No two races are ever the same

Among the notable 600nm offshore contests is the 2026 Rolex Middle Sea Race which gets underway in Malta on October 17. One hundred eight teams span the globe for the 47th edition, from Italy to Finland to Germany in Europe, from Uruguay and Argentina in South America, plus two USA teams one Canadian entrant representing North America.

Starting from Valletta’s Grand Harbour beneath the historic Fort St. Angelo, participants embark on a 606 nautical mile counterclockwise route around Sicily and its outer islands. No two races are ever the same as the prevailing wind varies from year to year and conditions can change dramatically, requiring constant adaptation, precise navigation, and close teamwork.

From the USA, the Volvo 70 Dinzer Doo and Sun Fast 3300 Red Ruby will be on the start line, with the later led by doublehanders Christina and Justin Wolfe which were nearly the 2023 race overall winner. The Canadian Swan 47 Sassafras, owned by Michael Cullen, will be adding the race to an offshore resume that includes the Newport Bermuda, Caribbean 600, and Marble Head to Halifax.

Race details – Entries – Facebook

Elapsed Time Course Records:
Monohull – Comanche: 01d 16:17:50 in 2021
Multihull – Argo: 01d 09:29:28 in 2021

Source: RMSR