Middle Sea Race sees 118 yachts battle Mediterranean winds

For the 46th Rolex Middle Sea Race, over 100 yachts with 1,000 crew members began the 46th Rolex Middle Sea Race Saturday morning from the Grand Harbour.

The Mediterranean race got underway at 11am on Saturday, with 117 yachts crossing the start line in seven groups. Each start was marked by cannon fire from the Saluting Battery overlooking the historic harbour. By late afternoon, the leading boats were approaching Capo Passero on the southeast corner of Sicily.

Weather conditions dominated pre-race discussions, with forecasters tracking a low-pressure system moving northeast from the North African coast. The system threatens to bring storm-force winds and heavy rain on Sunday, though its exact impact on the racing fleet remains uncertain.

The multihull Allegra, a custom design by Nigel Irens, leads the fleet on the water after building a five-nautical-mile advantage over its closest rival, the foiling DNA F4 Falcon. The crew aboard Allegra is determined to improve on their 2018 performance, when their race ended in the Messina Strait.

"This is unfinished business for Allegra. It's looking quite light and variable for the start. The one thing we can be certain of is the uncertainty," said Paul Larsen, skipper of the leading multihull Allegra, ahead of the race start.

In the monohull fleet, the 100-foot maxi Blackjack 100 has taken the early lead from Balthasar. The larger yacht's superior waterline length and sail area helped it overtake Louis Balcaen's 72-footer just as both boats exited Grand Harbour.

The race featured seven separate starts to accommodate different yacht classes. The first group consisted of five multihulls, including Italian regular Aldo Fumagalli's Rapido 53XS Picamole, who competed alone in this category last year.

Notable entries include two crews from the Jarhead Young Sailors Foundation, with teenagers as young as 15 taking part in the demanding offshore race. The programme requires parental permission for sailors under 18 and has successfully developed young talent for ocean racing.

The classic yacht Stormvogel, the oldest in the fleet and line honours winner in 1968 and 1969, contrasts sharply with the newly launched Lift 45 Maxitude, representing decades of sailing innovation.

Local interest centres on several Maltese entries, including the Swan 651 Lunz Am Meer with a largely Maltese crew, and Jonathan Gambin's Ton Ton Laferla. Their performances will likely fuel spirited debates at the Royal Malta Yacht Club in the coming days.

Conditions look light north of Sicily, with the northeasterly persisting. The approach to Stromboli will be especially tricky, presenting crews with patience and precision. With soft airs expected along the north Sicilian coast, the fleet could compress dramatically, turning this into a battle of positioning and breeze-hunting.