Middle Sea Race Draws 19 Maxis and Five MOD70s for Saturday's Start

21st October 2022

Jason Carroll's Argo sets sail in 2021 en route to setting a new multihull race record in the Middle Sea Race. While she isn't back this year, five other MOD70s are Credit: ROLEX / Kurt Arrigo

The classic 600-mile offshore race with certainly the most exotic course - the Rolex Middle Sea Race will this Saturday launch the latest edition of the International Maxi Association’s Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge (MMOC). Running into 2023, the MMOC comprises seven events culminating in next August’s Palermo-Montecarlo. Its silver perpetual trophy is awarded to the winner at the IMA annual dinner at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo every September.

Organised by the Royal Malta Yacht Club in collaboration with the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the Rolex Middle Sea Race is dramatic in almost every way. The start takes place off the Maltese capital Valletta within Grand Harbour, famous for its towering ancient ramparts and multitude of centuries-old forts. Its anti-clockwise lap of Sicily passes two active volcanos, Etna and Stromboli, the latter of which erupted violently last weekend. The course heads south to the island of Pantelleria, 40 miles off the coast of Tunisia and on to Lampedusa, from where the boats return to the Maltese finish line.

Maxi participation in the race has been strong since the first race, in 1968, was won by Dutch plywood pioneer Kees Bruynzeel’s 74ft ketch Stormvogel. This year, of a provisional 124 starters from 24 nations, 19 are maxis and five more are MOD70 trimarans.

One of the strongest competitors in recent years has been George David's Rambler 88, winner of Middle Sea Race line honours five consecutive times from 2015-2019. Photo: ROLEX / Kurt Arrigo

Winner of the IMA’s MMOC for 2021-22 was Frenchman Jean-Pierre Barjon and his Botin Partners 65 Spirit of Lorina. He returns with a bigger program this season that starts with the Rolex Middle Sea Race. Remarkably this is Barjon’s first time competing here. “It has been a long ambition. We tried to come here four years ago, so we are very happy to make it this year. It will be an interesting discovery for me, because our longest race so far has been Rolex Giraglia. Everyone says that the course is very beautiful and it has a very good reputation. The first time is always best!”

The favourite for monohull line honours this year is the Farr 100 Leopard 3, which claimed this prize in 2009. For her Dutch owner, it too will be his first time. “I can only compare it with the Caribbean 600, which was great fun. What we enjoyed most is being with a group of people and you go through all the nature, the storms, etc - it is a big adventure.”

However, Leopard 3 has competed here many times with her original owner Mike Slade and Chris Sherlock, her long term skipper: “At the moment, it looks relatively light, but one thing is sure about this race: it won’t be what it says it’s going to be today! I think it will still be a 2.5-3 day race for the maxis. In five knots of wind we can do 9.5-10 knots of boat speed. 12 hours of that and you can rack up 100 miles.

“For line honours it will be between us and Bullitt,” continues Sherlock. “We rate higher than them, but in the light air they are quick. But we don’t need much to keep going - we have a lot of area up high and hopefully that will pay off for us.”

Italian Andrea Recordati has a highly talented all-star crew on Bullitt. This Wally 93, originally launched as Nahita, was fourth home on the water in this year’s Rolex Giraglia. Nipping at her heels will be the VO70s I Love Poland, winner of the IMA’s 2022 Caribbean Maxi Challenge, and the Dutch owned HYPR and the VO65 Sailing Poland.

I Love Poland approaches Valletta to claim line honours in the 2020 Rolex Middle Sea Race. Photo: ROLEX / Kurt Arrigo

Fighting for overall line honours will be the strongest line-up of the MOD70s assembled since they raced as a one design class a decade ago: Five of these semi-foiling trimarans will be on the start line. Most familiar with the course is Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati, a former line honours winner and race record holder. Riccardo Pavoncelli’s Mana was a close third behind Maserati last year. The three others have all changed hands this year – Eric Defert’s Axciss was originally Race For Water; French GC32 skipper Erik Maris has Zoulou, which raced here before as Powerplay; while Snowflake was formerly Karl Kwok’s Beau Geste – this will be the first race on her for new owner Frank Slootman, having graduating up from his Transpac-winning Pac 52.

