The 43rd edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race is underway.
Across seven starts and to the sound of the Saluting Battery’s firing cannons, an international fleet of 118 yachts commenced one of the world’s most revered offshore races from the Grand Harbour, Valletta.
Lying ahead for the fleet is the challenging and scenic 606-nautical mile (1,122 kilometre) racecourse. Starting and finishing in Malta it features an anticlockwise circumnavigation of Sicily, two active volcanoes and a myriad of wild and rugged islands.
The Rolex Middle Sea Race, first held in 1968, is organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC). Rolex has partnered with both the race and the RMYC since 2002. The light winds forecast for this year’s contest suggest that the multihull and monohull race records set last year are unlikely to be threatened. An intriguing tactical contest awaits testing patience and endeavour and placing significant emphasis on teamwork and navigation.
