’s winners Sandpiper, Matrix, Twister, and Shebeen are all in contention on corrected time.
In the cruiser division, it's still wide open.
The 2026 Aramex Dubai to Muscat Offshore Sailing Race is organised by the UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation and Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, in association with the Oman Maritime Sports Committee.
Tracker here
