Bid for new course record

The Rolex Middle Sea Race course record will be seriously under threat when a best-ever fleet of 46 entries sails off this morning for the 607-mile Mediterranean classic around Sicily and back in an anti-clockwise direction.

The Royal Malta Yacht Club, organisers of the race since its inception late in the '60s, were faced to contend with a series of difficulties these past few months. The development currently undertaken at Manoel Island will force the sailing organisation to move from the imposing Fort Manoel base, a premises it has held for decades, and move elsewhere in the vicinities to less attractive headquarters.

However, this did not deter the club from another effective promotion campaign.

Last year, the record of entries stood at 42, this time the number went up by four. There was also a significant boost in quality as well with maxis Alfa Romeo, Leopard of London and Nokia - Enigma of London among the most attractive boats taking part.

Alfa Romeo could round up a superb season of 'grand slam' racing if Neville Crichton's high-tech boat finishes among the winners.

The New Zealand-registered maxi has already claimed line honours in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race in Australia, last December, before achieving the same feat in Genoa, for La Giraglia race, and the Rolex Fastnet Race in England. Alfa Romeo was also in the limelight in last month's Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Sardegna.

Crichton, proprietor and skipper of Alfa Romeo, was named World Sailor of the Year by the International Sailing Federation. His talented crew will now aim to lower the course record which currently belongs to Zephyrus IV (2000) - 64:49.57.

The upward trend in the Middle Sea Race has been maintained since the event was re-launched in 1996 after a 13-year lull during which the race was not organised, mainly due to lack of sponsors.

Entries have been constantly increasing and the strong support from the authorities was not lacking these past eight years. Moreover, the RYMC, under the dynamic leadership of commodore George Bonello duPuis, has also secured the backing of Rolex, a partnership that started in 2002 and is set to be consolidated in future.

"Last year we had a perfect race from all aspects - competition and organisation were excellent," Bonello duPuis said.

"We intensified our focus on the promotion campaign and we're happy to notice that the number of entries is a record one and people are returning to our race. That was our goal from the start.

"The boats this time are berthed at Vittoriosa instead of Ta' Xbiex as in previous years. But, I guess, it was a wise move for us because the historic site is better equipped and more attractive to our visitors. There will be a slight increase in entry this year but the leap in quality is a significant one indeed. I will not be surprised if we have new records for the 2003 race."

Last year, another member of the Ripard family, so synonymous with the race since its very first beginning, John Jnr and Andrew Calascione steered Market Wizard, a J-109, to overall victory ahead of Sonke Stein's Oh-Jee. Line honours went to Stefano Spangaro's Nautor Challenge, of Italy.

A member of the Ripard family has always been on the boat each of the five times the overall winner was a local entry.

Market Wizard will again be on the starting line today at Marsamxett along with other local boats, including Bigfoot, Strait Dealer, Maltese Falcon and Elusive of Arthur Podesta, the only sailor to figure in all editions of the Middle Sea Race since 1968.

Classes eligible to sail the Rolex Middle Sea Race include Classics, IMS and IRC type yachts along with multi-hulls. In the latter group is one boat capable of pulverising the current course record. Englishman Tony Bullimore's Team Pimsic, a massive 30-metre catamaran, has already broken many sailing records around the world.

Course Record

1978 Mistress Quickly 79:20.00
1998 Riviera di Rimini 72:50.42
2000 Zephyrus IV 64:49.57