Rolex
Middle Sea Race - First Inshore Sees Light Winds
And Honours For Crichton
Valletta,
MALTA
The first inshore race of the Royal Malta Yacht
Club organised Rolex Middle Sea Race Week started
from Lazzaretto Creek between Manoel Island and
Valletta. The Rolex fleet raced a 36-mile course
out and back to the rocky outcrop of Filfla to
the South of Malta. The first boat home was Neville
Crichton's 90-foot Super Maxi Alfa Romeo in slightly
less than three and a half hours.
The
start of today's race was delayed 30 minutes to
allow the light Southerly breeze to filter in
to the Marsamxett Harbour and in particular to
the narrow 400-metre wide creek on the North side
of the walled-city of Valletta where the start
and finish line is situated. Most of the fleet
set spinnakers immediately after the start to
take them down the harbour to the more stable
breezes. Alfred Manduca's local boat Maltese Falcon
II, a Beneteau 40.7, showed the way behind the
giant Alfa Romeo, picking up a better whisper
of wind on the Northern side of the creek, the
crew dousing the spinnaker and reaching out under
headsail. Once the fleet settled into a more stable
wind outside the harbour, Skip Sheldon's 60-foot
cruiser-racer Zaraffa found her legs and moved
into second place on the water.
The
first turn mark, situated just one mile offshore
at the Valletta Fairway Buoy, saw the fleet round
in order of length and head upwind to the South
towards the bottom of the Island of Malta. The
light conditions slowly stabilised at around eight
knots of breeze, conditions that kept the fleet
on the wind most of the way to the Filfla Rock,
the half way point.
The
return leg saw spinnakers set and a reaching course
sailed back to the East coast of this unique Mediterranean
Island, the Valletta Fairway Buoy and the finish.
Just before two o'clock the New Zealand-registered
Alfa Romeo crossed the line in the shadow of the
impressive dome of the Carmelite church to take
line honours. At time of publication Alfa Romeo
had corrected out ahead of all other finishers.
The medium breezes will see the remainder of the
fleet finish during the early hours of this evening.
Racing continues tomorrow Thursday with another
inshore race. Friday is a day off and the 607-mile
Rolex Middle Sea Race will start at 11:00 on Saturday.
For
entries & general information:
Contact:
Royal Malta Yacht Club
Email: raceoffice@middlesearace.com; Tel: +356
21333109
Event Website: www.rolexmiddlesearace.com
