Two weeks to go to close of entries and the 2009 Rolex Middle Sea Race looks set for another cracking edition - its 30th.
So far, 73 yachts have entered, only five short of last year's record number. The varied fleet will have different aspirations, but from the largest, ICAP Leopard, to the smallest, Sipi's Song, all entrants will have one objective in common... to experience one of the most exceptional courses in the world of sailing.
When the fleet sets off on October 17 it will do so from a new start line.
Grand Harbour is synonymous with Malta. If the bastions are impressive on the Marsamxett side of Valletta, those overlooking Grand Harbour are awe-inspiring.
Peter Dimech, from organisers, the Royal Malta Yacht Club, is Principal Race Officer and has the task of getting the yachts away.
"We have opted for a spectacular start line that runs between a mast on the St Peter and St Paul Bastion built during the late-1500s and an inflatable mark, to be laid just off Fort St Angelo," Dimech said.
"What could be more impressive?"
In previous releases, reference has been made to the fastest yacht in the list, Mike Slade's ICAP Leopard (GBR), closest competitor Karl Kwok's Beau Geste (HKG), Danilo Salsi's Swan 90 DSK Pioneer Investment (ITA) and, the cool mini maxis Ran 2 (Niklas Zennstrom/GBR), Rosebud/Team DYT (Roger Sturgeon/US), Bella Mente (Hap Fauth/US), Alegre (Andy Soriano/GBR) and Luna Rossa (Patrizio Bertelli/ITA).
The Middle Sea Race is more than just a big-boat race though.
Sipi's Song (ITA) is one of three boats slipping into the ring at under 10 metres in length and owner, Dezio Paoletti, is entering his 9.15-metre Figaro 1 for the first time.
A mark of how the average size of yachts participating in the race has been creeping up even as the numbers entered increases, is reflected in the fact that there are only seven yachts in the 10 to 11-metre range.
Two of these are from Malta. Lee Satariano's J-109 Artie came close to creating local folklore with the biggest upset of all time when, in 2006, his crew came within a hair's breadth of unseating the 26-metre Morning Glory from top spot.
The other Maltese boat is Edward Gatt Floridia's Beneteau 36.7 Otra Vez. Unlike Artie, Otra Vez is making her first appearance.
There are also seven yachts between 11 and 12 metres, one of these is the ever popular AirMalta Falcon II, a Beneteau 40.7, skippered by Matthew Scicluna.
With 20 entrants over 18 metres, the fleet is once again a balanced representation of offshore racing.
And, whatever games the weather may hold for the crews, there will be plenty of theatre at the start, as Dimech explains.
"Sailing is not normally allowed in Grand Harbour and with a mile from the line to the entrance, we can expect a great spectacle," he said.
"Signals will be the usual combination of horns and guns. We've swapped the howitzers used in previous years for some restored 17th century black powder cannons.
These same cannon were used to salute ships entering harbour and fired at noon daily so that ships' chronometers could be set with accuracy for navigational purposes. So that is a nice touch."
Dimech also reported that the Race Committee has paid attention to the length of the course.
With the start in a different harbour and the finish further up in Marsamxett, just off the new Royal Malta Yacht Club premises at Ta' Xbiex, the positions of the initial marks have been adjusted so the course record set by Rambler in 2007 is still a valid benchmark.
George David's Rambler established the record of 47 hours 55 minutes and 3 seconds in 2007.