Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts X4.0

The Rolex Middle Sea Race, the Transat Jaques Vabre and the International Masters Regatta

by David Schmidt 23 Oct 2019 02:00 AEDT October 22, 2019
Rambler - 2019 Rolex Middle Sea Race, day 3 © Kurt Arrigo / Rolex

Autumn's dark and wet hit the Pacific Northwest in force this past week, slamming the mountains with snow and reminding sailors why summer days are so precious in this part of the world where one pays dearly for their luxuriously long summertime sunshine come the fall, with days that drop minutes of daylight seriously fast thanks to our location at almost 48 degrees north latitude. But while this sounds ominous, the truth is that our racing season is just now getting going, with some of the year's best races coming in the weeks and months ahead. Granted, this means racing when it's even darker, wetter and colder than this past weekend, but this is somehow fitting for life in this quirky city that sits at the northwestern edge of the Lower 48.

Looking beyond the waters of Puget Sound reveals a much sunnier picture of sailing, especially if one focuses their attention on the Rolex Middle Sea Race, where George David (USA) and his all-conquering crew aboard Rambler 88 took line honours just outside of Malta's Marsamxett Harbor at 08:13:00 CEST Tuesday.

Other North American entries in this prestigious offshore contest, which is considered to have one of the world's most breathtakingly beautiful racecourses, include Mark Stevens Hinckley 51 KIVA (USA 40104), Christopher Sheehan's well-sailed and well-traveled Xp44 Warrior Won (USA 60564), and Peter and David Askew's Volvo 70 Wizard (USA 70000), the latter of which has enjoyed one heck of a winning streak this summer.

Sail-World wishes all Rolex Middle Sea Race sailors safe and fast passage to Malta.

Speaking of European offshore races, 60 boats and doublehanded teams have gathered in the French port of Le Havre for the Sunday, October 27, start of the biennial Transat Jaques Vabre, which will take the fleet from France across the Atlantic to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. Teams will be competing in this prestigious offshore contest aboard Class 40s, Multi50s and IMOCA 60s. 

While the "TJV", as its known colloquially, is a primarily French and European affair, American interests will be represented by Charlie Enright, who will be sailing with co-skipper Pascal Bidegorry aboard 11th Hour Racing. Enright will be skippering the 11th Hour Racing campaign (nee Hugo Boss) in the 2021/2022 edition of The Ocean Race and is wisely using this event to gain valuable shorthanded and foiling experience aboard his team's newest whip. 

Racing begins this coming weekend, so stay tuned for more TJV news, as it becomes known.

And finally, much closer to home, the 2019 International Masters Regatta took place last weekend on the waters off of San Diego, California, and was hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club. Racing took place aboard a rotating fleet of club-supplied J/105s, and after three days of racing, Canadian Andy Roy and his teammates emerged the winners, followed by skippers Scott Harris and Chuck Sinks and their hardworking crews. 

"We didn't start off the day great, but we got our act together just in time and had a great third race," said Roy, in an official regatta release. "We knew it was time for a good start. We just had to pull it off and get off the line. We had an opportunity to get underneath out biggest competitor [Chuck Sinks] at the start line and forced them to go up high."

May the four winds blow you safely home.

David Schmidt
Sail-World.com North American Editor

Related Articles

The power of tech
What is the cost of safety? How do you measure it? More importantly, how do you appreciate it? What is the cost of safety? How do you measure it? More importantly, how do you appreciate it? Posted on 2 Jul
Some thoughts on provisioning for distance sailing
A new perspective on provisioning and time spent at sea One of the great joys of distance racing unfurls the moment that the dock lines are untied. Suddenly, the myriad packing lists that inevitably define most trip-planning efforts become about as relevant as a tax return from eight years ago. Posted on 1 Jul
Jazz Turner completes Project FEAR
Drama right to the end in her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles Jazz Turner has completed Project FEAR, her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles in her Albin 27 yacht. A flotilla of supporters met her in Seaford Bay, which grew and grew the closer they came to Brighton Marina. Posted on 1 Jul
A brief history of marine instrument networks
Hugh Agnew has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge One man who has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge, is Hugh Agnew, the Cambridge-educated mathematician who is one of the founders of A+T Instruments in Lymington, so I spoke to him to find out more... Posted on 25 Jun
Sailing and the summer solstice
Celebrating sailing and the longest day of the year If you love long evenings and early mornings, this is one of the best times of the whole year, as the summer solstice (Friday, June 20) and the entire rich expanse of summer are about to burst into bloom. Posted on 17 Jun
Video Review: The Amazing Cure 55
Composite Construction meets Cruising Convenience It was two years ago at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show that I talked to Dave Biggar about his ideas and plans for the Cure 55. At the 2025 show I got to step on board the yacht and see how his ideas became reality. Posted on 17 Jun
The Big Bash
Every summer the tournament rolls into town. A short format of the game. Fun and excitement abound. Every summer the tournament rolls into town. Local and international players. A short format of the game, run over a relatively compact six-week season. Posted on 15 Jun
The oldest video footage of Kiel Week
A look back into our video archive at the Kieler Woche of the 60s and early 70s In our series of articles looking back in time through our video archive, we visit Germany. Kiel Week is been a crucial event on the world circuit, and here we look back at the Kieler Woche of the 60s and early 70s. Posted on 15 Jun
Nick Olson on PredictWind's newest features
Nick Olson discusses PredictWind's newest features PredictWind has long been a leader in presenting high-quality marine forecasts. Nick Olson discusses the company's newest features. Posted on 12 Jun
The X-Yachts Gold Cup Experience
A celebration of sailing, of X-Yachts and, most importantly of all, people Having just returned from Haderslev, Denmark - which is the home of X-Yachts and played host to the X-Yachts Gold Cup 2025 - I was left wondering if this was a racing event, a rally or a social celebration amongst close friends. Posted on 10 Jun
Switch One DesignRolly Tasker Sails 2023 FOOTERBarton Marine Pipe Glands