The 42nd Edition of the Rolex Middlesea Race 23 October 2021
The Rolex Middlesea race for 2021 was a race that everyone was excited about to see. Covid19 ensured a cancellation in 2020, so this is long overdue. Some of the yachts that compete start coming into Malta 7/10 prior to the race. The Atmosphere is already building up with marquees around the Royal yacht club. The Marina is full with amazing sights of Sailing yachts.
The Coastal race is always the curtain raiser before the Middlesea race.
Trader Marine’s office is opposite the Royal Yacht club along Ta’Xbiex Seafront and what a fabulous location to see all the racing yachts coming in and out of the Marina Creek Marina. On Wednesday 20th October it was the Coastal Race to Comino and back (approx. 30 Nautical miles)
We met some of the teams
We was advised by the Royal club that 42 teams competed with competitors coming from 17 different Countries. Just before the race commenced we was lucky to meet one of the French teams, Gerald Boess & Jonathan Bordas who is racing with “Jubilee” a J109.
Team France
Gerald Boess & Jonathon Bordas pictured here on”Jubilee”
The winner of the Coastal race was Frederic Puzin’s Ker 46, Daguet 3 – Corum. Puzin, Second place was Francois Bopp’s Swiss Farr 52 Chocolate 3, and Third place went to Peter Gustafsson’s Swedish J/111 Blur. In Forth place we was happy to see the Maltese team of Christoph, Aaron and Maya Podesta’s First 45 Elusive 2
Elusive 2 – Team Malta
Below, Team Malta “Elusive 2” in 4th place – Photo credit: Roland Marina
The next morning at the marina, it was very quiet unlike the buzz in the air the previous day with the excitement of being in the Coastal race.
Below it’s Thursday 21 October 2021 morning
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Thursday after the coastal race we met and spoke with Team Italy, Francesco Farci who is one of the 6 crew onboard “Alfa” We also met 2 other crew members Nicola Orlandini and Michele Cocco. This is their 1st Rolex Middlesea Race here in Malta. Francesco said they are excited to join the race and happy with their performance so far. They look forward to seeing all their competitors in the race. Andre locci is the skipper of Alfa.
Team Italy
Francesco, Nicola, Michele onboard “Alfa”
We also witnessed seeing “Skorpios” which is the biggest racing monohull in the world and “Comanche” in the Grand Harbour, b0th contenders to watch out for in this race. Then sailing right past the office we saw “Maserati” & “Telefonica”
“Skorpios” with Fernando Echavarri and the “Comanche” with Mitch Booth are both from the Cayman Islands
“Maserati” is an Italian entry with Giovanni Soldini
“Telefonica” is a UK entrant with Lance Shepherd
“I Love Poland” entrant Konrad Lipski with skipper Grzegorz Baranowski, will be a good contender in the Rolex Middlesea, taking 1st place in the St Maarten Heineken Regatta in March 2020 after taking 2nd place in the Caribbean 600 in February 2020 .
Team Malta
Friday the day before the big race. We spoke to Richard Nicolson – Malta’s Jarhead young Sailors foundation “JYS Jarhead & JYS Jan”
The young sailors from around 16+ years old, did very well in the coastal race and enjoyed the competition. With 2 J-109 racing sailing yachts, both 36ft. Their professional and experienced guardian is Richard Nicolson. Emile Gregory is the Skipper of “JYS Jarhead” withRichard. The Skipper of “JYS Jan” shadowed with Matthew Farrugia.
Richard with Emile Gregory & Sean Valentino. The 2 teams of Jarhead
Race day, 23rd October 2021, the air is filled with joy , happiness, excitement and adrenaline, all the competitors were eagerly waiting to start the race. There was over 120 yachts to race from all over the world with spectators watching the race start from the Grand Harbour. Roughly 606 nautical miles later the winner arrives.
The new Rolex Middlesea race winner and new record breaker is Mitch Booth with the “Comanche”a 100ft Maxi from the Cayman Islands. The record breaking race was and the impressive “Comanche” crossed the finish line of the 2021 Rolex Middle Sea Race on Monday 25th October at 04:27:50 CEST to take Monohull Line Honours in an elapsed time of 40 hours 17 minutes 50 seconds.
In doing so “Comanche” has broken the previous Monohull race record, taking 7 hours 37 minutes 8 seconds off the time set by George David’s 27.5m/90ft Rambler in 2007 (47 hours 55 minutes 3 seconds). I think we can all agree that this an incredible time and surely hard to beat in the 2022 race.
A big well done to Mitch Booth of “Comanche” With a record breaking 1st over the line. With “Skorpios” 2nd over the line, also being a proud record breaker. What an awesome race the 42nd was and a memorable one to remember for years to come. (CAY 007)
Cass pictured below with the “Comanche” and “Skorpios” to the side.
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