In one of the most superb high speed offshore racing competitions, three of the world's largest and fastest racing maxis yesterday morning arrived back in Valletta, first monohulls home in the Rolex Middle Sea Race, first event of the International Maxi Association's 2021-22 Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge.

They covered the race's 600-mile anti-clockwise lap of Sicily at record pace.

In 2007 American George David and his original Rambler 90 had established the benchmark Rolex Middle Sea Race record time of 47 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds. Despite numerous attempts in his subsequent Rambler 100 and Rambler 88, the tenacious David never managed to improve upon his time in the intervening years.

Since the Royal Malta Yacht Club's classic 600 miler started on Saturday there has been a prolonged battle for the monohull lead between the line honours favourites, the tried and tested, now Russian-owned, VPLP-Verdier 100 Comanche and Dmitry Rybolovlev's ClubSwan 125 Skorpios, only launched at Nautor's yard in Finland late this spring. After a close race, it was Comanche that prevailed, crossing the finish line at the entrance to Malta's Marsamxett Harbour at 04:27:50 yesterday morning in an elapsed time of 40 hours, 17 minutes and 50 seconds. This represented a monumental improvement over the previous record of a 7 hours 37 minutes and 13 seconds or 16%.

Skorpios finished 1 hour 26 minutes astern while Rambler 88, outgunned by the sheer waterline length advantage of her rivals finished mid-morning. With an elapsed time of 46 hours 20 minutes and 25 seconds David bettered his 2007 time and under IRC Rambler 88's elapsed time corrected out to 3 hours 20 minutes ahead of Skorpios, but short of Comanche.

Behind the lead trio this evening a second wave of maxis were having a harder time of it, past Lampedusa and on the home straight back to Malta, but in headwinds. This group included the Gašper Vinčec-skippered 100ft Way of Life and several VO70s and VO65s led by the Grzegorz Baranowski skippered VO70 I Love Poland (ex-Puma). Marton Jozsa's Reichel/Pugh 60 Wild Joe was just past Lampedusa.

The 2021-22 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge continues next year with the Regata dei Tre Golfi, 151 Miglia-Trofio Cetilar, Rolex Giraglia and the Palermo-Montecarlo.

With seven yachts in harbour, and no more expected until much later tonight (Monday) or the early hours of Tuesday, one might be excused for thinking the Rolex Middle Sea Race is over. Far from it. Close to 100 yachts of the original 114 remain at sea and there is plenty left in a race that has so far delivered on its early promise. The weather pattern over the racetrack is in flux. For the smaller monohull yachts, now is the time to press on, particularly if their ambition extends beyond just completing the 606 nautical mile course.

The four large racing multihulls have all finished the 42nd Rolex Middle Sea Race, leaving only the Italian Neel 47 cruising trimaran, Minimole, on the course. Jason Carroll’s Argo, the American MOD70, is in the box seat having wrapped up the outright race record, multihull line honours and, for the moment, top of the leader board after MOCRA time correction. Carroll was understandably delighted: “It was an awesome race. It had a little bit of everything. We love the event, we love the course and, obviously, we are super excited to have broken the record and won line honours this year.” Argo’s elapsed time was 33 hours 29 minutes and 28 seconds, obliterating the previous race record of 47 hours 55 minutes and three seconds, set by the monohull maxi, Rambler, in 2007.

The three most powerful monohulls are also home and hosed down. The 30.48m/100ft VPLP/Verdier designed Comanche (CAY) led by Mitch Booth is the clubhouse leader, having taken monohull line honours, set a new monohull race record and outplayed their immediate opposition under IRC time correction. Booth was emphatic in his praise for this year’s race: “The Rolex Middle Sea Race has always been one of the pinnacle offshore races and the top guys love coming here. The line-up was great. It was a real honour to race against Skorpios and Rambler.” Comanche’s elapsed time of 40 hours 17 minutes and 45 seconds was also well inside the previous best.

The 30.48m/100ft VPLP/Verdier designed Comanche (CAY)

Brian Thompson, one of the Argo afterguard offered some insight into their apparent clean sweep and mesmerising finish time. “We were very cautious at the start but got away cleanly,” he advised. “It was then great racing with Maserati and Mana. We were very evenly matched to Syracuse, when we just got into a lead, before Maserati got a bit of an edge on us through the Strait. We were then absolutely level at Strombolicchio.” At this point, it looked as though Maserati had made a key gain. “We were very impressed with the way they were sailing,” said Thompson, “They made a seven mile gain in the 22-knot downwind leg.” However, there was another twist to come.

