The Rolex Middle Sea Race, one of the Mediterranean’s most prestigious and demanding sailing competitions, returns on Saturday 22nd October with the 32nd running of this 606-nautical mile classic, commencing and culminating in the enchanting and historic island of Malta. A record-breaking number of entrants have signed up for the 2011 edition and are ready to attack one of the world’s great offshore courses, one which passes through a myriad of historical sites and is often dubbed ‘a journey through time’.
About the 2011 Rolex Middle Sea Race
If numbers are a reliable indicator then the 32nd Rolex Middle Sea Race, organised by the Royal Malta Yacht Club, is shaping up to be a classic, fully in line with the event’s proud tradition.
80 yachts have registered, ensuring that the current record number of 77 entries, set in 2008 is to be surpassed. A number of the competitors are braced for a last hurrah after a gruelling and glorious Mediterranean sailing season. For others the temptation of the festive season’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race lies ahead. The fleet is as international as ever. Yachts from three continents, comprising 18 countries and territories are taking part. It’s a competitive field, across all aspects of the race.
Esimit Europa 2 (SLO), Igor Simcic’s 100-ft speed machine, is the stand-out favourite to claim the line honours title. Should this pan-European crew encounter less benign conditions than the fleet have faced during recent editions of the event, then she has every chance of breaking the course record, set by George David’s original Rambler (USA) back in 2007. Their target is to finish within 47 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds. However, one of the distinct draws of the Rolex Middle Sea Race is related to the unpredictability of the conditions. With a course that includes a passage through the Strait of Messina and the rounding of Sicily, Lampedusa, Pantelleria as well as the active volcanic island of Stromboli, the numerous twists and turns can bring arduous weather shifts and erratic wind patterns. Navigators and tacticians can take nothing for granted.
The chasing pack is impressively competitive and comprises Andres Soriano’s 68-ft Mini Maxi Alegre (GBR), a terrific Mediterranean campaigner, and twice winner of the Rolex Middle Sea Race – claiming line honours in 2008 and the overall prize in 2009. Niklas Zennström’s 72-ft Rán 2 (GBR) is arguably the in-form yacht and has recently celebrated a second straight overall win at the Rolex Fastnet Race and a triumph at the Mini Maxi Rolex Worlds.
Given the geographical nature of the course, Italians feel a close affinity with the Rolex Middle Sea Race, demonstrated by the 31 crews from the peninsula who have registered this year. However, the event is undeniably a Maltese affair. The number of local crews competing in the competition this year totals 8 and an analysis of the Maltese fleet provides a major insight into the race’s distinct roots.
Amongst the enthusiastic local competitors is Arthur Podesta, skipper of the Beneteau First 45 Elusive, who has competed in all 32 editions of the race, including the very first edition in 1968. As a crew member, Podesta has won the race three times. Equally engrained in the rich fabric of the Rolex Middle Sea Race is Christian Ripard, co-skippering the J/122 Artie, and celebrating his 23rd participation. Ripard has enjoyed an intense year on the water having competed in several offshore challenges ranging from the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race to the Rolex Fastnet Race. He is also part of the family that helped instigate the creation of this competition and like the entire local fleet is looking to break a nine-year streak since the last overall victory by a Maltese crew.