Spectacular start to Middle Sea Race
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
The popular Middle Sea Race got off to a spectacular start from Grand Harbour this morning.
An antique gun fired from the Saluting Battery at the Upper Barrakka saw the first of the 75 participating boats nudge their way out of the harbour, with their sails quickly filling in the tricky moderate North-North-East wind from the bow.
The race takes the boats past Siracusa, the Strait of Messina, Stromboli volcano, Palermo, Lampedusa and to the finish at Marsamxett Harbour.
The participating boats left at 10 minute intervals according to their categories, starting with the solitary catamaran in the race, the French registered SIG 45, as a forest of masts from the other boats formed up behind.
Chris Ripard delighted the local crowd by taking the lead in the second category departure, which saw 24 boats depart.
The Maxi yachts, which are in the fifth category, left at 11.40.
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11 Comments
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Frances Abela
Oct 24th 2010, 06:48
Absolutely loved the live footage of the Sea Race from Malta taken by Mark Cordina ....spectacular pictures on the Video.. Brings back memories of visiting Malta & the Upper Barraka Guns etc. from down-under OZ
Doctor Michael Bourke
Oct 24th 2010, 00:56
As a keen yachtsman it is a great pleasure to see the fine video of the start of the race. I hear that there are thunderstorms which should make for an exciting event. It is wonderful to see how well St Angelo is now cared for by The Knights especially as I lived there in the 1970s while serving as a doctor in the RN
George Debono
Oct 23rd 2010, 16:14
Mathew:
RE (You ) “find this race excruciatingly boring.”
Well, if that is so, just mind your own business. If something bores you- simply take no notice. Your remarks bore other people too.
RE “Good thing that not many people are like you...”
If you have a problem with people like Franco (and me) , who are in favour of protecting the environment and keeping pollution down, it's your problem and nobody is interested in your problems. So why don't you just mind your own business and stop plastering the blog with idiotic comments about what about other people think – just keep out of it if it bores you.
RE “Different people have different hobbies. Deal with it.” Can only deal with it if we know what your hobby is - but anyway nobody is interested in your hobbies even if, as is probably the case, they are polluting activities. So, old boy, just keep it to yourself.
Franco Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2010, 19:13
tut, tut!!!! How dare you question the opinions of others? Everyone and his granny have a right to their opinion! How dare you even think that the likes of Mister Matthew Scerri should not express their opinions? We are living in an enlightened age, an age where everybody's opinion counts ... where everyone has a right to express himself and show how learned and conscioius s/he is of the problems facing us! Studies and experience are no longer the length and breathe of one's assertion - shouting is now the measurement by which we deem if one's opinion is right or wrong. We are all right! We are all correct! We are all intelligent, however much we bothered - or not! - to inspire ourselves and let learning change us!
You have no right to take these people to task. They have as much right to express themselves as you do!
:-))
Matthew Scerri
Oct 23rd 2010, 19:40
Just take a look at what you're saying and practice what you preach.
There's plenty of scientific evidence that all this panic of man made climate change is nothing but political propaganda (and I prefer reading what scientists say as opposed to politicians). Read a bit about Medieval Warm period and Little Ice Age. I bet the vikings used to secretly use power boats.
Yes, I have an opinion just as you do. And if with your opinion you want to try and impose what I can and can not enjoy then no, I'm not going to just sit back and shrug it off. You can be as green as you'd like. Just don't try and impose your beliefs on me. As I said, different people have different hobbies. If Yacht racing excites you for it's green credentials then get excited by all means. But don't write nonsense about those who don't share your same passion.
A Cassar
Oct 24th 2010, 11:04
Dear Michael,
If you really think that politicians "invented" global warming.....you must live in Lala land!!
I'm sure that if you have really did any scientific reading (I very much doubt it from your writing) you would see that 99.99% of scientists have proven the existence of global warming and the threat to the environment. If you want to believe the 0.01% quack....then go ahead!!!
Having a hobby that doesn't harm the environment is definitely something to applaud.....
Having an opinion....and writing about it on the timesofmalta...does not by any far cry tantamount to "impose on others"
Jesmond Micallef
Oct 23rd 2010, 14:13
Wind power at its best. May all these sportmen and women of the sea enjoy this event to its fullest. Indeed a spectacle but also pure skill. The Skipper leads his team in perfect sychronsim. Its all team work here, nothing else.
I had a go at sailing once at the Sailing Club in Kalafrana, Birzebugia through a freind of mine at school in a home built Mirror 10 sailing dinghy !!
Sailing and navigation are a fascination. Astro navigation in particular. The former times of those epic vojages across the high seas come to mind here. No GPS, but just an almanac, a sextant, a chronometer and a magnetic compass together with pure skill made all that possible.
Nice footage. Well done to all participants and may the BEST win.
Jesmond Micallef
Oct 23rd 2010, 18:08
And charts of course !!
Franco Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2010, 11:49
Those of us who love the environment cannot help APPLAUD the efforts made to get this Race going! And the participants! What a far cry from fuel-guzzling hobbies such as the Air Show and the Powerboats! Well done to all involved.
Matthew Scerri
Oct 23rd 2010, 12:52
Good thing that not many people are like you then.
Different people have different hobbies. Deal with it.
I for one find this race excruciatingly boring (the factor that excites you the most about it is the environment, go figure).
Franco Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2010, 16:25
@ Matthew Scerri: Well, what can I say? Apologies for having insulted you. However, you ought to read more about what is harming the environment, about the fact that the blue planet is sick to the core, thanks to what human beings are doing to it, about the fact that oil is finite and it will, one day, be the main cause for world wars, about the fact that ... oh, wait a minute ... phoeey to me .. why worry? We're only here for a few years and well, if it pleases me to live the way I want to, hey, what's stopping me! Why should I care about Planet Earth? Why should I care about what's to happen to peoples that inhabit the earth from now till the end of time? Why should I care?! After all ... everybody who has an opinion is right. We are all right! Why worry!