Tan 3 breaks clear as double-handed crews shine on Day 3 at Dubai to Muscat Sailing Race

2026-02-03 - 14:49

Dubai, UAE – After three days of racing in the Aramex Dubai to Muscat Offshore Sailing Race (D2M), Xavier Bouin’s Tan 3 has broken clear of the fleet and is closing in on Muscat, with less than 80 nautical miles left to run. The Dragonfly 40C leads both line honours and the multihull division but may be penalised for an alleged rule infringement earlier in the race. Roughly eight nautical miles behind them, Heaven Can Wait has fought back to second place after a difficult 24 hours. The Beneteau First 53, which shredded its A5 spinnaker in the early hours of Sunday morning, has found its rhythm again and is pushing hard towards the Omani capital. Meanwhile, Jan Felton’s Khaleesi sits third on the water and leads the multihull fleet. For first-timer Nathan Clark, the experience has lived up to expectations. “It’s been great from the start,” he said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better boat or a better team. We’ve had great weather, and although it’s been light at times, it’s meant we’ve been able to keep moving. Hopefully it’s not over too soon.” One of the standout stories of the race so far has been the performance of the double-handed crews. With only two people onboard, one sailor manages everything on deck while the other rests. Matrix, sailed by Brad Rademeyer and David Blackwell, sits seventh on the water but leads the IRC double-handed standings and is third overall on corrected time. “What a race it’s been so far, with light and fluky conditions at times and now perfect champagne sailing,” said Blackwell. The pair have been locked in a duel with fellow double-handers Twister, skippered by Sian Rowlands and Matt Britton. The last 24 hours have rewarded patience and route choice. Boats that stayed offshore found slightly more pressure, while those who went inshore risked being parked in the mountain shadow. A two-knot current and three-metre tide added to the challenge, and the fleet has now spread out after two days of compression. Racing under a full moon has helped crews manage the long night watches, with bioluminescence lighting up the water. However, the fleet has not escaped unscathed. Four boats – Ivana and Aleks, Layla, Gazelle and Arabian Blonde – have been forced to retire. A further four boats may be penalised for infringing a restricted area near Iranian national waters, where a Notice to Mariners warned of live firing exercises. The race committee is enforcing the exclusion zone as a hard safety boundary. With the leaders now in the final third of the 360-nautical-mile course, the battles are sharpening. The fight for line honours remains open, while on corrected time a tight pack including Nagini, Sandpiper, Matrix, Twister and Shebeen are all in contention. In the cruiser division, it remains all to play for. The 2026 Aramex Dubai to Muscat Race is organised by the United Arab Emirates Sailing & Rowing Federation and Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, in association with the Oman Maritime Sports Committee.