Gozo has become a prominent feature on the Royal Malta Yacht Club calendar and following last season's success of the Spring Gozo Weekend Regatta, the fleet returns to the sister island providing crews a mixture of coastal and cans racing over the coming weekend.

Mġarr Harbour will play host to a fleet of 20 sailing boats, whose skippers are all eager to get racing once again after a long, well deserved winter break, the RMYC said.

The event sets off today with the skippers' briefing at the RMYC clubhouse in Ta' Xbiex. Racing starts on Friday afternoon with a passage race from Malta to Mġarr and runs through Sunday.

Comino will provide a stunning backdrop to the second day of competition with three races planned in the north and south channels. The passage race back to Marsamxett will be held on Sunday morning and boats are expected home early in the afternoon.

The strong fleet will provide plenty of close action, with a couple of strong entries in both racing and cruising divisions.

Two boats missing from the line-up this year will be Strait Dealer and Kerisma.

These top IRC race boats have left the islands for good, leaving Comanche, TonTon and Elusive the ones to watch in Class 1.

Class 2 will be the most exciting with a larger fleet and various boats all vying for the honours. Sailaway, Moondance and Otravez are all in the running for the crown but will have yachts such as Timeout and Mischief trying to ruin their fun on the way.

The prize-giving ceremony will be held on Tuesday at the newly-refurbished Surfside Restaurant while berthing in Gozo is being provided thanks to the Malta Maritime Authority.