Strait Dealer declared overall winner

The Royal Malta Yacht Club, together with the Marina Marzamemi Sporting, Sicilivela and the Comune di Pachino recently organised the first Malta-Marzamemi regatta.

A total of 28 sailing boats and six accompanying boats competed in this fun-filled regatta with more than 300 Maltese visiting the region over the weekend.

Complimentary berthing facilities were made available to members of the Royal Malta Yacht Club through Dottor Corrado Moncada and Dottor Carlo Occhipinti, both directors of the Marina Marzamemi Sporting.

The passage race to Marzamemi started in light southerly winds that hampered the fleet inside Marsamxett harbour, but, it eventually filled in and the whole fleet were on their way towards the finish line, situated just off Capo Passero.

Line honours went to the fastest boat in the fleet, 'Strait Dealer', a J-125, this time helmed by Chris Dougall. The winners on corrected time were 'Market Wizard' in Class A, helmed by Andrew Calascione and John Ripard, and 'Blue Diamond' in Class B skippered by Anthony Camilleri.

The race committee also organised a local race outside the Marzamemi harbour were Maltese and Italian boats competed in a windward leeward race.

In Class 1, 'Market Wizard' was again declared the winner with 'Ages of Gaia' claiming Class 2. The prize giving ceremony was held later that evening with the Mayor of Pachino as the guest of honour.

Dr Sebastiano Barone thanked the Royal Malta Yacht Club for choosing Marzamemi Harbour as their new destination and looked forward to next year's regatta where he promised even more support to the organising committee.

The Commodore of the yacht club, Georges Bonello Du Puis, thanked the Comune di Pachino and the Marina Marzamemi Sporting for all their hard work.

The final passage race back to Malta started and ended with little to no wind at all. In fact, out of the whole fleet, the carbon built, J-125, 'Strait Dealer' was the only boat to finish the race, thus, securing overall victory.

Overall results

Class 1: 1. Strait Dealer (C. Dougall); 2. Market Wizard (J. Ripard/A. Calascione); 3. Oh Jee (S. Stein).

Class 2: 1. Ages of Gaia (S. Musu); 2. Madeleine Lorez (P. Pisani); 3. Blue Diamond (A. Camilleri).