The Fully Crewed Figure of 8 Race, hosted by the Royal Malta Yacht Club last Saturday, proved to be a true test of endurance as the fleet battled exceptionally light wind conditions. Several boats retired early due to the frustrating lack of wind, making the race particularly challenging.
Under the direction of Race Officer Michelle Caruana, the fleet embarked from Marsamxett Harbour on a 55-nautical-mile course, which took them south around Filfla and Comino before returning to the Royal Malta Yacht Club.
JYS Jan, skippered by Claudio Bugeja, started strong and was among the front-runners early in the race. However, 20 miles in, they lost a few positions. Past the island of Filfla, the young crew rallied and began gaining ground despite the winds becoming lighter and more unpredictable.
By 8 p.m., the wind had nearly disappeared, prompting several boats to retire. However, those that persevered were rewarded at around 10 p.m. when a breeze finally started to fill in. The three remaining boats – Dimm, Miame Too, and JYS Jan – engaged in a close contest, constantly swapping positions throughout the night.
At sunrise, the three boats remained tightly grouped as they reached Malta’s east coast, still battling for the lead. Ralph Landwehr’s Miame Too was the first to cross the finish line, followed closely by Dimm and JYS Jan. After time corrections were applied, Dimm emerged as the overall winner, with JYS Jan and Miame Too finishing in second and third place respectively.
“The conditions were tough, with hardly any wind, which caused many boats to retire. But our determination paid off. After 25 exhausting hours, we crossed the finish line and secured first place overall,” said Dimm’s skipper Kevin Pisani Zammit. “This victory is a testament to the incredible teamwork and resilience of our crew. We’re incredibly proud of this achievement.”
Dimm’s crew was made up of Kevin Pisani Zammit, Andrew Abela, Andrew Calleja, Liam Grech, Luca Agius, and Julian Catania.
Despite missing the top spot by just 16 minutes, Claudio Bugeja, skipper of JYS Jan, was pleased with the outcome. “It was thrilling to have such close racing after so many hours,” he said, echoing Dimm’s sentiments about the perseverance of the crews.
Notably, the Race Management Team for the Fully Crewed Figure of Eight race, consisted of an all-female team – Michelle Caruana, Karina Galicka, Neity Maddock and Moira Paitoni – further highlighting the diversity and inclusivity within the sport.
