Christian Ripard holds the Rolex Middle Sea Race trophy.

Possibly the first time Christian Ripard’s name featured in the sports pages was in August 1976 when, aged just 14 then, he placed seventh in a fleet of 51 at the first World Mirror Dinghy Champion-ships in The Netherlands.

Following this first taste of international sailing competition, Ripard grew up to become a shrewd helmsman with exciting sailing experiences and remarkable achievements.

The championships of 1976, contested by a Malta Mirror Class Association team, were actually the first worlds held overseas to be contested by young Maltese sailors, pioneers in global events who certainly deserve a mention.

Besides Ripard and his brother Paul, who placed seventh overall, there were also John Abela and Christine Gatt who placed ninth, Timmy and John Camilleri 31st, Peter and Kenneth Micallef, 37th, and David and Roseanne Vassallo, 40th.

The reserve crew was Sue Camilleri. Aged 13, Timmy Camilleri was on the day awarded a medal as the youngest helmsman in the regatta.

A few weeks after the Dutch adventure, Christian Ripard, and his father Paul, were awarded with the Sportsmanship Crusade sponsored by UNESCO for the best sporting act in Malta in 1975.

My approach has always been to seek out the best person for the job to work with others as a team

Christian Ripard is the local yachtsman with the second highest number of participations in the Rolex Middle Sea Race.

In fact, he has raced 26 out of 35 Rolex MSRs, the first in 1978 at the age of 17.

Twenty-six races which saw him compete as crew, skipper and co-skipper on different boats, wonderful exciting experiences where he even savoured the magic taste of victory four times – in 1996 on Bigfoot and in 2001 on Strait Dealer. The latter was even more ‘tasteful’ as then he even won Line Honours. In 2011 and 2014 he was also co-skipper on Lee Satariano’s two victories on Artie.

Four victories over an 18-year span – three different boats and four different crew.

The following are Christian Ripard’s views of his achievements in the Mediterranean Classic race.

Were there notable improvements over the relative period in the construction, technology, equipment of the winning boats?

“All these boats that I won the RMSR with are all production J Boats. All but one, the J-125 Strait Dealer, are cruiser racers with limited go fast technology and not stripped out racers.

“In 1996, when on Bigfoot (a J-105), we only raced with Dacron sails but as technology improved so did our sails... now we have 3di sails on Artie (a J-122) used on the latest Grand Prix racing yachts.”

You experienced four different crews. What was so different in your approach as skipper?

“Crew... I prefer to refer to them as team and is always a very large part of any yacht’s success.

“I can safely say that in the four races I won it was due to the skill and commitment of all the team that worked as one unit with one goal. To do this and any other offshore race one must choose your team carefully with each task specifically matched to the chosen person.

“All must be willing and able to perform fully in flat calms or gales – day or night. My approach has always been to seek out the best person for the job to work with others as a team.”

Further to four RMSR victories, what other international events have you won?

“In 2010 I was second overall in the Rolex MSR (Artie) and second overall in the Rolex Sydney-Hobart (Jazz). Both races were lost within one or two miles from the finish lines due to lack of wind.

“I’ve done many international races all my life in the Mediterranean and beyond with some success and some not so good but all have been wonderful experiences. I hope it gives young sailors the incentive needed to continue in this fantastic sport.”

In 2010, Ripard had raced more than 5,500nm, featuring on the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race (628nm), the RORC Caribbean (600nm), the St Maarten Heine-ken Regatta (85), Transatlantic Race (Newport, USA to Lizard, UK – 2,975nm), Rolex Fastnet (608nm) and the Rolex Middle Sea Race (606nm).

“I also took part in all the offshores held by the Royal Malta Yacht Club during that particular year,” Ripard, who boasts he started sailing with his parents before he could even speak and talk, remarked.

“I race overseas usually as a helmsman in Australia, the Carib-bean and the Mediterranean.

“Basically if I have the time I’ll always try to do the races I prefer. I’d like the Transpac race most... this year my nephew Tommy Ripard won it on a Santa Cruz 37 as a crew member.”

What are Ripard’s plans for this year’s Rolex MSR?

“This year... again with Lee Satariano on Artie with, perhaps, some new team members on board,” he said.