Strait Dealer wins ahead of Squalo Bianco
Light winds hamper boats' progress
It all started way back in 1948 when two sailors, one Maltese and the other from Sicily, sailed from the shores of Marzamemi to Malta in the first ever race between the two islands.
This year's Malta-Syracuse Race, held last week, had an entry field of 39 Italian and Maltese boats.
The origin of the race dates back to the early 50s.
It formed part of a complete offshore programme organised by the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC). This included other races to Tripoli, Tunis, Porto Empidecole, Messina, Lampedusa and two local races - one round Malta and Gozo and the other round Malta only.
Having starts on alternate basis, one from Malta with the next one from Syracuse, leading yachtsmen from both islands never missed a chance to face the challenge, including former RMYC Commodore John Ripard who won it three times in a row.
The 2004 Malta-Syracuse Race fleet sailed off in rather light winds from Marsamxett on Saturday morning.
Indeed, conditions were not ideal... after 12 hours almost half the fleet had retired.
Last year's winner and pre-race favourite Strait Dealer, kept widening its lead though right from the start, with skipper Chris Dougall and his crew crossing the line the next day at 07.32.29 beating second favourite boat Squalo Bianco, by a good five hours.
The Strait Dealer crew collected four of the seven trophies at stake this year at the Malta-Syracuse Race. They are now shifting all their focus on the 25th Rolex Middle Sea Race in October, aiming to repeat the 2001 success in the 612-mile Mediterranean classic.
Meanwhile, other Maltese boats who did well in the Malta-Syracuse Race were Bordeaux, third in the IRC-Class 1 and Tinda and "X", both picking second and third places behind Strait Dealer in the IRC Class1-2.
Marco Borg, Tinda skipper, was presented with the IRC-Class 2 trophy with skipper Timi Camilleri placing second on "X".