Every skipper and all the participants in the 34th edition are looking forward eagerly to tomorrow’s start from Grand Harbour.
Well over 100 boats are expected to take part this year making it a record number of participants. Fourteen of the boats will be Maltese – another record.
Veteran Maltese sailor Arthur Podesta said yesterday that there never was such a number of Maltese participating boats in the Middle Sea Race. Podesta, racing his Elusive BoV II, is the only sailor to have taken part in all the previous 33 editions. His record is certainly difficult to be broken in future.
The Rear Commodore of the Royal Malta Yacht Club, Godwin Zammit, assured the press yesterday that the entry of over 100 boats is certainly a record, but it was still to be seen whether the number of actual participants will be greater than ever before.
The Commodore said weather predictions showed that it might be difficult or practically impossible for any records to be broken this year. “A slight wind from the south is expected on Saturday and perhaps the following days, but it will certainly not be enough for any boat to cross the finish line in record time,” he added.
Zammit went on to say that there are two 60-feet yachts among the participants and this will make the race even more interesting. He added that the event has become very popular in the Mediterranean where it is considered as a classic race.
The 14 Maltese boats taking part are the following:
ARTIE-RTFX - Lee Satariano, Christian Ripard and Sebastian
Ripard
AUGUST RUSH BETA PAINTS - Charles Borg Barthet
COMANCHE RAIDER II GASANMAMO - Jonas Diamantino/Ramon Sant Hill
ELUSIVE II - Arthur Podesta
ESCAPE BY TOMMY HILFIGER - Georges Bonello DuPuis
FEKRUNA - Matthew Farrugia
MANANA - Peter Ellul Vincenti
OILTANKING JUNO - David Ananstasi / Sonke Stein
OTRA VEZ - Aaron Gatt Floridia / Edward Gatt Floridia
TON TON - maltacharters.com Jonathan Gambin
UNICA - Jamie Sammut
WINDWARD - Anthony Camilleri
XP-ACT - Josef Schultheis
Slovenian Super Maxi Esimit Europa 2 is the largest yacht competing (30 metres) and is hot favourite for line honours.
On the other hand, one of the smallest boats racing is the entry Black Cat Go Sailing Racing Team (9.25
metres) from Montenegro, skippered by Saulius Veselauskas
The race course is 606 nautical miles long and is sailed anti-clockwise. The Rolex Middle Sea Race course is 606 nautical miles long and is sailed anti-clockwise. Starting from the Grand Harbour, Valletta, beneath Fort St Angelo and the Saluting Battery in Valletta, the fleet head north along the eastern coasts of Sicily up towards the Straits of Messina.
Mt Etna is usually visible on the fleet’s port side, billowing ashes and lava throughout the night. Once through the Straits, the course leads north to the Aeolian Islands and the active volcano of Stromboli where the yachts turn west to the Egadi Islands.
Passing between Marettimo and Favignana the crews head south towards the island of Lampedusa leaving Pantelleria to port.
Once past Lampedusa the fleet turns northeast on the final leg towards the South Comino Channel and the finish at Marsamxett Harbour.
En route the crews take in an amazing diversity of landscape and sea conditions, all of which combine to create the attraction and challenge of the race.
The course record, established by “Rambler” in 2007, is 1 day, 23 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds.
The shorter coastal race preceded the big event on Wednesday. Twenty four boats took part in strong winds.
The Malta Rolex Cup will be awarded to the overall winner on corrected time in IRC.