“Just before dawn on Sunday, we were going through the middle of the Egadi Islands. Ideally, we wanted to be further offshore,” explained Thompson. “On the weather models you could see there was a wind hole behind Sicily. If you got too far south you could run out of the corridor of wind blowing from the north-east.” This is where Argo’s apparent disadvantage became an advantage. “We could see what was happening,” said Thompson. “When Maserati slowed, we knew they were getting into the light air. It happened really fast. The wind dropped. Maserati carried on a bit further, while we gybed and that got our seven miles back.”

It still was not over. “There was so much going on,” commented Thompson. “A line of squalls came across and we suddenly had 43 knots. We went into it with a full main and gennaker. We had to go head to wind to get down to just a double reefed main. Then as the wind dropped, we had to get the same sails back up again.”

It remained super tricky all the way past Pantelleria. Argo tried to cover while Maserati sought new breeze closer to Africa. “In the end, we both got the wind at the same time, and held our lead. It was 25 knots downwind and more locked in,” he said. Despite some hair-raising moments on the final leg and a 30-knot passage through the tight Comino Channel, the race was now won. For Thompson, it had been a “once in a lifetime weather opportunity.”

Monohull Line Honours

The monohull line honours contest had been no less enthralling. Skorpios crossed the line second on the water, six hours inside the old record, but 1.5 hours behind Comanche. Fernando Echavarri, the racing skipper, remarked: “We learnt a lot in the 42 hours, in all kinds of conditions – light winds, strong winds, sail changes. It has been a unique opportunity for the team to grow up.” Despite the disappointment of not repeating their line honours from this summer’s Rolex Fastnet Race, Echavarri could still draw positives: “It was great to line up with boats like this. To do the Rolex Middle Sea Race with such a fleet, including Comanche and Rambler, is just incredible. We are looking forward to the next race against them.”

Ahead of the race, Mitch Booth was confident the race record would be broken. His doubt was how the Comanche crew would perform against the opposition. “One of the key points of the race was going into the Strait of Messina,” he said. “We thought whoever popped out the other end first would have a big advantage with a building breeze on the other side.” Managing to stay close to Skorpios gave the crew confidence. “After passing Stromboli we felt we were in the game with Skorpios.” commented Booth. “We had to sail a smart tactical race to stay in contact. We had a few problems with some sail damage which set us back a bit, but Comanche is really fun to sail especially when the breeze is up and there is a lot of downwind reaching.” Apparently, the new owner just loved every minute of it. “No better way to start racing offshore than the Rolex Middle Sea Race this year,” added Booth.

The navigator, Will Oxley, was keen to share the kudos for a job well done. “We had a very strong afterguard. Mitch Booth, Kyle Langford and Tom Slingsby all contributed to the decision-making of the boat,” he emphasised. He went on to explain the final critical moment in the race came at the north-west corner of Sicily, just as with Argo. “We tried hard to stay to the east of the low pressure system rolling across the racetrack until the western end of Sicily,” he explained. “None of the meteorological models were lining up. There was a lot of thunderstorm activity and a number of large wind holes to be negotiated. We had to make a plan and analyse what we think was going to happen. We used whatever data we could to make sense of it all. It really paid off.” And just as Maserati strayed into the quicksand offering opportunity to Argo, so too did Skorpios. Comanche was well-positioned to take the chance, and rolled into a lead it would never relinquish.

As for Rambler, they sailed their usual polished performance, but were simply outgunned by more powerful opponents. Finishing the race in 46 hours 20 minutes 25 seconds, George David finally beat the time he set back in 2007 at the sixth time of asking.

The Main Body

As for the rest of the fleet, clumps have formed as the transitions between zones of pressure and other factors have begun to impact. The next group expected to finish comprises last year’s line honours winner, the VO70 I Love Poland, two Volvo 65s – Viva Mexico and Ambersail 2 (LTU) – plus the Slovenian entry, Way of Life, all in IRC Class One. They are struggling with a small area of low pressure that established itself off Lampedusa on Monday morning and appears to be slowly tracking towards to Malta. This frustrating scenario has allowed two IRC Class Two boats, Eric de Turckheim’s Teasing Machine (FRA) and Frederic Puzin’s Daguet 3 – Corum (FRA) to make inroads into their lead on the water and time correction.

