No records are likely to be broken in this year’s Rolex Middle Sea Race, other than perhaps for the slowest times. Throughout the day the bulk of the fleet has continued to wallow in next to no wind to the north of Sicily, while the race leaders have been making only marginally better progress past Trapani, home to the recent America’s Cup Acts and on slowly down southwards towards the islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa.
Peter Blake’s 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race winner, now called Steinlager Mediterranean Bank Thuraya, continues to lead on the water. The 82ft maxi ketch passed to the west of the volcano island of Pantelleria at 0845 local time yesterday, followed by Carlo Puri Negri’s Atalanta II at 12:30. Both boats have been making 5-9 knots through the course.
At 1400 local time the Farr 52 Nabatea owned by Frenchman Pierre-Eric Detroyat was holding third place on the water with 22 miles to go to Pantelleria having made good progress through the Egadi Islands off Sicily’s western tip overnight. She continues to lead the big boats on handicap, the Farr 52 gaining the reputation as ‘the Rolex Middle Sea Race boat’ after Pericles Livas and Nikos Lazos’ team from Greece led their Farr 52 Optimum 3 to handicap honours in the Rolex Midlde Sea Race last year.
Meanwhile, the two British teams on board Sir Peter Ogden’s Swan 601 Spirit of Jethou and Nick Lykiardopulo’s Aera were 43 miles from Pantelleria, as the two Volvo Ocean 60s competing in the race were just off the Sicilian port of Marsala with 56 miles to go, with Augusto Lustrrissimi’s Grand Soleil 56R X-Fly 5 miles astern.
Fifty or so miles further astern, to the north of the Gulf of Castellemare midway between Trapani and Palermo was the Greek Farr 520 Brave, the Swan 62RS Constanter and the leading Maltese yacht, David Franks’ J/125 Strait Dealer, with America's Cup sailor Chris Dougall on board as skipper. With the light breeze they have been able to make sail changes with less than the normal crew who have been able to relax or catch up on sleep.
Field says that the forecast ahead shows the wind building last night to 12-15 knots from the north before going light again for the beat back from Lampedusa to the finish line off Malta. Other forecasts suggest the wind will be less than this.
On board Richard Baldwin’s Swan 60 Fenix, progress has been even slower. They took a route to the south of the bulk of the fleet and this afternoon were still northeast of Palermo.
On board Fenix they have resorted to watching DVDs to keep themselves entertained and have already got through the complete collection of The Office and are starting on their film collection. “It is good for morale but it is not good for boat speed. Fortunately we have got a very good bunch of people on board,” said Hall.
Yesterday afternoon Steinlager had around 160 miles left to sail to get to the finish line off the Maltese capital Valletta where - if the forecast holds true - she should arrive today in the afternoon.