Above: Riccardo Pavoncelli's MOD70 trimaran Mana passes the Aeolian Islands in the Middle Sea Race Photo: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi

Leading the high-performance 60-footers will be Márton Józsa and his DSS canting keel Reichel/Pugh 60 Wild Joe. This will be the team’s 11th Rolex Middle Sea Race.

Márton Józsa's DSS-equipped Reichel/Pugh 60 Wild Joe rounds the volcanic island of Stromboli during the 2020 race. Photo: ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi

“It is a beautiful race and a beautiful course, with always very challenging weather conditions,” says Józsa. “It is different every time with different weather systems in different parts of the race. The geography is interesting. We love this place because they are very warm friendly people. With Wild Joe, this is our most important race.”

The Hungarian crew will face stiff competition from the canting keel Mylius 60 Cippa Lippa X of Guido Paolo Gamucci and another race regular - the Marten 72 Aragon of Dutch joint owners Andreas Verder and Arco Van Nieuwland.

Following these will be Jean Philippe Blanpain’s Vismara-Mills 62 Leaps and Bounds 2, Jean-Pierre Dreau’s Mylius 60 Lady First 3 and Hagar V, the Scuderia 65 of Gregor Stimpfl. This trio have all travelled extensively this season with Lady First 3 having crossed the Atlantic to compete in the RORC Caribbean 600. Hagar V and Leaps and Bounds 2 finished first and third respectively under IRC in July’s Aegean 600.

Also to watch out for are the much-campaigned Swan 82 Kallima, entered by Robi Stäube, while two brand new cruiser-race maxis will be on the start line on Saturday in Luca Guida, a Vismara 77 campaigned by Jean-Michel Caye and Ekita, which is a newly launched Maxi Dolphin 62 entered by Bruno Marin.

Bringing up the rear will be the historically significant Swan 65 King’s Legend, which finished second to Flyer in the second Whitbread Round the World Race in 1977-78.

The first start will be at 1100 CEST on Saturday, 22nd October.

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About The Middle Sea Race

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a highly rated offshore classic, often mentioned in the same breath as the Rolex Fastnet, The Rolex Sydney–Hobart and Newport-Bermuda as a 'must do' race. The Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club co-founded the race in 1968 and 2007 was the 28th Edition. Save for a break between 1984 and 1995 the event has been run annually attracting 25–30 yachts. In recent years, the number of entries has rissen sharply to 68 boats thanks to a new Organising Committee who managed to bring Rolex on board as title sponsor for the Middle Sea Race.

The race is a true challenge to skippers and crews who have to be at their very best to cope with the often changeable and demanding conditions. Equally, the race is blessed with unsurpassed scenery with its course, taking competitors close to a number of islands, which form marks of the course. Ted Turner described the MSR as "the most beautiful race course in the world".

Apart from Turner, famous competitors have included Eric Tabarly, Cino Ricci, Herbert von Karajan, Jim Dolan, Sir Chay Blyth and Sir Francis Chichester (fresh from his round the world adventure). High profile boats from the world's top designers take part, most in pursuit of line honours and the record – competing yachts include the extreme Open 60s, Riviera di Rimini and Shining; the maxis, Mistress Quickly, Zephyrus IV and Sagamore; and the pocket rockets such as the 41-foot J-125 Strait Dealer and the DK46, Fidessa Fastwave.

In 2006, Mike Sanderson and Seb Josse on board ABN Amro, winner of the Volvo Ocean Race, the super Maxis; Alfa Romeo and Maximus and the 2006 Rolex Middle Sea Race overall winner, Hasso Platner on board his MaxZ86, Morning Glory.

George David on board Rambler (ex-Alfa Romeo) managed a new course record in 2007 and in 2008, Thierry Bouchard on Spirit of Ad Hoc won the Rolex Middle Sea Race on board a Beneteau 40.7

The largest number of entries was 78 established in 2008.

Middle Sea Race History

IN THE BEGINNING

The Middle Sea Race was conceived as the result of sporting rivalry between great friends, Paul and John Ripard and an Englishman residing in Malta called Jimmy White, all members of the Royal Malta Yacht Club. In the early fifties, it was mainly British servicemen stationed in Malta who competitively raced. Even the boats had a military connection, since they were old German training boats captured by the British during the war. At the time, the RMYC only had a few Maltese members, amongst who were Paul and John Ripard.