In line astern, from Lampedusa back to Pantelleria, are some 16 yachts ranging from the Reichel/Pugh 60, Wild Joe (HUN), and the TP 52 Paprec Recyclage (FRA) closest to the southernmost point of the course and the A13, Phosphorus 2 (GBR), which is just past Pantelleria. James Neville’s Ino XXX (GBR), in IRC Class Three, continues its fight with Maltese yacht Artie III, with Lee Satariano, Christian Ripard and Timmy Camilleri in the afterguard. Camilleri called in from close to Pantelleria. “Sunday was fast, exciting, very wet, heavy weather downwind sailing,” described Camilleri. “It was really exhilarating on the helm. The boat was built for those conditions. We hit 28 knots at times, which for a 40-footer is not bad.”

Fortunate to survive the conditions which, when not surfing on top of a wave could see a yacht plough into the bottom of the next, Camilleri sounded relieved by the change in conditions after Favignana. “We have good weather at the moment,” he continued. “We are taking the opportunity to dry out the boat and ourselves. We parked up for a bit at the northwest corner of Sicily, like most of the boats, and lost a bit of time before we got back into the breeze. We are now moving well and clocking up miles pretty quickly.”

Lee Satariano's HH42, Artie III

Sending It

While the story of the race so far has been the blistering runs of the Maxi Multis and Monohulls, another significant theme is developing. Tucked in among this pack of yachts on the southward leg of the course is the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race winner, Sunrise. Tom Kneen’s JPK 1180 is competing in IRC Class Five. The British crew left their immediate opposition in their wake with a sharp exit from Messina and some daring sailing from Stromboli to Trapani. They left IRC Class Four behind in a windless parking lot at Favignana, which has been the feature of Monday for many competing yachts.

Although not fully aware of their achievement so far, Kneen was in a reflective mood when he took time to report in from Pantelleria. “We did over 30 knots at one point after Stromboli and high 20s consistently. We were properly sending it,” he enthused, before tempering his apparent exhilaration. “It was terrifying if I was being perfectly honest. We were pushing our luck with the A4 spinnaker, likely to break something or someone. We peeled to an A5, fractional spinnaker, and were not much slower.”

Kneen has done the race before and was aware that there was a lot of racing ahead. “I was concerned whether it was possible for us to sustain this effort,” he explained. “It looked likely it was going to be largely downwind, and it was not clear the wind was going to drop. I should have been whooping and excited, but actually was a bit tense.”

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is anything but straight-forward and Sunrise was soon stuck in the hole off the Egadi Islands and working out how to plug through light and variable winds. That the crew has managed to do so and keep up with yachts, on paper at least, more powerful, is testament to its determination and skill in more than just heavy weather.

The IRC Class Four yachts held up at Favignana had started moving by Monday evening. The Maltese yachts Elusive 2 and Calypso, both in contention in their classes at the last transit point, will be happy to be making progress again.

Thomas Kneen's JPK 11.80 Sunrise

DAY 3 CLASS UPDATE 1700 CEST
 
IRC 1 AT LAMPEDUSA TRANSIT (11/14 YACHTS AROUND)
Comanche led Rambler with Caro the Botin 52 in third, and 70nm from the finish.
 
IRC 2 AT LAMPEDUSA TRANSIT (3/11 YACHTS AROUND)
Daguet 3 – Corum held the lead from Teasing Machine with Kuka 3 (SUI) in third.
 
IRC 3 AT PANTELLERIA TRANSIT (3/9 YACHTS AROUND)
Ino XXX led Artie III and Matador (SWE)
 
IRC 4 AT FAVIGNANA TRANSIT (14/17 YACHTS AROUND)
Elusive 2 led from L’Ange De Milon (FRA) with Sailplane (GBR) in third. Maltese yacht Ton Ton Laferla is also in the mix in fourth.
 
IRC 5 AT FAVIGNANA TRANSIT (13/16 YACHTS AROUND)
Sunrise led from Rossko Racer (RUS) and Joy-Spartivento (ITA)
 
IRC 6 AT FAVIGNANA TRANSIT (16/23 YACHTS AROUND)
The double hander Jangada (GBR) led from Foggy Dew (FRA) and Calypso (MLT). The Maltese double hander Vivace was in fifth place.

This morning, Monday 25 October, the VPLP/Verdier designed 30.48 metre/100 foot racing maxi, Comanche (CAY), skippered by Mitch Booth, crossed the finish line of the 2021 Rolex Middle Sea Race at 04:27:50 CEST to take Monohull Line Honours in an elapsed time of 40 hours 17 minutes 50 seconds.

In doing so, Comanche has broken the previous Monohull race record, taking 7 hours 37 minutes 8 seconds off the time set by George David’s 27.5m/90ft Rambler in 2007 (47 hours 55 minutes 3 seconds).

Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo (USA) crossed the finish line of the 2021 Rolex Middle Sea Race at 20:39:28 CEST on Sunday 24 October to take Multihull Line Honours in an elapsed time of 33 hours 29 minutes 28 seconds.

Argo has smashed both the existing multihull record of 56 hours 31 minutes 31 seconds, set by Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati Multi70 in 2020, and the outright race record of 47 hours 55 minutes 3 seconds, set by George David’s 27.5m/90ft Rambler in 2007.

Argo crew: Jason Carroll, Weston Barlow, Chad Corning, Peter Cumming, Thierry Fouchier, Charlie Ogletree, Alister Richardson, Brian Thompson.

1700 CEST -  The 42nd Rolex Middle Sea Race has so far lived up to expectations, putting on a sensational start. All 114 yachts got away cleanly in a fresh south-easterly breeze that built from 10-12 knots, in the confines of Grand Harbour, to 15 knots plus once past the outer breakwater. From the smallest to the largest, the slowest to the fastest, it was a magnificent sight. The impressive bastions of Valletta, Vittoriosa and Senglea provided a fitting setting for this highly competitive fleet, as cannon fire signalled each start.

The fleet is currently spread between Syracuse to the north and midway between Malta and Sicily, to the south. Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo (USA) is leading on the water, with Skorpios, the ClubSwan 125, the first monohull. The race is on for the leaders to reach the Strait of Messina where the current is now heading north and turns foul just before 2100 CEST. The Maxi Multihulls are hoping to keep enough of the breeze to the east of Sicily to make a seamless trip into the Tyrrhenian Sea and into the brisk easterly established to the north around Stromboli. This morning, Will Oxley, navigator on Mitch Booth-led Comanche (CAY), was uncertain if the Maxi Monohulls would be able to take advantage of this window of opportunity, but still felt confident that a new race record is on the cards.

Class Starts

The Multihull class was the first off the start line at 1110 CEST. Antoine Rabaste’s Ultim’Emotion (FRA) and Riccardo Pavoncelli’s Mana (ITA) hit the line at speed, with Maserati Multi70 in the second row and Argo even further back. A wind shadow created by Fort St Angelo, a feature of every subsequent start, compressed the fleet, but it was Mana first out of the harbour. Spare a thought for the intrepid cruising trimaran Minimole (ITA), a Neel 47, also part of this start. Aldo Fumagelli and his crew must have watched in wonder as the four mega-beasts sped away. At least they will have comfortable overnight accommodation to look forward to. The three 70 footers made short work of the passage to Capo Passero, at the southeast corner of Sicily, and the first transit point of the course. Touching 20 knots at time, Mana, Argo and Maserati were virtually line abreast, with Ultim’Emotion on their hip. At 1432 CEST Maserati reached the Sicilian shore with a 10-minute lead on the water over Argo and Mana. Giovanni Soldini is showing no intention of relinquishing his line honours crown, and perhaps multihull race record, without a fight.

The final start, and seventh, of the day was reserved for the fastest monohull entrants and some of the largest. The group ranged in size from the clutch of 52 footers up to the, frankly, overpowering 42.56m/140ft Skorpios. The towering mast of the Swan yacht is taller than the Saluting Battery from where the Royal Malta Yacht Club race team, led by Principal Race Officer Peter Dimech, controlled proceedings. Skorpios and the 30.48m/100ft Comanche took some time to wind up to warp speed. Both were caught briefly in the irritating wind hole just off the line. Meanwhile, George David and his five-time line honours winner, the 27m/88ft Rambler, took full advantage to lead the class out of the harbour and to the first mark of the course just past the breakwater. By Dragonara, proper order had been established with Skorpios leading Comanche and Rambler at the turn to the north. Compared to the Maxi Multihulls, the leading monohulls made the crossing to Sicilian at a relatively pedestrian pace of around 13 knots, arriving at Capo Passero later in the evening.

Congested Starts

The slowest yachts in the international fleet that represents some 25 countries set off at 1120. Their start was a less dramatic than the spacecraft that had preceded them, but it was full on. Some 28 yachts filled the gap between Valletta and Fort St Angelo. The favoured position appeared to be just beyond the mid-point of the line, towards the pin, avoiding any issues caused by the sheer-sided St Peter and Paul Bastion beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens.

