Malta's Grand Harbour will host a strong home contingent for the 47th Rolex Middle Sea Race, with many of the entrants counting past winners and record-holders among their ranks. Around 80 Maltese sailors are entered across the fleet, with eleven yachts flying the home flag among 108 boats and crew from more than 50 countries.
Vivace, skippered by Andrew Agius Delicata and Matthew Gabriele, returns to defend the Arthur Podesta Trophy for the leading Maltese yacht on IRC corrected time, having won it in 2025 aboard the Reflex 38. Standing in their way are two crews who know what it takes to win outright.
Lee Satariano, a two-time overall winner, races the HH42 Artie III with Christian Ripard aboard for a record 36th participation. The pair have won overall together before, and Ripard's read on the course explains why repeat success is so hard to find.
"Every 50 to 60 miles in the Rolex Middle Sea Race you turn a corner and you have different conditions," he says. "There's no rest at all. You don't just sit on the rail, and you are just as likely to hoist your biggest spinnaker as your storm sail."
Elusive 2, sailed by siblings Maya, Aaron and Christoph Podesta, won back-to-back overall titles in 2019 and 2020 and returns with much of its established crew. Their father Arthur competed in 35 editions, winning the inaugural 1968 race as part of the Josian crew.
Following the death this summer of race co-founder John Ripard Sr, winning skipper of that first 1968 race, five of his grandchildren will sail together in his memory. Sebastian and Thomas Ripard, Daniel and Marc Calascione, and Luke Scicluna crew the Farr 30 Calypso, the smallest monohull in the fleet, alongside Saul Vassallo and Kris Borg Nicholas.
"This year the race is very closely linked to the collective memory of our grandfather," says Sebastian Ripard.
Elsewhere in the fleet, Jonathan Gambin sails his 19th consecutive race aboard the Dufour 44 Ton Ton Laferla, having won his IRC class in 2025. The Jarhead Young Sailors Foundation's J/109 JYS Jan brings a fresh crew of young sailors, the youngest just 15, skippered by Gary Mercieca in his fifth Rolex Middle Sea Race.
No New Zealand entries feature among this year's Maltese contingent, but Kiwi offshore sailors have long been drawn to this race. The depth of home-grown ambition on display in this fleet makes it one worth following from this side of the world too.
