THE ESSENTIAL DETAILS
The 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race starts on Saturday, 19 October. The Royal Malta Yacht Club is a hive of activity, with registration in full swing, as the local volunteer team welcomes both local and international entrants. Whether watching on in Malta or from further afield, here are some essential details to make sure the spectating experience is as close to the action as possible.
One of the ‘must do’ 600 mile offshore classics, the annual Rolex Middle Sea Race is both challenging and spectacular. Its renown stems from an enthralling and technical course, in simple terms an anticlockwise loop around Sicily. Featuring numerous ‘corners’, competitors face a diverse range of conditions and a series of complex tactical decisions.
Stats and Facts
First held: 1968
Organising Authority: Royal Malta Yacht Club
2024 Start: Saturday, 19 October, Grand Harbour, Valletta (11:00 CEST)
Entry (at 16 October)
112 yachts representing 30 countries
Smallest boat: 9.43m Calypso, Farr 30, Sebastian Ripard & Daniel Calascione, Malta
Largest boat: 30.48m Scallywag 100, Dovell 100, Seng Huang Lee, Hong Kong
National representation:
Italy - 20 entries
France - 20
Malta – 17
Germany – 9
United Kingdom – 8
Austria – 7
Furthest travelled crews:
El Oro, Whitbread 73, Kent King, Australia
Bedouin, Swan 53, Linda Goddard, Australia
Eve, Swan 65, Steve Capell/Fraser Welch, Australia
Scallywag 100, Dovell 100, Seng Huang Lee, Hong Kong
Lucky, Juan K 27m, Bryon Ehrhardt, United States
Dinzer Doo, Volvo 70, Daniel Thomas, United States
Other countries: Belgium, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Kazakstan, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey.
Total LOA of all boats end to end: 1,625m – six and a half times higher than the highest point in Malta - Ta’Dmejrek 253m above sea level - or just under half the height of Etna (3,357m)
Course
Set in the heart of the Mediterranean and considered one of the most spectacular in the world. Starts and finishes in Malta, passes two active volcanoes and takes in the deep azure waters surrounding Sicily, and the Aeolian and Egadi Islands, as well as lonelier outposts of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, both closer to the African continent than Europe.
Length: 606 nautical miles (1,122km)
Outright Race Record: 33h 29m 28s, Argo, MOD70, United States, Jason Carroll 2021
Monohull Race Record: 40h 17m 50s, Comanche, Custom 100, Cayman Is, Mitch Booth 2021
Main Trophies
Rolex Middle Sea Race Trophy – overall race winner under IRC Time Correction
RLR Trophy – winner of monohull line honours
Boccale de Mediterraneo – winner of ORC category
How to follow
www.rolexmiddlesearace.com - The main information hub
Grand Harbour, Valletta: seven separate starts, at 10 minute intervals, from 11:00 CEST Saturday, 19 October 2024
Start Line: between the Saluting Battery, Upper Barrakka Gardens (Valletta) and Fort St Angelo (Birgu)
Various vantage points all around the Grand Harbour, high up on the bastions or at water level. Harbour access for spectator boats is restricted during the period of the start
Live Start: streaming on Facebook & YouTube starting at 10:30 CEST, and on TVM, Malta’s main broadcast channel, also from 10:30 CEST
Live Updates: streamed on Facebook each morning at 09:00 CEST, from Sunday, 20 October to Thursday, 26 October
Tracking: https://www.rolexmiddlesearace.com
All yachts are fitted satellite trackers (from YB Tracking) which continually update the position and ranking throughout the race
Social Media Channels
YouTube www.youtube.com/rolexmiddlesearace
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RolexMiddleSeaRace/
Instagram @rolexmiddlesearace
TikTok @rolexmiddlesearace
Twitter @rolexmiddlesea
Official Race Hashtags: #rolexmiddlesearace & #rmsr2024
Race Partners
Beyond the considerable support and partnership of Rolex, title sponsor since 2002, the RMYC also benefits from the commitment of Yachting Malta, a public private partnership between the Government of Malta and the RMYC, and two other government bodies instrumental in the successful organisation of the race: Transport Malta, responsible for safe operation of Grand Harbour among other aspects of Malta’s transport infrastructure; the Malta Tourism Authority, charged with advancing the Maltese tourism sector and activities that attract visitors to the archipelago; and, Armed Forces of Malta, responsible for defence and safeguarding national interests.
The RMYC is intent on enhancing its sustainability efforts, reflecting a real commitment to environmental stewardship. In July 2024, the RMYC launched its Sustainability Compass. This strategic initiative is aimed at guiding the club’s operations and events towards a more sustainable future. It is also designed to influence and inspire sailors to adopt more eco-friendly practices, not only during the Rolex Middle Sea Race, but as the norm in order to protect the marine environment. A partnership is in place with the Maltese eNGO, Zibel, which aims to reduce the waste on the Maltese islands and restore natural environments to their most natural state.
Royal Malta Yacht Club
The Royal Malta Yacht Club traces its roots back to 1835. It is a volunteer-run club promoting all aspects of sailing from its junior programme to its pinnacle offshore event, the Rolex Middle Sea Race. The club exists to serve the sailing community of Malta and all visiting sailors including those who participate in its most famous race. It has a membership of 700.