Unsurprisingly it was a Maltese boat, Calypso, that launched. Even less surprisingly, the tiny J/99 was crewed by the Ripard family, whose name is etched into the history of the race. Leonardo Petti’s well-sailed J/109 Chestress (ITA), Noel Racine’s JPK 1030 Foggy Dew (FRA), and the JPK 1080 Rossko (RUS) of Sergei Desukevich all made great strides in the early stages, as did Kiboko Tatu (USA), George Greer’s Arcona 380. These smaller yachts are the real spirit of the Rolex Middle Sea Race. It will take them between four and six days to complete the course. In the words of Gabriele Spagiari, skipper of the smallest competing yacht, the Hanse 311 Catina 4 (ITA): “It is a challenge within a challenge. The first part is to complete the race, the second is to do our best against boats that are all bigger than us!” These yachts will experience more weather than most over the course area: good, bad and indifferent. This year they are likely to be buffeted twice - first, at dawn on Sunday 24 October, when upwards of 25 knots are forecast east of Sicily, and then again on Monday afternoon around the Aoelian Islands, where similar windspeeds are expected. For one member of the otherwise experienced crew on the Russian J/99 Space Jockey, taking part in his first ever sailing race of any kind, the first couple of days could be a proper baptism.

The third start was another congested line, with all the action at the St Angelo end. Timofey Zhbankov’s 1080 Rossko Racer (RUS), Tom Kneen’s JPK 1180 Sunrise (GBR) (winner of the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race), the First 40 Tevere Remo Mon Ile (ITA) and the J/111 Blur (SWE) (winners of the 2021 Yachting Malta Coastal Race on Wednesday) all took off like scalded cats. The Italian crew would reach the Dragonara turn first. Meanwhile, the all-American crew of J/122 Noisy Oyster made a more restrained start. The crew, led by John Duncan, is a mix of seven US West Coast and Mid-west friends, who have raced together for many years. According to crewmember Marian Lambrecht Hoskins, whose husband John is the navigator, “This is a bucket-list race in a beautiful location. We are a little nervous because the conditions look challenging at times, in keeping with the race’s reputation. But overall, we are excited.”

Expectant Starts

The next three starts saw some of the highly fancied yachts get underway. The Maltese contingent included the Podesta-led First 45 Elusive 2, winners of the past two-editions; the HH42 Artie III, with multiple winners Lee Satariano, Christian Ripard (with more than 30 races under his belt) and Timmy Camilleri (on his 28th race); and Jonathan Gambin’s Dufour 44 Ton Ton Laferla, third overall under IRC in the 2020 Rolex Middle Sea Race. Potential international contenders included French yachts, Jacques Pelletier’s Milon 41 L’Ange de Milon; Federic Puzin’s Ker 46 Daguet 3 – Corum; and Eric de Turkheim’s NMYD 54 Teasing Machine with ocean race winner Laurent Pages in the crew. The Swiss Cookson 50 Kuka 3 skippered by Franco Niggeler will relish the more challenging elements, while British entrant James Neville with the HH42 Ino XXX will be looking to better his second place in this summer’s Rolex Fastnet Race.

Race tracker here

With 114 boats scheduled to cross the start line of the 42nd Rolex Middle Sea Race, this morning, Saturday 23 October, offshore yacht racing fans are in for a real treat.

The Royal Malta Yacht Club has once again attracted a diverse and spectacular international fleet for its flagship event (including an Irish entry and Irish sailors as Afloat reported here).

The fleet have the prospect of confronting winds over 30 knots during the race.

The fleet ranges in size from 140 feet (42.56 metres) down to some comparatively, ridiculously small 30-footers (nine plus metres).

While the maxi monohulls and multis could be looking at a sub-two-day passage, those further down the list will be at sea for up to six days, facing the brunt of the depression in yachts that, while seaworthy and ready, will not eat the miles in quite the same way.

The call for entries went out earlier this year, against the backdrop of a global pandemic, lockdowns and travel restrictions. No one expected the sailing world would respond so positively. And, if the weather gurus are to be believed, we really could be on the cusp of something special, with the word from the dock that a new race record is on the cards.

The fleet ranges in size from 140 feet (42.56 metres) down to some comparatively, ridiculously small 30-footers (9 plus metres). Skorpios, the monohull line honours winner at the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race and racing under the leadership of 2008 Tornado Olympic gold medallist, Fernando Echavarri, is the runaway Goliath. The Davids are the Sunfast 3300 Munjek RS (CRO), the J/99s Calypso (MLT) and Space Jockey (RUS), and the Hanse 311 Catina 4 (ITA). In between, a trio of 70ft (21m) trimarans – Maserati Multi70 (ITA), Mana (ITA) and Argo (USA) – and a host of other monohull yachts represent some 25 countries; an impressive achievement for this much-revered race that has delighted the organisers.

