VENTO DI SARDEGNA
Sail No. ITA 159
Boat Type:Open 50
Skipper:Andrea Mura
Country:Italy

Samantha Evans on board:

Conservative start for us, as we are short-handed in IRC1 with everyone else fully crewed. So we didn’t want any accidents. Water ballast tank full and the keel is canted up, we are at MAX SPEED!

We are now less than 5 days away from the start of the Rolex Middle Sea Race 2012. Rán II will be competing among the 13 boats in the IRC Class One competing this year and over a total of 90 yachts. The Rolex Middle Sea Race is considered one of the most reputable offshore races, co-founded by The Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club in 1968. Like many offshore races, we will race a 600 mile course. The Rán crew is arriving shorty in Malta to prepare her for what we hope to be another memorable adventure and great team work. Malta, here we come!

Today we had a crew dinner, all set for Saturday’s race! Light winds forecast for first day or two at least. Record turnout, bring it on!

OILTANKING JUNO
Sail No.: GER-370
Boat Type: J-133
Skipper: David Anastasi
Country: Malta

We have completed 48 hours at sea already. We have covered 400 miles (a few with sails, the rest on engine). There are still 120 to go! On our watch we will break the 100 miles “barrier” from our destination. We are all very excited and we are monitoring our progress closely. Every so often we go below to check the remaining distance on the navigation computer (and also exchange the bitter cold of the night outside for the relative warmth of the navigation station).

109…107…102…100!!!!!!

It is the second “barrier” we break on our watch! Time to be relieved …..

When I wake up the situation has completely changed. We are surrounded by 28!!!! ships… (more traffic than that found in the Saronic Bay) and beyond the bow Malta is just discernible! Still 20 miles to go. Time passes while we fold the sails and clean the boat. Everything is now in order and we are ready to sail into the harbour.

From a distance the fortress walls seem beautiful and create a feeling of awe. Off-course, typically, the new city with the tall monolithic gray buildings spoils the view. As we are getting closer they disappear and we focus on the different but also familiar buildings of the old city (to some of us they remind those of Melos, to others Venice). We see boatyards, uphill streets, arched arcades, multistory apartment buildings, hotels restaurants and cafe. All are almost touching the sea and have the same colour from the local stone used to build them or cover their facades. We moor at Grand Harbour Marine. The setting is beautiful. We tied to the quay very easily and quickly. We removed our staff from the boat. Those of us returning by plane to Athens took a shower at the marina and we all settle for a bite to eat. Next to us, a mast was being stepped on a boat, a procedure that drew my interest as I had never witnessed it before. It was Ran 2 an English Mini Maxi of 72 feet -with a Swedish owner/driver- winner of Rolex Fastnet Race of last year. The marina had several amazing boats but none of them combined simplicity of form with grandeur as well as Optimum 3 did… (sic)

Time came to retire to the hotel for a refreshing shower, to feel human again. Before that we visited the yacht club to complete the registration. I was impressed by the cordial reception the crew received from the (female) registration staff! Now we are siting at the club watching the efforts of other sailors trying to reach their boats on the pontoon. The considerable swell in the harbour has carried away the ramp to the pontoon…

From OPTIMUM 3 – ASPIDA
Eugenia Mavraki, Bow-person

Yogos Eliopoulos, Mastman – Mediaman for the Greek entry has posted an amusing video about the team’s delivery to Malta from Athens to take part in the Rolex Middle Sea Race

Delivery of OPTIMUM 3 – ASPIDA

The Royal Malta Yacht Club registration for the 2012 Rolex Middle Sea Race is in full swing. Daniel Stump, boat captain of the magnificent Baltic 78, Lupa of london and Philippe Falle, skipper of Grand Soleil 43, Quokka were the first of many visitor’s to the club’s office today. Over half of the yachts have already completed registration and the remainder will do so in the next few days.

After winning the 44th edition of the Barcolana regatta with a tactically perfect race, the Esimit Sailing Team left Trieste at 10:00 PM CEST on the same day, heading for Valletta. The European crew is aiming to establish the benchmark time for the approximately 700 nautical mile passage record Trieste to Valletta, recognized by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.

After leaving the Gulf of Trieste, the crew is heading south-east in the Adriatic. Once they are south of Italy, they will turn south-west towards Malta. The straight line course goes fairly close to Calabria and southern Sicily, therefore the decision whether to stick to the straight line course or go further offshore will be made based on the weather conditions.

For monohulls breaking the established passage record from Trieste to Valletta, a very special trophy has been created. The Medot Sailing Trophy is under the patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister of Malta, which was presented on Saturday night (13th October) at the Esimit Europa Gala in Trieste. But not all challengers are going to be presented with this unique award. The world sailing record has to be broken by monohulls in the time frame between the Barcolana and the Rolex Middle Sea Race.

www.esimit.com

2007 was a tough Rolex Middle Sea Race! Roberto Perrone Capano from team Le Coq Hardì shares this flash back.

(Italiano) Magazine article here