The Dubai to Muscat Sailing Race – the longest offshore race in the region for modern keelboats – is back for their 27th edition next week.

Covering more than 360 miles around the Musandam Peninsula, the race will leave from Dubai Offshore Sailing Club on Thursday February 28 for their journey to Marina Bandar Al Rowdha in Muscat.

Sailors can expect to spend from three to five days at sea, racing 24 hours a day in a variety of weather conditions.

Following a successful 26th Anniversary race in 2018, organisers are expecting over 25 yachts to participate with 150 sailors from the UAE, the region and around the world.

“Since 1991 when the first race was held, the event has grown massively,” said David Worrall, race organiser. “At that time, five or six boats would be competing but now it’s a completely different event to what it was in those early years.”

The new February start date allows the race to better align with the offshore events calendar in the Mediterranean and Asian region.

In addition, the introduction of a double-handed class has allowed veterans of the race to seek a new challenge with just two sailors on board where they may have raced the course previously with six to 10 crew.

A new feature for last year’s race was a huge success.The Virtual Regatta – with 23,806 entrants in 2018 – allows spectators who are not participating, and who cannot sail themselves, to participate in the challenge by entering the online racing game at: http://virtualregatta.com/en.

Using the online game, enthusiasts can sail their own virtual modern keelboat around the same course, using the actual weather seen by the real boats, and with their virtual boat having the same performance as several of the actual boats taking part.

What: Dubai to Muscat Offshore Sailing Race

Where: Dubai and Muscat

When: Thursday, February 28

Contact: For more information, visit http://dubaitomuscatrace.com/