Skorpios, the monohull line honours winner at the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race

Will Oxley, the seasoned Australian navigator on the 100ft (30.5m) racing maxi Comanche (CAY), who was last here with Wizard in 2019, believes the record time set by the 90ft (27.4m) Rambler in 2007 – 47 hours, 55 minutes, three seconds - is well within the grasp of the fastest monohulls and multihulls. “It’s looking interesting because there is a low-pressure system developing over North Africa that will move over the racecourse,” he explained. “We should see really quite strong winds, which has been unusual for this race (in recent years). The forecast looks good for us. Our routings show a realistic chance that, if we sail well, we will be under record time. The question is whether there is anyone in front.” Comanche’s racing skipper is Mitch Booth, one of Echavarri’s competitors at the 2008 Games.

The 100ft (30.5m) racing maxi Comanche

This assessment was endorsed by Chris Branning and Silvio Arrivabene, the co-navigators on George David’s current Rambler (USA), the 88ft (26.8m) Juan K flyer – five-time monohull line honours winner at the Rolex Middle Sea Race. For Arrivabene, on his ninth race, this is the fastest forecast he has seen, and he is keen to see how quickly they can get through the Messina Strait to open up the remainder of the 606 nautical mile course. In turn, Branning confirmed the importance of the system moving off North Africa: “It will be the dominant weather feature, leaving us with good gradient throughout the course. There will be two tight transition zones at the Strait and on the western side of Sicily. The leg from Lampedusa also seems quite fluid with uncertainty about the eventual position of the low, and that is probably the biggest variable left to work out.”

The big multihulls are also champing at the bit. Giovanni Soldini, skipper of Maserati Multi70, has taken line honours on three occasions and holds the current multihull race record which, at a touch over 56.5 hours, is surprisingly slower than the monohull time. This year, though, it could all be about to change. “We have known for a few days that this edition will be very windy,” he advised. “The first part of the race to Messina for us will not have strong wind, but from Stromboli to the finish looks very, very good … 20 knots or more. It should be a good year for the record, and with the other multihulls it will be a very interesting race. It will be important to be in the front.”

On Riccardo Pavoncelli’s Mana, which was beaten across line by Maserati last year, but won on corrected time, Jeff Mearing the boat captain confirmed the expectation of strong winds. “The boat is sound, all prepped up and ready to go,” said Mearing. “It’s going to be a fruity race; the forecast has been changing every six hours as the low pressure moves around. Right now, we are trying to get everyone goggled up, ready for the waves coming over the deck. She’s going to be a blasting machine for this one.” Mearing is celebrating his 40th birthday on start day and is thrilled to be doing so on Mana in the company of French ocean-racing legend Loick Peyron.

Elsewhere in the fleet, the forecast is casting a shadow, with a tough race ahead for the smaller slower boats. They have the prospect of confronting winds over 30 knots during the race. While the maxi monohulls and multis could be looking at a sub-two-day passage, those further down the list will be at sea for up to six days, facing the brunt of the depression in yachts that, while seaworthy and ready, will not eat the miles in quite the same way.

German sailor Johannes Polgar from Hamburg, who coincidentally raced against Echavarri and Booth at the Beijing Olympics, is competing on Rafale, the German canting keeled Elliot 52. The 2021 Rolex Middle Sea Race is his first experience of the Mediterranean’s best regarded offshore course, and in fact any race of this length. “This is my first ever offshore challenge, the legends around this race are strong and I am looking forward to a great adventure,” advised Polgar. Robin Zinkmann, navigator on Rafale, agrees it will be fast race, but not straightforward: “It is always hard to model the winds at Messina, and we might get stuck there longer than predicted. Also, we will see a lot of wind in the middle of the race, and I am not sure how close we will be able to sail at 100%. My guess, at the moment, is two and half days.”

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is the Mediterranean’s best regarded offshore course

James Neville, Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and skipper of the HH42 Ino XXX (GBR) (second overall at the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race), is another on his first Rolex Middle Sea Race. “We are lucky to have the same crew as the Fastnet, so we are fully up for this,” enthused Neville. “It looks quite looks light off the start, with a drag race across to Sicily and up to Messina. It is crucial to get there early before any shutdown. After the Strait it looks windy and fast.” Neville is excited to be competing against a number of the yachts that were in the top ten of this summer’s Rolex Fastnet, including Sunrise (GBR) the eventual overall winner under IRC. He also picked out another HH42 Artie (MLT), led by local legends Lee Satariano and Christian Ripard, a two-time race-winning combination in a previous iteration of Artie. “They are quite a different set up to us,”Neville explained. “We are more powerful with twin rudders, whereas I think they have a slightly deeper keel. Their knowledge of the course, though, could be important.”

