The 2007 Rolex Middle Sea Race set off yesterday from Marsamxett Harbour with the crews apprehensive about what may lie ahead but displaying a quiet confidence that they are prepared for tough race and some tough decisions. On Friday night, 60 yachts were registered to take part. Following a pretty sobering weather briefing, three yachts chose not to start yesterday morning.

Since the start four yachts have retired, leaving 53 yachts on the course. In the absence of a record fleet, the event may still make history. Routings for the two fastest monohulls – George David’s 90-foot Rambler (USA) and Tom Hill’s 76-foot Titan 12 (USA) – suggested a finish time of between 7am and 8am tomorrow morning!

The fleet was divided into five starts, the first group of the smallest yachts setting off at 11am to the thunderous echo of the field gun. The doublehanded British yacht Slingshot of Shaun Murphy and Roger Barber repeated its excellent start of last year and led the fleet off the line.

It was the Maltese old-stager Arthur Podesta and Elusive Medbank that claimed the glory of first boat out of the harbour and round the turning mark off Tigne Point. Podesta was closely followed by Georges Bonello DuPuis’ Primadonna (MLT) and the Ripard/Calascione family on Jammin (MLT).

The second start included another double-hander, Chris Dougal and David Pizzuto on Geisha undertook a flypast of the crowds gathered on the steps leading to the waters edge in front of Fort Manoel. The applause was reminiscent of that offered to gladiators entering an arena of combat.

A short break in proceedings allowed the crowds to catch their breath and the bigger yachts time to enter the harbour before the final group of three starts. The Greek yacht Superfast Racing, a former winner of the race (as Optimum 3), led the third start away while Cippa Lippa (ITA) found herself red-faced and over early. Not a crucial error in the 607 mile race, but not good in front of so many onlookers.

Start four saw the big boys come to line. Taking full use of the ten minutes between the preparatory signal and the start gun, these behemoths appeared to sniff the air at the line one or two times before returning into the depths of the harbour. Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki from Australia seemed to get the best of it closely followed by Titan XII nearest to the Royal Malta Yacht Club. Rambler with Jerry Kirby on the bow and Ken Read on the helm had a decidedly second row start but soon carved her way to the front.

The fifth and final start involved the two multihulls, Giles McKay’s ORMA 60 Skywalker (GBR) and Hans Nagel’s High Q1 (GER). Shortly after Tigne Point, Skywalker – possibly the most potent and fragile weapon in the fleet retired citing the forecast weather as its reason.

As the yachts tacked around Tigne Point and headed off towards the second turning mark off St Paul’s Bay a sigh of relief could be felt among the onlookers in and around the yacht club. Another edition of the race successfully underway. First yacht to the mark at St Paul’s Bay was once again Elusive. As the most experienced man in the race, with 27 editions under his belt, Podesta will have thoroughly enjoyed this moment in the sun.

At 4.45pm yesterday Rambler was abreast of Sicily making 12 knots, with Titan 12 behind and then a chasing pack comprising Superfast, Ourdream Damiani (ITA), Whisper (IRE), Atalanta II (ITA), Valkyrie (CAN) and Loki about three miles further back.

On Friday evening at the Skipper’s Briefing the conversation was all about the depression forming to the north of Sardinia that is expected to slide into the race area overnight today. The timing and impact of this weather system will determine whether a new record is set and how many boats finish the race. Current weather models show peak winds of up to 45 knots today morning to the northwest of Sicily and the possibility of compact but brutal rain squalls throughout much of the second and third day of the race.

By early afternoon today the whole picture will have changed dramatically. A depression will be centred due north of Palermo, two-thirds of the way along the northern coast of Sicily. Winds to the south and north of Messina will be around 15-20 knots from the south. Further west, the winds become more northwesterly and increase in intensity to over 40 knots. Talking to the skippers and navigators yesterday morning, they were all keenly aware of the weather approaching the racecourse. Nick Lykiardopulo (owner of Aera that won overall the storm ridden Rolex Sydney Hobart in 2004 and who participated in the infamous ‘98 race as well) is racing as Navigator on Nikos Lazos and Pericles Livas’ Superfast Racing.

Robert McNeill’s Zephyrus IV established the current Course Record of 64 hours 49 minutes and 57 seconds in 2000. In order to beat this record the first boat must be home by about 4am on Tuesday.