So it was in the early sixties that Paul and Jimmy, together with a mutual friend, Alan Green (later to become the Race Director of the Royal Ocean Racing Club), set out to map a course designed to offer an exciting race in different conditions to those prevailing in Maltese coastal waters. They also decided the course would be slightly longer than the RORC's longest race, the Fastnet. The resulting course is the same as used today.

Ted Turner, CEO of Turner Communications (CNN) has written that the Middle Sea Race "must be the most beautiful race course in the world. What other event has an active volcano as a mark of the course?"

In all of its editions since it was first run in 1968 – won by Paul Ripard's brother John, the Rolex Middle Sea Race has attracted many prestigious names in yachting. Some of these have gone on to greater things in life and have actually left their imprint on the world at large. Amongst these one finds the late Raul Gardini who won line honours in 1979 on Rumegal, and who spearheaded the 1992 Italian Challenge for the America's Cup with Moro di Venezia.

Another former line honours winner (1971) who has passed away since was Frenchman Eric Tabarly winner of round the world and transatlantic races on Penduik. Before his death, he was in Malta again for the novel Around Europe Open UAP Race involving monohulls, catamarans and trimarans. The guest list for the Middle Sea Race has included VIP's of the likes of Sir Francis Chichester, who in 1966 was the first man to sail around the world single-handedly, making only one stop.

The list of top yachting names includes many Italians. It is, after all a premier race around their largest island. These include Navy Admiral Tino Straulino, Olympic gold medallist in the star class and Cino Ricci, well known yachting TV commentator. And it is also an Italian who in 1999 finally beat the course record set by Mistress Quickly in 1978. Top racing skipper Andrea Scarabelli beat it so resoundingly, he knocked off over six hours from the time that had stood unbeaten for 20 years.

World famous round the world race winners with a Middle Sea Race connection include yachting journalist Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Les Williams, both from the UK.

The Maxi Class has long had a long and loving relationship with the Middle Sea Race. Right from the early days personalities such as Germany's Herbert Von Karajan, famous orchestra conductor and artistic director of the Berliner Philarmoniker, competing with his maxi Helisara IV. Later came Marvin Greene Jr, CEO of Reeves Communications Corporation and owner of the well known Nirvana (line honours in 1982) and Jim Dolan, CEO of Cablevision, whose Sagamore was back in 1999 to try and emulate the line honours she won in 1997.

THE COURSE RECORD

The course record was held by the San Francisco based, Robert McNeil on board his Maxi Turbo Sled Zephyrus IV when in 2000, he smashed the Course record which now stands at 64 hrs 49 mins 57 secs. Zephyrus IV is a Rechiel-Pugh design. In recent years, various maxis such as Alfa Romeo, Nokia, Maximus and Morning Glory have all tried to break this course record, but the wind Gods have never played along. Even the VOR winner, ABN AMro tried, but all failed in 2006.

However, George David came along on board Rambler in 2007 and demolished the course record established by Zephyrus IV in 2000. This now stands at 1 day, 23 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds.

At A Glance - Middle Sea Race 2024

First held: 1968

Organising Authority: Royal Malta Yacht Club

Start

The 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race will start on Saturday, 19 October 2024.

Grand Harbour, Valletta: seven separate starts, at 10-minute intervals, from 11:00 CEST Saturday, 21 October 2024

Start Line: between the Saluting Battery, Upper Barrakka Gardens (Valletta) and Fort St Angelo (Birgu)

Various vantage points all around the Grand Harbour, high up on the bastions or at water level. Harbour access for spectator boats is restricted during the period of the start.

Course

Set in the heart of the Mediterranean and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. It starts and finishes in Malta, passes two active volcanoes and takes in the deep azure waters surrounding Sicily, and the Aeolian and Egadi Islands, as well as lonelier outposts of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, both closer to the African continent than Europe.

Length: 606 nautical miles (1,122km)

Outright Race Record: 33h 29m 28s, Argo, United States, Jason Carroll

Monohull Race Record: 40h 17m 50s, Comanche, Cayman Is, Mitch Booth