The sound of clinking of glasses and rousing voices filled the air at the Royal Malta Yacht Club yesterday.
Hundreds of competitors enjoyed the full hospitality of the club, sharing their stories with fellow competitors over a glass or two. After days and nights at sea, isolated from the outside world, the cosmopolitan crowd also enjoyed good food and excellent company.
IRC Four was the largest class taking part in the Rolex Middle Sea Race… 46 yachts from 10 different countries, including Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, Malta, Russia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Edward and Aaron Gatt Floridia’s J/122, Otra Vez, completed the 606-mile race at dusk on Day Five, after racing with a highly competitive fleet. Otra Vez has been announced as the winner of IRC Four.
Rod Stuart’s Scottish Elan 410, Eos, was less than two minutes behind on corrected time and Renzo Grottesi’s Italian X40, Pita Maha, was just nine minutes adrift Otra Vez.
“After being becalmed several times last year, we decided that this year that would not happen,” Edward Gatt Floridia said.
“Racing in light airs is very tiring, to keep the boat moving requires the whole crew to concentrate, even the off-watch have to wake up and move their weight to the correct side of the boat.
“The critical point in our race was after Stromboli. There was virtually no wind and on that first night we took the main sail down and hoisted our wind seeker.
“We were determined to keep going and we did. The morale on board was excellent and we are very proud of winning the class.
“Nearly half of the yachts racing were in Class four and there were a number of very well-sailed boats for the overall win.
“The weather suited the bigger yachts this year. We can’t do anything about that, we can only try to win our class.”
The remaining yachts taking part in the Rolex Middle Sea Race are expected to arrive at the Royal Malta Yacht Club today. At 15.00 yesterday, 12 yachts were still racing.
The winner of the 12-strong double handed fleet has also been announced.
Massimo Juris’s 40.7, Blucolombre, has topped the IRC Double Handed Class racing with Pietro Luciani.
The Italian duo from Venice finished in the early hours of yesterday morning.
“When I entered Blucolombre for the race, it was to have a full crew,” Juris said.
“I saw that there were so many yachts racing in the double handed class and that is my preference, so we decided to join in. This is only my third race with Pietro and also the longest but it has been a great race, the scenery is very memorable.
“The simple landscape of beautiful islands silhouetted against the sky, really echoes the beauty of racing two-handed; it is a simple life for a few days, where the phone doesn’t ring and you can just concentrate on sailing.
“It is tiring and Pietro and I didn’t really keep a watch system, when we needed each other we would just bang on the deck and that was enough.”
Marco Rodolfi’s Class 40, TWT UComm, crossed the finish line after four days at sea to take Line Honours for the IRC Double Handed Class. His crew was Matteo Auguadro, one of Italy’s best young sailors having competed with Mascalzone Latino in the America’s Cup and as bowman with Niklas Zennstrom’s Ran. Rodolfi often races fully crewed with his elegant and comfortable Swan 80, Berenice.
The winner of the 51-strong ORC Class has now been confirmed as Swan 60 Emma. The elegant performance cruiser crossed the finish line at sunset on Tuesday.
The Swan 60 Emma was launched in August 2009 by German Dr Johann Killinger.
A first-time boat owner, the Hamburg businessman has campaigned on the Mediterranean Circuit after winning the Baltic Sea Race.