Muscat, Oman

14 March - 17 March 2018

Proclaimed as one of the sailors’ favourite venues, in a country with a rich maritime heritage, the open waters off the coast of Muscat provide almost guaranteed hot sunny weather, a perfect sea breeze and a great expanse of open water, on which the GC32s can test their speed.

What time zone do I need to set my watch to? UTC+4

What will the weather be like? Muscat has a hot, arid climate and you can expect temperatures of 20-30 °C in March. Be sure to pack sun cream and cool clothing.

What should I see and do while I’m there? Muscat is full of hidden treasures. For a taste of Arabian culture visit the Mutrah Souq along the city’s stunning Mutrah Corniche waterfront. The traditional market is packed full of colourful stalls selling trinkets, antiques and exotic spices, promising an extraordinary experience. Or, if you are looking for adventure, head for Wadi Ban Awf and Snake Canyon and expect to be charmed by the beautiful and awe-inspiring landscape of the rugged and vast wadis.

What traditional delicacies should I try? Shuwa – a dish of slow-cooked marinated lamb or goat with rice – is considered a national Omani food. For a sweet treat, try Halwa, a staple of the Omani dessert table.

Something special? Look out for the giant incense burner seated high on the Mutrah hillside in Al Riyam park. It is a scaled-up replica of traditional mabkhara that are used in homes to ward off evil spirits.

Pete Greenhalgh of Oman Air gives his verdict: “When Muscat delivers, it really delivers. The last day of the event in 2017 was probably the most amazing day of sailing we’ve had on the circuit to date, with 20 knots of wind combined with a challenging sea-state. We had glorious sunshine and it made for phenomenal sailing conditions. Muscat is a beautiful venue with amazing scenery and the spectators are able to get a really good view of the racing. It’s off the scale as a tourist destination; if you go exploring it’s amazing how many beautiful and remote places you can find. The wadis are up there as one of the best things to visit.”

What’s happening in the Race Village?

Watch the daily GC32 and Flying Phantom Series Stadium Racing action just metres from the shoreline of Al Mouj Golf from 14-17 March. The Race Village opens to the public on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 March, allowing spectators to soak up the Extreme Sailing Series atmosphere. Visitors can roam around Souq Es’Sabt - a local market with over 45 stalls, offering fresh local produce and Omani handcrafts, along with children’s activities and small local retailers displaying their products.

There’ll also be the opportunity for you and the whole family to test out your golfing skills with ‘Try Golf’ in the public Race Village, brought to you by Al Mouj Golf.

Feeling lucky? Head over to the Oman Air booth and sign up for a chance to win two tickets to Istanbul, Turkey - Oman Air’s new flight route.

Join the professionals on board a competing hydrofoiling GC32 catamaran, and help your team race towards an Act 1 victory. Find out more about becoming a Guest Sailor here: https://www.extremesailingseries.com/visit/guest-sailor

Event Schedule

Wednesday 14 March


  • *The Race Village is not open today
  • 10.00 – 17.30
    Flying Phantom Series racing window
  • 14.00 - 17.30
    GC32 racing

Thursday 15 March


  • *The Race Village is not open today, but feel free to watch the racing from the shore
  • 10.00 – 17.30
    Flying Phantom Series racing window
  • 10.30 - 13.30
    2018 Inter-School Optimist final
  • 14.00 - 17.30
    GC32 Stadium Racing

Friday 16 March

  • 10.00 – 19.00
    Race Village opening times
  • 10.00 – 17.30
    Flying Phantom Series racing window
  • 12:00 - 17:00
    The Weekend Souq brought to you by Souq Es'Sabt
  • 14.00 - 17.30
    GC32 Stadium Racing
  • 14.00 - 17.30
    LIVE streaming of the racing on Facebook & Youtube

Saturday 17 March

  • 10.00 – 19.00
    Race Village opening times
  • 10.00 – 16.30
    Flying Phantom Series racing window
  • 12:00 - 17:00
    The Weekend Souq brought to you by Souq Es'Sabt
  • 13.00 - 16.30
    GC32 Stadium Racing
  • 13.00 - 16.30
    LIVE streaming of the racing on Facebook & Youtube
  • 17.30
    Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 1 Prize giving ceremony

Where to watch

Where can I watch the racing? The fleet will race in front of Al Mouj Golf course.

How to follow the racing

Here’s how you can keep up to date with all the action…

ONLINE LIVE Streaming Friday 16th 14:00-17:30 (Oman time) 10:00-13:30 (UTC) and Saturday 17th March 13:00-16:30 (Oman time) 09:00-12:30 (UTC).

LIVE Broadcast on Saturday 17th March 15.00 - 16.30 (Oman time) 11.00 - 12.30 (UTC)

- Follow the official social media channels:

Facebook for regular news, stories, photos and videos
Twitter for race updates, news, stories, photos and videos - don’t forget to use the hashtag #extremesailing
Instagram for awesome images and videos
Snapchat for some behind the scenes insights - add us on extreme.sailing

- Racing will be streamed live on days three and four on the official Facebook and YouTube channels
- The final 90 minutes of racing on day four will be broadcast live on multiple TV channels around the globe
- Sign up to our daily newsletter here
- Check out the website for regular news, stories, photos and videos as well as information on the Series and the teams

How to get there

Venue Map

Hotels