Sailing - Rolex Middle Sea Race

With three months to the start of the 2008 Rolex Middle Sea Race, the fleet is shaping up to provide a cracking demonstration of offshore sailing.

Thirty boats have entered to date, from the 100-foot Rapture, through the 65-foot Rolex Sydney Hobart winner, Rosebud, to the Cookson 50 Lee Overlay Partners (formerly Chieftain, winner of 2007 Rolex Fastnet), down to the current mighty minnows, the 10.5-foot JPK 9.6 Foggy Dew, of Noel Racine.

The fleet is already a true cross-section of the distance-racing scene - professional crews, Corinthian crews, stripped out racers, fast cruisers, double-handers and adventurers.

"We're at a good stage already in the entry list," said Georges Bonello DuPuis, Commodore at the Royal Malta Yacht Club, the organisers of the Rolex Middle Sea Race.

"Typically we were at around 25 yachts by the end of July. But this is just the formal entries. We are aware of a number more that are in the wings. With Malta being such a small place, news travels fast and as soon as a boat books hotel rooms or marina space for October, the jungle drums beat loudly. We know exactly who is planning on participating before the entry form arrives."

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first ever race. Line honours winner in 1968 (and 1969), Stormvogel, is making a welcome return although she will have her work cut out to repeat her first-to-finish performance with the likes of the 100-foot super-maxi Speedboat slated to compete. The game has moved on considerably since Stormvogel was considered cutting-edge.

Interestingly though, while the glamour boys at the front of the fleet will attract the headlines, it may well be around the 65-75 foot yachts that the real story of this year's race is written. Aptly named pocket maxis, this new breed of boat is appearing in numbers at all the top events around the world this year.

Roger Sturgeon's STP65 Rosebud swept to victory at her maiden Rolex Sydney Hobart last Christmas despite a couple of tense hours in light winds at the mouth of the Derwent; an experience that may hold her in good stead for the Mediterranean's answer to the Hobart race, when light wind mastery is as important as heavy weather skills.

While Rosebud is the only STP65 on the official entry list, rumour suggests she will be head to head with Jim Swartz's STP65 Moneypenny, whom she bested on the water and handicap in this year's Bermuda Race. Swartz, however, has prior experience of the Rolex Middle Sea Race having raced his Swan 601 around the course in 2006.

The 50-60 foot range often provides compelling competition too. Although recent editions have seen handicap winners from the front of the fleet - the 90-foot Rambler in 2007, the 86-foot Morning Glory in 2006 and the 70-foot Atalanta II in 2005 - one only needs to look to 2004 to find Greek 50-footer Optimum 3 on the podium.

This year, fresh from his experience in a brutal Round Ireland Race, Irishman Adrian Lee will be on the historic start line beneath the walls of Valletta with his Cookson 50, Lee Overlay Partners. "I'm really focused on offshore racing. If I can't get enough at home I'll go find it," Lee said.

"I've sailed all my life and the Rolex Middle Sea Race is spoken of very highly by those I respect. Lee Overlay is designed for tough offshores, which is why I bought her and my plan is to do all the major grand-prix races, so I'm really looking forward to it."

Given the yacht's performance when the going gets tough, Lee could be forgiven for wishing for a repeat of last year's conditions when the fleet encountered two days of gale-force winds and high seas, forcing three-quarters of those competing to retire.

Local flavour

In the throes of marvelling at yet another invasion of foreigners, something Malta has witnessed time and again in her colourful history, the local entrants should not be forgotten. The expansion in race entry numbers has not come without a price for this small, but proud sailing nation.

The last Maltese boat to win the race was in 2002, when John Ripard Jr and Andrew Calascione, on the J-109 Market Wizard, took home the trophy. Optimism is a central core of the Maltese well-being, but there is realism too.

Five-time competitor Martin Scicluna will be participating again on his Beneteau 40.7 Air Malta Falcon. Scicluna harbours no illusions of winning. For him, especially after last year's experience when his was one of the 15 boats to finish, participation is enough and completing the course will be considered a success. And, this is true for any number of competitors.

The Rolex Middle Sea Race commences on October 18 from Marsamxett Harbour. Entries close on October 11.

George David's Rambler established the current course record of 47 hours 55 minutes and three seconds in 2007.