Rolex Middle Sea Race: inspiring performance

The Rolex Middle Sea Race always demands the highest standards in sailors of all generations, both professional and Corinthian. This year, the 41st edition, demonstrated profoundly the human endeavour required to succeed. Great resilience was shown by all involved. Supported by Rolex since 2002, the organizers, the Royal Malta Yacht Club, worked tirelessly to ensure a safe competition in the context of a global pandemic. The participants exhibited dedication and passion just to make the start line and, then, on the water provided thrilling competition which ended with last year’s overall race winner claiming a monumental back-to-back success.

 

 

For understandable reasons, the number of entrants for the 2020 Rolex Middle Sea Race fell short of the record-breaking entries of recent editions. The 50 entrants from 14 countries, diligently and rigorously prepared for the 606-nautical mile race, and illustrated admirably the values which have underpinned Rolex’s six decade long involvement with yachting through their display of fine seamanship in completing the complex challenge set by the course and prevailing weather.

 

 

Winning a 600 mile offshore race once is a massive achievement. So many pieces need to fall into place for it to happen. Returning to conquer the same summit a second time is often even harder. After years of persistence and continual improvement, the crew of Maltese yacht Elusive 2 were emotional winners of last year’s race. Siblings Maya, Aaron and Christoph Podesta had been inspired to take up sailing through the enthusiasm and encouragement of their late father Arthur, a 35- time Rolex Middle Sea Race competitor.

 

FRECCIA ROSSA LEADS HER RIVALS SHORTLY AFTER THE START OF THE 2020 ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE. Photo: Copyright © Rolex. All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited.

 

This year’s race posed renewed challenges. Preparation required the same methodical manner of previous years, but in complex circumstances. On the water, the conditions presented a contrasting examination to those of 12 months earlier. “This race is about physical endurance and mental toughness,” explained Aaron Podesta. “Last year was a mixture of the two. This year the light weather conditions made it mentally challenging at every corner of the race.” Harnessing their expert knowledge of the racecourse and vast experience sailing together, the team kept moving in the face of a frustrating breeze that never really settled into a pattern. The reward for their unwavering commitment was to set a corrected time for the race which their rivals could not beat.

 

 

Back to back success is a rare feat in yacht racing of this kind. It has not been achieved at the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race since 1965 and at the Rolex Fastnet Race only once since 1957. At the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the last crew to achieve this was Nello Mazzaferro’s Nita IV from Italy in 1980.

For Maya Podesta, having been inspired by her father, she hopes the crew’s success will motivate future generations: “We hope it gives people a boost. In Malta we have the perfect weather conditions for sailing and potential to do so much more. We hope more younger people are enticed to take up a wonderful sport.” The Podestas will not rest on their laurels. Next year, the crew has Nita IV’s record of three successive race victories in their sights.

 

 

During the past five editions of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the crew of American Maxi Rambler had dominated monohull line honours in a relentless pursuit of the race record it set in 2007. This year’s race had no clear favourite, no obvious reference point for the frontrunners. With a few miles of the race remaining, victory remained in the balance. Two yachts had broken clear and, fascinatingly, both were from Poland and of similar size and design. I Love Poland, skippered by Grzegorz Baranowski, led for much of the race but on the entry to the South Comino Channel, at the north western end of Malta, her rival E1 edged ahead. Showing confidence in their abilities and not losing faith in the dying embers of a gruelling race, the crew dug in and summoned the spirit to overhaul their determined opponent to claim line honours by a mere three minutes.

 

 

“We are very happy. It was a combination of perfect crew work, perfect navigation and a bit of luck,” explained a delighted Baranowski. Like Elusive 2, I Love Poland has inspiring youth at its core. “Our boat is a special government programme for young sailors to learn offshore sailing,” continued Baranowski. “For them this has been a perfect experience. They now know you have to fight to the end. They will remember this forever.” Nearly 48 hours outside the race record, I Love Poland’s elapsed time of three days, 23 hours, 58 minutes and five seconds, demonstrates how this year’s race was a real test of patience. She becomes the first Polish yacht to claim line honours at major 600-nm race and achieved this with the closest margin of victory in Rolex Middle Sea Race history.