RMSR boats were approaching the top of Sicily, yesterday.

Kristina Plattner’s Z-86 Morning Glory was beset by light winds early yesterday as the Rolex Middle Sea Race fleet was on its way to the top of Sicily.

However, in the afternoon the German canting keel Maxi powered along the north coast of Sicily having completed 266 miles of the course in 25 hours.

To beat the course record, Morning Glory will need to average 15 knots for the remainder of the race, which is achievable but unlikely.

Morning Glory is now out of sight of any other yacht in the fleet. Andres Soriano’s Alegre and Luca Simone’s Robertissima II are the closest rivals, over 25 miles astern of the leader.

All of the competing yachts made it through the Strait of Messina, including Beppe Bisotto’s Atame whose tracker was not responding.

The fleet was last night expected to have passed the active volcano Stromboli and will be heading west across the top of Sicily.

So far, the larger yachts have enjoyed more suitable weather conditions.

In the IRC class, Freddie Hall’s British Yawl, Infanta, is the current leader and is almost certainly the oldest yacht in the race, built in New York City in 1947.

The elegant boat named after a Spanish princess is owned by 75-year-old John Hall who is sailing with his son and five friends.

Fair winds and reaching conditions have suited Infanta and it would be an incredible achievement if the corinthian team retain their position even though it is unlikely that Infanta will be crowned winners of the race.

The leader on corrected time in IRC One at Stromboli was British Mills 72, Alegre.

Italian JV72 Robertissima II was about half an hour behind on corrected time. Just after dawn on Day Two, Robertissima II altered course heading for the Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the north coast of Sicily, presumably looking for more wind.

Alegre followed to compensate for losing some of the lead the British team had built up on Day One. They are still leading the big boat class on time correction.

B2 is an IRC optimised TP52 and in the expert hands of Italian America’s Cup expert Francesco de Angelis. So, few will be surprised that B2 is doing well in IRC Two.

The lighter conditions may well suit B2 but later in the race the beat along the west coast of Sicily will not favour the lighter displacement boats.

Hans Riegel’s Marten 49, Speedy, was second overall in 2012 and the German yacht was second in class at Messina, yesterday.

Pushing the leading yachts is an Italian legend, Tomasso Chiefi, tactician on board RP65, Nikka Sixty Five.

Meanwhile, the Italian Class 40, TWT Ucomm, skippered by Marco Rodolfi, was leading the two-handed class by just over 20 minutes on corrected time.

A close battle is raging for second place between Manuel Costantin’s Italian First 40, Rebel Urban Design and James and Simon Sweetman’s First 40.7, Little Emily.