Rolex Middle Sea Race - Always inspiring

Start of the 44th Rolex Middle Sea Race © Kurt Arrigo / Rolex

Few sailing events offer the Rolex Middle Sea Race's guarantee of a beautiful race course and compelling, exacting competition. This combination has attracted sailors since the very first race in 1968.

Rolex has been Title Sponsor of the contest since 2002, and during that period, the appeal of the race organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC) has grown exponentially. Today, it is undisputedly regarded as one of the world's leading 600-nautical mile (1,122 kilometres) offshore races.

In 2024, the 45th edition starts on Saturday, 19 October. An impressive international fleet of over 100 yacths from more than 25 countries is expected to participate. Among them will be professionally crewed Maxi yachts and a significant number of smaller, more Corinthian competitors. The yachts may differ in size, design and technology, and the crews may range in levels of experience and expertise, but out on the water, all are equal. The handicapping system provides a platform for any boat to potentially triumph. Who sails best in the prevailing conditions, wins.

Rolex Testimonee Tom Slingsby, an Olympic gold medallist and three-time SailGP winner, competed in the 2021 Rolex Middle Sea Race: "The Rolex Middle Sea Race is so beautiful. Leaving Malta out of Grand Harbour, going through the Messina Strait, around Stromboli, the active volcano, and then all the islands around Sicily, it is simply stunning. It is something I really want to do again."

As Slingsby identifies, one of the most compelling elements of the race is the setting: impressive architecture, extraordinary nature and absorbing history. It is rare among offshore races in starting and finishing in the same place, in this case, Malta. Primarily an anti-clockwise circumnavigation of Sicily, the race can be divided into several distinct sections, each with its own character and challenge. Each leg demands precise navigation and the flexibility to adapt tactics to the state of the wind and sea. The start, from Grand Harbour in the capital city of Valletta, is always a grandiose and impressive affair. Further highlights include the two active volcanoes of Etna and Stromboli, as well as the wild beauty of the islands peppered around Sicily - Favignana, Pantelleria and Lampedusa, to name but three.

For the fastest entries competing for line honours, finishing within 48 hours is considered an impressive return. The two days at sea are intense and unrelenting, with minimal respite. The current monohull race record of 40 hours, 17 minutes and 50 seconds was set in 2021 by Comanche, the 30.48 metre (100 foot) Maxi.

Furiosa and Kalima in close company at sunrise on the approach to the Island of Levanzo - photo © Kurt Arrigo / Rolex

For the majority of the fleet, the race takes four to six days. This requires a different approach and mindset. With navigational and tactical demands constant, resources need to be managed carefully. Meticulous preparation of boat and crew, plus time spent honing teamwork, and building knowledge as well as experience of offshore racing, is crucial. And, on occasions, the commitment and dedication is rewarded with the ultimate achievement. Since Rolex became involved 22 years ago, the trophy for overall victory has been shared evenly between Corinthian and professional crews.

Slingsby admires all those who compete, whatever their finishing position: "I have a lot of respect for anyone that races offshore. It is tough when you hit bad weather and you are going upwind in 30 knots of breeze and big waves, day in day out, particularly in a smaller boat. It is really hard going, both mentally and physically, and for me these big ocean races are the ultimate challenge in yacht racing."

Over the past 20 years, the world's most renowned racing yachts, crewed by elite sailing talent, have graced the event, including: five-time line honours winner Rambler 88 from the United States; the imperious Comanche, triumphant at both the Rolex Fastnet and Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race; Leopard 3, monohull line honours winner in 2009, 2022 and 2023; and Esimit Europa 2, which dominated the Mediterranean competitive scene between 2010 and 2014.

The RMYC, founded in 1835, is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the region. Recognized for its active pathway programmes, young sailors are encouraged to participate in the race as their skills develop. The club also recognizes its responsibility to protect the waters that support its flagship race. In recent years, it has redoubled efforts. The latest strategic commitment guides not only the club's operations and events towards a more sustainable future, it is also designed to influence and inspire competitors at the Rolex Middle Sea Race to adopt more ecofriendly practices.

According to David Cremona, the Commodore: "It is important that organizations like the Royal Malta Yacht Club take the lead in looking to the development of sailing and how we interact with nature. These two initiatives are in place to help nurture the sport and safeguard the environment in which it is practised. Through the support of our long-term partner Rolex, this race offers the perfect platform to increase the profile and effectiveness of both these programmes."

This commitment to youth participation and to sustainability ties in closely with Rolex's long-standing vision of supporting yacht clubs as the principal guardians of both the traditions and the future of sailing. In such hands, the Rolex Middle Sea Race looks set to flourish for many years to come.