The Rolex Middle Sea Race fleet was experiencing two completely different weather scenarios yesterday afternoon.
The frontrunners of the fleet that had earlier rounded the western tip of Sicily were revelling in a 20 plus knot southeasterly breeze, while, for most of the day anyway, the bulk of the fleet sailed slowly in the lee along the north coast of Sicily in five to ten knots of wind.
By 17.30, the fleet began to experience a situation contrary to the forecast – a reminder again of the tricky and rapidly changeable weather conditions around Sicily.
Several squalls swept through and a few boats were caught unawares, left to quickly douse spinnakers and run through sail changes, as the wind swung around from southeast to northwest.
The 98-foot maxi, Esimit Europa 2 fully hooked into the solid southeasterly breeze on Sunday night and was off, legging out on the 72-foot mini maxi, Rán.
By 18.00 yesterday, Esimit, on the leg from Lampedusa towards the finish in Malta, was making 11 knots in an easterly breeze and had stretched their lead to some 95 nautical miles in front of Rán.
Esimit was expected to cross the finish line off the Royal Malta Yacht Club in Marsamxett Harbour late last night.
From onboard Rán, navigator Steve Hayles reported a lumpy sea state down past Trapani yesterday afternoon and added: “We’ve been cracked sheets reaching today in up to 25 knots and it’s down to 15 knots now, and I think that trend will continue. We’re going to be upwind in 10-13 knots on the way to Lampedusa, and beyond that it’s looking potentially quite a bit lighter on the leg back to Malta.
“It’s frustrating to have watched Esimit sail away to a bigger lead than we would have liked, but the conditions have suited her – it’s been a bit of a leader’s race.
“Our aim, leaving the dock, was to focus on what was controllable, and to that end we’ve got to be reasonably happy. We’ve managed to hold or extend on the group behind us and obviously we’re pretty focused on boats like Alegre, who we’ve put back probably 35 miles or so behind us.”
Behind Rán, the 90-footer Med Spirit and Mills 68 Alegre were approaching Pantelleria, about 15 nautical miles out.
The rest of the fleet was stretched out from the Egadi Islands and north around to Palermo. Class 1 competitors E1, Nikata, Wild Joe, and Bernice Bis were the next to reach the corner at the Egadis.
The Swan 80 Berenice Bis, with all crew on the rail, was approaching Favignana in a 14-knot easterly breeze as a rain squall came though, gusting up to 20 knots, before clocking southeast without any loss of speed.
Rounding the corner
Class 2 leaders Nikata, Dralion, and Cantankerous followed. On the Swan 66, Lot 66 skipper Andrew Duff reported that the crew were in good spirits, pushing the boat as hard as they can.
The Dutch boat reported the same squally conditions as the other boats. Duff said: “We seem to be catching a few boats up, but then they get away from us. We’re 40 miles from Favignana, and hoping to get around before midnight.”
Vikesha II, co-skippered by Russian Oleg Evdokimenko and Maltese Timmy Camilleri, with Jochem Visser as tactician, is currently leading Class 3. Evdokimenko is a Dragon sailor and his crew includes other Russian Dragon, TP52, and Olympic sailors. Leading Class 4 are two J/122s from the Maltese fleet: the Lee Satariano and Christian Ripard co-skippered Artie and Otra Vez, co-skippered by brothers Aaron and Edward Gatt Floridia.