First 45 Elusive 2

Many Maltese eyes will be on the Podesta siblings racing the First 45 Elusive 2 (MLT), winner of the past two editions of the Rolex Middle Sea Race. They will have their work cut out to achieve a three-peat of this already stellar success story in such a big fleet. This year sees one of the largest Maltese representations in recent editions, with 13 entries. Andrew Agius Delicata and Matthew Gabriele are taking on the inimitable challenge double-handed in the Reflex 38 Vivace. “The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a very big challenge just doing it fully crewed. This is the second time we are doing it double-handed,” advised Delicata. “We came fourth last time, but are hoping for a podium position this year. We expect the race to take five to six days, so we will focus on preserving energy over the first couple. We may not be as fast as the crewed yachts, but we will be trimming as hard as we can.”

Whether big, small, one hull or three, the 2021 Rolex Middle Sea Race has all the hallmarks of a classic in the making. The combination of a formidable weather forecast, formidable fleet and formidable course is a mouth-watering prospect.

The Mediterranean's Rolex Middle Sea Race starts this Saturday. Along with the 695-nm (1,287 kilometres) Fastnet Race held biennially in August, and the 628-nm (1,010 km) Sydney Hobart Yacht Race each December, this supreme test of seamanship is part of a triumvirate of epic ocean contests.

American yachtsman Paul Cayard explains the attraction and character of this weekend's race:

“Sailors are naturally drawn to the challenge of offshore racing. It is a great leveller demanding dedication and determination whether they are professional or Corinthian. Each race is a test of one’s resources in a contest against the sea, the wind, tides and currents, fatigue and frequently formidable opposition.

“The environment is equally enticing. The geography of the Rolex Middle Sea Race is among the most beautiful you could imagine. The race is a brutal examination of skill, but the rewards for participating are extremely gratifying.”

The 42nd edition of the race starts from the Maltese capital Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Centre. The imperious Grand Harbour creates a natural amphitheatre for one of sailing’s most striking scenes as the fleet sets off to the roar of cannon fire from the Saluting Battery high above the water.

With numerous puzzles posed by its numerous corners, the racecourse is as challenging as it is scenic, taking in the active volcanoes of Etna and Stromboli, as well as regular sightings of marine life, remote islands and rock formations. For navigators and tacticians, however, there is little time to enjoy these delights. The geography of the course leads to frequent changes in direction and, consequently, varied conditions. Most editions expose crews to a mix of big seas and fierce winds in the open water segments, and more fickle breezes closer to land. Taking part in this anticlockwise circumnavigation of Sicily requires unwavering concentration, competitive nous and a sharp intuition in order to respond to an unrelenting trial and adapt to the prevailing conditions.

The overall race winner at the past two editions, Elusive 2, will seek to equal Nita IV’s record of three straight victories, achieved from 1978–1980

Following the start, yachts head north up the eastern seaboard of Sicily to the Messina Strait. Once through this major tactical juncture, the leg to Stromboli, the race’s iconic landmark, beckons. The arrival at this atmospheric volcanic island is a significant moment for all crews, whether in daylight or darkness. The race then heads west along the north coast of Sicily towards the rugged Egadi islands. A long leg south to the larger islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa follows, before the stretch back to the finish line in Malta.

The size of this year’s fleet confirms the race’s enduring appeal – owed in part to its unique status in offshore racing from starting and finishing in the same place – and ability to attract a range of yachts and nationalities. Around 120 yachts from over 20 countries are expected to be on the start line.

The racecourse is as challenging as it is scenic, taking in the active volcanoes of Etna and Stromboli

The overall race winner at the past two editions, Elusive 2, will seek to equal Nita IV’s record of three straight victories, achieved from 1978–1980. The 14-year-old race record of 47 hours, 55 minutes and three seconds is under serious threat if the conditions cooperate, with three 70-foot (21.5 metre) trimarans entered, including Giovanni Soldini’s line honours winner from 2020, Maserati Multi 70, as well as three maxi monohulls, namely: the 140-ft (42.56m) ClubSwan 125 Skorpios; the race’s largest ever entrant, the 100-ft (30.48m) Comanche; and the irrepressible 88-ft (26.82m) Rambler from the United States. Five-time line honours winner between 2015 and 2019, the American yacht’s owner George David secured a famous triple of overall win, line honours and race record on his debut in 2007 with a previous iteration of Rambler. 

