Behind the Scenes: Getting to know Team Artie III through the eyes of Lee Satariano

How many times have you participated in the Rolex Middle Sea Race, and what keeps bringing you back?

This year will be my 15th RMSR and looking forward to this years race…year on year you want to get back as it’s become one of the top international offshore races due to the course being 360 degrees, 600nm, currents at the straits of Messina, the mental and physical challenges the races brings and spectacular race starting and finishing in Malta make it spectacular for every offshore sailor!!

What inspired you to start offshore racing, and how did you prepare for your first Middle Sea Race?

My first race was in 2004 with Georges Bonello du Puis on Primadonna and the following year started racing with Christian Ripard and immediately the plan was to participate with Artie in the 2005 RMSR which was a great memorable race having sailed with both Paul Ripard senior and Christian and a great group of sailing buddies, from there on always was looking forward to the next one…

Can you describe the unique challenges and characteristics of the Rolex Middle Sea Race course compared to other offshore races?

The RMSR is one of the top intranational offshore races if not the top international offshore race due to the spectacular start in the grand harbour scenery make it spectacular and each leg of the course can bring so many surprises throughout the course being at the Etna, the currents at the straits of Messina, stromboli is another tricky part on some races, every leg can bring so many changes throughout the race…not an easy race to swich off at any moment as you’re 24hr constantly observing, planning your tactics and what’s up next which really keeps you up and running 24hr both mentally and physically…

This will be Artie III’s 5 year – how have you seen the boat and the crew evolve since you first raced it in 2019?

Year on year I keep improving certain areas to the boat and maintaining many areas of the boat…We have a great young crew on board which whom have been sailing on Artie for the past 5 years and have really excelled in their roles and they bring great synergy on board together with the older and veteran sailors…

Apart from winning the RMSR Trophy, what is your favorite memory or most memorable experience from a past Rolex Middle Sea Race?

I think the 2021 rmsr was a memorable one due to the conditions were outstanding, really fast and exciting race which was one of the fastest races and challenging conditions which we finished in a record of just under3 days…

How do you handle the ever-changing weather conditions and strategic decisions on a multi-day race like this?

You need to be prepared for any condition as things can change drastically… on the week prior to the race we would have a good outcome for the first 3 days of the race which we can plan well what to expect and update along with a good anticipation to every leg…our tactician is always briefing the crew on every leg with any updates and changes…local knowledge also comes in at many stages of the race…

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is known for its stunning scenery. What are some of the most breathtaking sights you’ve encountered along the course?

If I recall well it was 2019 at night rounding Stromboli was erupting it was a spectacular…the start of the RMSR inside the grand harbour is another great scenery with all of the spectators around make it a exciting start…

How do you prepare for the mental and physical demands of such a grueling race?

I’m at the gym and boxing early morning every day of the week and on the weekend I try to fit in a bike ride and walk with my friends…most weekends I spend few good hours on the boat to go through various areas…whilst I’m working on the boat and out training early morning I work on mental frame of mind as a lot of preparation is done weeks before to the race and you always want to be sure you’ve looked into all areas of the boat, sail wardrobe, safety gear, food onboard to keep the crew in good spirit, logistics and the list goes on

What do you find most rewarding about participating in offshore racing events like the Rolex Middle Sea Race?
The most achieving moment is completing the race of a 600nm race such as the RMSR it’s, a lot of preparation is done in such races…we always want to push further to achieve a better result than our previous…

How do you balance the competitive aspect of the race with the sense of camaraderie among sailors?

We have now been sailing together for the past 5 years, the younger ones already have great experience in offshore races and a good positive attitude which gels in well with the more veteran sailors, it’s always important to find the balance as you always want to have a positive and motivated mood onboard…me and my son Jake are definitely on separate shifts 😊, he’s on Christians shift and as always developing the younger sailors into great offshore sailors!!

Can you describe the feeling of crossing the finish line in the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the emotions that come with completing such a challenging event?

I think approaching the final leg is when your adrenaline really kicks in and really get overwhelmed coming through cirkewwa…approaching the finish line is always a great feeling after a long offshore race especially when finishing in your hometown it’s a special moment…

How has the race evolved or changed over the years, and how has this affected your approach to it?

The level of participants is very high year on year which we’re always pushing more to have better preparation to the race and this year we have recently competed in another offshore race which was a good preparation to this year’s RMSR