Elusive II followed up their success from last year’s BOV Gozo Regatta to retain the title.

Podesta siblings – Maya, Aaron and Christoph – took the lead right from the start in the passage race from the Grand Harbour to Mġarr on the first day of racing, pipping XPresso, skippered by Sean Borg, to the post by just two seconds before going on to win by a larger margin on corrected time.

Racing in IRC Class 1, Elusive II made the most of the strong winds and choppy seas that characterised the coastal races around Comino, winning both events on Day Two of the regatta.

They also managed to sail home first in the remaining race of the series to win overall with four firsts.

David Anastasi was the principal race officer. He set the race itinerary for the leg for home, between Mellieħa Bay and the fish farms off St Paul’s Bay, giving sailors a challenging course in a favourable northwesterly breeze.

In IRC Class II, Lightning, with Alfie Manduca at the helm, were unstoppable while IRC Class 4 saw four of the five boats in competition challenging for the win.

At the end, it was Godwin Zammit’s Inspiration which claimed the honours ahead of Iain Muir’s Alma of Lymington and Kontiki, of Ferdinand Grech.

Charles Azzopardi, head PR and marketing at Bank of Valletta, presented the winners’ trophy to Aaron Podesta during an official awards ceremony held at the Royal Malta Yacht Club.

“Congratulations to the Elusive II crew for their win and for being the first boat to etch their name twice on this trophy,” Azzopardi said.

“The BOV Gozo Regatta has become a fixture in the local racing calendar and this year’s varying weather tested the crews’ versatility in different sea conditions.”