Rolex Middle Sea Race | At 17.9kts Esimit Europa heads towards Malta

Updated;

Esimit Europa was racing to Malta at 17 knots.  Arrival time is expected later this afternoon.  Trailing behind is another Maxi ICAP Leopard.  Some boats have apparently cut short their participation in the race.  They include Bucaneer, Comrade and Futura.

Updated:

 Esimit Europa had just passed the Italian Island of Pantelleria at 0645 and sailing towards Malta at 13.6kts. Followed by ICAP Leopard. The Maxi yachts are expected to arrive in Malta around noon. The two Maxi yachts will have NW winds of 14kts on their tail.

The other sailing boats have still to clear the North coast of Sicly and face SW winds.

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It is dark, grey and rains pound the sailors on the racing vessels in this October edition of the Middle Sea Race. Esimit Europa a Slovenian 100 foot Maxi yacht is in the lead. At 1830 she was sailing at 6.9Kts but winds from the SE await her off Trapani. The boat is skippered by Flavio Favrini. The maxi yacht is sponsored by the multinantional Gazprom and has the support of EU commissioner Manuel Barrosa. Most of the other boats have still to cross through the Straits of Messina.

The Slovenian maxi, Esimit, may be in pole position for line honours but there is a tense battle for the overall lead on corrected time. Yachts from three different classes occupy the podium positions at the Messina checkpoint. The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a truly international affair with yachts from six different countries battling for the overall lead.

Lee Satariano and Christian Ripard’s J/122, Artie, from the Royal Malta Yacht Club, is leading on corrected time at Messina. Ripard has won the race before and is recognised as one of the finest yachtsmen in Malta.

Just over an hour behind the overall leader is American Bryon Ehrhart’s TP52, Lucky, from the New York Yacht Club, which is very much in contention. There are three boats scrapping for third place overall: Royal Malta Yacht Club member Soenke Stein’s J/133, Juno, Martino Orambelli’s Italian Swan 45, Mandolino and Spanish Swan 56, La Floresta del Mar, skippered by Jaime Olazabal. Johnny Vincent’s British TP52, Pace is also vying for honours and is lying in fifth place overall.