The appeal of the Rolex Middle Sea Race has never been about finishing first or winning overall. The attraction runs far deeper, through a passion for the sea, a sense of teamwork and camaraderie, and, importantly, a commitment to testing oneself. Furthermore, one of its greatest legacies is the transfer of knowledge between experienced and less experienced crews, comprising professional and Corinthian sailors, veterans and debutants.

The Yachting Malta Coastal Race started at 10:00 CEST on Wednesday 20 October. 42 teams entered the race representing 17 countries. Royal Malta Yacht Club Principal Race Officer, Peter Dimech, sent the competitors on a course of approximately 30 nautical miles north-west to Comino. The Coastal Race is the traditional prelude to the Rolex Middle Sea Race, which starts on Saturday 23 October.

Starting from Marsamxett Harbour, the international fleet first rounded the Valletta Harbour Fairway Buoy. After hoisting spinnakers, the yachts were a magnificent sight as they headed past the Sliema seafront and St Paul's Island. The next mark of the course was Comino, with yachts rounding the barren island and leaving it to port. The fleet then turned upwind and took on a tight reach back to the finish at Marsamxett Harbour.

Line Honours went to Frederic Puzin's Ker 46, Daguet 3 - Corum. Puzin and his stellar French crew are no strangers to the Rolex Middle Sea Race, having come second in class in 2019. However, this is a new boat for Puzin, who hails from Marseille, South of France. Daguet 3 -Corum was only a few minutes ahead of Francois Bopp's Swiss Farr 52 Chocolate 3, with Peter Gustafsson's Swedish J/111 Blur, the third boat to cross the finish.

The start of the Yachting Malta Coastal Race from Valetta Photo: Kurt Arrigo

Christoph, Aaron and Maya Podesta's First 45 Elusive 2, winner of the past two Rolex Middle Sea Races, was the fourth boat to finish and the first Maltese boat. In total six boats from Malta were racing including Jonathan Gambin's Ton Ton Laferla, Sean Borg's Xpresso, Sebastian Ripard's Calypso, and both of the Jarhead Young Sailors Foundation J/109s, JYS Jan and JYS Jarhead.

Earlier reports from race organisers of Irish boat participation in this warm-up race did not materialise. Kinsale yacht Freya – the only Irish boat slated for Saturday's Grand Prix fixture –  did not compete according to the results. Full results from the Yachting Malta Coastal Race are here

Irish offshore sailor Susan Glenny will skipper XP44 Antelope in Saturday's Middle Sea Race.

Glenny, who has been campaigning in the mixed doubles offshore class with Conor Fogerty of Howth, will be backed by United States tech organisation ABBYY Digital Intelligence for the 600-mile race.

The international team includes sailors from the United States, U.K. and Netherlands. 

The team includes faces from the Club Swan 50 and Maxi class and is competing in IRC 4 against strong competition. 

This will be the 42nd edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race which this year has over 120 registered entries.

Kinsale Yacht Club's Freya skippered by Conor Doyle is part of an international fleet of over 40 boats expected to take part in the Yachting Malta Coastal Race tomorrow, a shakedown race before Saturday's 600-mile Middle Sea Race tomorrow.

The Yachting Malta Coastal Race starts Wednesday 20th October. The race follows one of four courses around Malta, Gozo, Comino or Fifla, and is a perfect race for boats preparing for the 42nd edition of the Middle Sea Race.

An international fleet will include last year’s overall winner, Christoph, Aaron & Maya Podesta with Elusive II. Teams from at least 16 nations will be competing including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA.

Launched in 2015, Yachting Malta is a partnership between the Government of Malta and the Royal Malta Yacht Club. The organisation’s primary role is to identify and attract high profile yachting events to the Maltese Islands. Chairman of Yachting Malta, John Huber has confirmed that Yachting Malta will be supporting the Coastal Race for the next three editions.

The Yachting Malta Coastal Race is a good training ground for the big race, where crews get to know each other, and equipment gets tested,” commented John Huber. “The Rolex Middle Sea Race is the biggest sporting event in Malta. As a government entity, Yachting Malta will do everything to promote it.”

RMYC Principal Race Officer, Peter Dimech commented. “Our intention for the Yachting Malta Coastal Race is to give the crews an opportunity for a shake-down before the main race. This race will have a target time of under five hours for all the boats to finish.”

The 606 nautical-mile Rolex Middle Sea Race will start from Grand Harbour Valletta on Saturday 23rd October.