Wednesday’s wind and lumpy seas had abated for yesterday’s second and final coastal race for the Malta Rolex Cup - the warm-up event to tomorrow’s Rolex Middle Sea Race.

Again racing got away for the smaller Class 2 boats at 1000 with the Russian Grand Soleil 40, Synergy, skippered by Alexey Nikolaev getting the best start. Wednesday’s winner Arthur Podesta on his Beneteau 45F5 Elusive was one of two boats early, having to dive back down to recross the line. Fortunately this coincided with a gust and both boats were able to make a rapid recovery.

After a short delay, it was Nisida, the London Corinthian Sailing Club entry, led by Peter Hopps and Hilary Cook which got the best start in Class 1, with the Croatian Volvo 60 AAG Big One crossing close to the steps leading up to the Royal Malta Yacht Club on Fort Manoel. Fast off the line too was the Italian IMS500 X-Fly (formerly X-Prozac) chartered to Augusto Lustrrissimi and a team who last year competed aboard the Beneteau 40.7 Squalo Bianco, but leaving the harbour she was slowly outpaced by yellow-hulled AAG Big One and yesterday’s on the water leader Formidable3, with veteran navigator Peter Bowker at the helm in place of owner Pieter Vroon.

Yesterday’s course took the boats in the opposite direction to the race yesterday, heading west from Marsamxett harbour and around the barren island of Comino, situated between Malta and Gozo, before returning to Valletta.

The boats spinnaker reached down to the island before hardening up, passing the imposing Comino Tower and numerous fish farms before the beat back home. Rounding Comino, Formidable3 was leading from AAG Big One in Class 1, both boats flying masthead spinnakers, while X-Fly wallowed under a fractional in third. By the time they had made it back to Marsamxett harbour the Dutch 56 footer had been overhauled by AAG Big One, who finished three minutes ahead on the water. However on handicap today’s winner was Italian Filippo Massimo Lancellotti and his team on the Beneteau Sciara. Overall after two races she finished tied on first place with Richard Vojta’s Czech entry, Bohemia Express.

In class 2, Alexei Nikolaev’s Russian team on Synergy maintained their commanding lead around the course yesterday, to cross the line seven minutes ahead of Wednesday’s winner Elusive, taking the handicap win too. As in class 1, the two teams are tied in their class as they are overall for first place in the combined Malta Rolex Cup results.

The Russian team is showing great form on the water, but Nikolaev is not making any predictions about how they will fare in tomorrow’s Rolex Middle Sea Race.

Not racing yesterday was the Irish TP52 Patches, following her keel damage the day before.

Another sailing star due to take the start line on Saturday is Francesco de Angelis, who is sailing on Carlo A Puri Negri’s new Farr 70 Atalanta II. As skipper of the Luna Rossa Italian America’s Cup challenge de Angelis has spent the last few years match racing, and like Ainslie is unaccustomed to competing in a 606 mile long offshore race. “I am looking forward to the race as I enjoy doing long distance races and I’ve been given this opportunity to sail with a group of friends,” he says.

Robert McNeil (USA)’s Zephyrus IV holds the current Course Record of 64 hours 49 minutes and 57 seconds, established in 2000.

The Rolex Middle Sea Race 2005 starts from Marsamxett harbour, Malta, tomorrrow at 11am.

The start will be broadcast live on TVM and EDUC in Malta, between 10.30am and 12.30pm.