The Royal Malta Yacht Club hosted the second race of its 2026 sailing calendar on Saturday morning with the Double Handed Round Comino Race, welcoming a competitive fleet for a classic early-season short handed challenge
The race got underway in light conditions, with a gentle southerly breeze and calm seas at the start. Once clear of Marsamxett Harbour, the fleet encountered improved pressure, allowing the double-handed crews to settle into their pace around the course.
Under the direction of Race Officer Martin Azzopardi, the Race Management team sent the fleet — split into IRC and RMYC Club Classes — north towards Comino, passing through the North Comino Channel, rounding the island, and returning to Marsamxett Harbour for the finish.
In the IRC Class, Ton Ton Laferla, skippered by Gerald Gambin and Gregory Mifsud, made an immediate statement by taking the lead straight from the start, with Anton Calleja and Andrea Vella’s Lartista in close pursuit. Further back, Steve Carter and Patrick Genovese’s Stella R and Mario Sant and Danjel Fenech’s Time Out were closely matched, with Time Out edging ahead near L-Aħrax. The two continued to race closely until Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, where Mario Debono and Ramon Sant Hill’s Seven made strong progress to join the group.
Ton Ton Laferla maintained her advantage to take line honours. Seven crossed the line in second place; however, after time correction it was Lartista and Time Out that secured second and third place respectively in the IRC Class.
Gerald Gambin of Ton Ton Laferla added:
“It was a great sail. Handling sail changes and manoeuvres double-handed on Ton Ton is never easy, but we did what we needed to stay ahead. A fun course around Comino, as always.”
In the RMYC Club Class, Big Star, sailed by Sandro Musu and Sue Busuttil – returning to racing after a two year break – claimed the class victory ahead of Matthew and Sebastian Miceli Demajo’s Code Zero. Exaltor and Patron, also part of the Club Cruisers fleet, were forced to retire during the race.
Reflecting on their win, Musu commented:
“We sailed fast but conservatively and finished the race safely, crossing the line ahead of the other boats in our class. The boat handled the conditions perfectly. A big thank you goes to Sue, who worked tirelessly to keep the boat sailing fast while ensuring no damage was sustained. It’s great to be back racing, and we hope to be participating in many more races this year.”
Reflecting on the nature of the race, Rear Commodore (Sailing) Adrian Gauci Borda said:
“Double-handed racing places a strong emphasis on teamwork, decision-making and seamanship. Races like the Round Comino highlight the skill and discipline required to sail competitively with reduced crew numbers, while still delivering close and engaging racing.”
The next event on the RMYC Sailing Calendar will be the second race of the RMYC Winter Series by Beneteau on Saturday 14th February. The two hour pursuit race will start at 1400hrs.