Sailors from 24 different countries will set sail from Grand Harbour on Saturday to take part in the Rolex Middle Sea Race. A dazzling array of yachts will take part in the non-stop 606 mile yacht race, starting and finishing in Malta. About one thousand sailors will be taking part in Malta's biggest sporting event, starting in Grand Harbour.
The 2013 edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race will have the largest fleet ever to be assembled in the 45 year history of the race. With less than a week to go before the start, 116 yachts from all over the world have come together in Malta.
The international fleet includes world famous yachts and a record number of Maltese yachts will be racing against them.
The hot favourite for Line Honours is Igor Simcic's 100 ft Maxi, Esimit Europa 2. The European team, led by three-time Olympic Gold medallist Jochen Schumann, will be attempting to take line honours for an unprecedented fourth consecutive occasion.
Esimit Europa 2 could also beat the course record; 47 hours 55 minutes and 3 seconds set by George David's American Maxi, Rambler in 2007.
IMOCA 60, Hugo Boss, makes its Rolex Middle Sea Race debut. Skipper Alex Thomson is the fastest Briton to sail single handedly, non stop around the globe.
For the Rolex Middle Sea Race, Hugo Boss, with sail with a full crew, could be the first boat back to the Royal Malta Yacht Club and could also break the course record.
There is the mouth-watering prospect of two of the world's best 72ft Mini Maxis going head to head. Andres Soriano's brand new British Mills 72, Alegre should have an epic contest with Roberto Tomasini Grinover's Italian JV72, Robertissima.
Alegre will be taking part in its first long offshore race and is heavily optimised for inshore racing. Robertissima is the former RAN 2, which has won class for the last two years but has never won overall. The world class Italian team on Robertissama is led by Vasco Vascotti, who has won an incredible 20 world titles.
Yachts vary in length for 100 to 33 feet. The overall winner of the Rolex Middle Sea Race is decided by a handicap system. Each yacht's elapsed time is corrected by a handicap determined by the yacht's potential speed.
The most successful Maltese yacht of the modern era will be taking on the world's best. Lee Satariano's J/122 Artie-RTFX, co-skippered by Christian Ripard, was the first Maltese yacht with an all-Maltese crew, to win the race overall after time correction after an incredible race in 2011. Artie-RTFX will be returning to the race course this year with a real chance of winning the overall prize.
Last year's Class Three winner, Josef Schultheis' Xp-act Banks Sails Racing, sailed by a mainly Maltese crew, is back to defend their title. Jonas Diamantino & Ramon Sant Hill’s Comanche Raider II GasanMamo was third in class last year and will be proudly flying the Maltese flag for this year’s race and will push Xp-act all the way.
The Rear Commodore of the Royal Malta Yacht Club, Arthur Podesta, has competed in every edition of the race and will once again be taking part. David Anastasi and Sonke Stein's J/133, Oiltanking Juno, had a real battle with Elusive II last year.
The former crossed the line just 16 seconds ahead of Elusive II, after six days and nights at sea. Aaron Gatt Floridia's Otra Vez, Jonathan Gambin's Ton Ton maltacharter.com and Fekruna, skippered by Matthew Farrugia, will all be taking part in the race once again. Two Maltese yachts will be competing in the race for the first time, Jamie Sammut's UNICA and Charles Borg Barthet's August Rush Beta Paints.
For the 2013 edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, there has been a massive increase in Double Handed entries. 15 yachts from six different countries will take on the gruelling race with just two crew on board.
Three Maltese yachts will be racing Double Handed; Anthony Camilleri's Bavaria, Peter Ellul Vincenti's Manana and past Royal Malta Yacht Club Commodore, George Bonello Dupuis racing Escape by Tommy Hilfiger.
All of the competing yachts will be fitted with satellite trackers. Fans can watch the race progress on the virtual player and see daily news stories, pictures and video from the yachts while they are racing.