Exciting conclusion to the Yachting Malta Coastal Race
by Royal Malta Yacht Club 16 Oct 09:40 PDT
16 October 2024
Yachting Malta Coastal Race © RMYC / Alex Turnbull
Yachting Malta Coastal Race © RMYC / Deea Buzdugan
The Yachting Malta Coastal Race, hosted by the Royal Malta Yacht Club, saw a thrilling showdown on Wednesday, October 16, with 56 yachts competing for victory under perfect racing conditions.
The event commenced promptly at 09:30 CEST, with the fleet navigating a 19 nautical mile route to a cardinal mark situated 200m off Munxar Point, a favored diving site located at Malta’s eastern end.
The largest yacht, the Maxi 72 Balthasar, co-captained by renowned ocean racing figure Stu Bannatyne and Dutch sailor Rogier van Overveld, raced through the course to achieve Line Honours with a time of two hours, 38 minutes, and eight seconds. Balthasar would later claim the IRC Class 2 win on time correction.
However, the real excitement was found in the race for the overall title, determined by IRC time correction. In a dramatic finish, Walter Watermann’s German yacht X-Day, a GP 42 designed by Bruce Farr and helmed by Lars Hückstädt, took the provisional victory by the smallest of margins—just two seconds. Close behind was Peter Lezhnin’s J/112 Jedi from Kazakhstan, which secured a hard-fought second overall and first in IRC Class 5.
“It was an incredible race, and we’re thrilled with the result,” expressed an elated Lars Hückstädt. “Bringing X-Day to Malta required immense effort. We sailed shorthanded all the way from Marseille, covering about 600 miles. Today’s race served as excellent preparation for the Rolex Middle Sea Race, with numerous maneuvers and sail changes that truly integrated the crew.” X-Day’s stellar performance also clinched IRC Class 3.
The battle for the top Maltese boat culminated in a tense finish. The Podesta family’s Elusive 2, a First 45, crossed the finish line first among Maltese vessels, narrowly beating Jonathan Gambin’s Dufour 44 Tonton Laferla. Following IRC time correction, Elusive 2 maintained their position, winning IRC Class 4 and the Maltese contest by a mere seven seconds. The local fleet celebrated further as Andrew Agius Delicata’s Reflex 38 Vivace triumphed in IRC Class 6.
“There has always been intense competition among Maltese boats, and this year is no exception,” stated Elusive 2’s Aaron Podesta. “With top international teams arriving for the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the competition level continues to rise, and it’s fantastic to see young Maltese sailors stepping up. Today was an invaluable learning opportunity for us, and we are now excited to tackle the big race.”
A fleet of advanced Class40 designs has arrived in Malta for the Rolex Middle Sea Race, and the Yachting Malta Coastal Race provided an initial contest for four of the trans-ocean competitors. Competing in their own class, French skipper Mikael Mergui’s Lombard-designed Centrakor was the first to finish. Italian sailor Matteo Sericano followed in second with his VPLP designed Lucente. In third place was Andrea Fornaro’s Guelfi-designed Influence 2, launched in 2023.
The 56 yachts from various countries presented a stunning sight in Marsamxett Harbour before the race commenced. After departing the harbor, the fleet kept the Valletta Harbour Fairway Buoy to starboard and enjoyed a lively beat eastward along Malta’s northern coast toward the cardinal mark located over one of the island’s underwater treasures: the Munxar Reef, a favored diving site in the archipelago. After passing the cardinal mark, the crews eased sheets and set spinnakers for a long downwind leg back to a Yachting Malta Mark positioned off Saint Mark’s Tower at Qrejten Point in northeastern Malta. A final beat brought them back to the Fairway Buoy before a quick dash to the finish at the entrance of Marsamxett Harbour, right in front of the Royal Malta Yacht Club.
The Yachting Malta Coastal Race Prize Giving will occur this evening during the Rolex Middle Sea Race Owners’ Reception in St Julian’s. Meanwhile, anticipation continues to build for the 45th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, which is set to begin at 11:00 CEST on Saturday, October 19, from the iconic Grand Harbour in Valletta.
