The Ramla Bay Resort regatta is this year being held on 1, 2 and 3 September.

The event was launched yesterday afternoon at the refurbished resort at Marfa, where most of the events connected with the regatta will take place.

The resort is the main sponsor of the regatta as it has been for the past years. “This has become a very popular regatta,” said Royal Malta Yacht Club commodore Georges Bonello DuPuis.

He said the club was expecting a good number of boats to take part. “It is open to anybody who owns a sailing boat. We can expect about 15-20 keel boats, perhaps even 25. We will also have the dinghy events open for the Laser and Optimist Classes. The RMYC expects to have around 40 participants in this category. This event has always seen consistent participation and this year should be no exception,” he said.

Bonello DuPuis also said that since 2003, this regatta had become a fund-raising event with the proceeds being forwarded to the Malta Sailing Federation. “Over the past three years, we have given the MSF a sum of around Lm1,600 and this helps the federation to holds its Youth Training Programme,” he added.

The event starts on Friday next week with a race from Valletta to Ramla Bay. On Saturday, the long race to Filfla and back is to be held, while Sunday morning will be reserved for the final race around Comino. Most of the events for the Lasers and Optimists will be held in the waters in front of the hotel.

Ms Taziana Grech, general manager of the Ramla Bay Resort, explained that since they took over the hotel from the previous owners, about 11 years ago, they continued with the sponsorship which had been started by Jeremy Holland, the previous owner.

She said the hotel had been refurbished completely and Lm2 million had been spent on modernising the whole resort which now includes 191 rooms. “It is one of few resorts in Malta which boasts a sandy beach, rocks and pools, conference facilities and a spa. In fact, it now caters for everybody,” she said.

Simon Grech, Sales and Marketing Director of 1565, a local beer produced by Marsovin, and co-sponsors of the regatta, also addressed the news conference and said the company was committed to yachting in general and the Ramla Bay Resort. He added they were glad to be associated with such an event.

From left, Simon Grech, Ms Tiziana Grech and Georges Bonello DuPuis. Inset, the trophy for the winner of the regatta