1600 CEST, Valletta, Malta. The 2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race is now over 24 hours in. On the plus side there has been no repeat of last year’s heinous first night, and the fleet is making steady progress. Overnight the forecast low pressure moved through the course area, but further south than originally feared and with less ferocity. Still, all competitors were subject to regular soakings in frequent, heavy downpours. With a principally northeasterly flow, it has been a prolonged beat up towards Messina with plenty of tacks and sail changes to keep crews on their toes. Yachts are spread out from Acireale, southeast of Mount Etna on Sicily’s eastern coast, to a point north of Cefalù, along the rhumb line between Strombolicchio and Favignana. The 30.48 metre Reichel/Pugh designed Black Jack 100, entered by Remon Vos, leads on the water by some 30 nautical miles from the Mills 72 Balthasar, skippered by Louis Balcaen, with the first multihull, Adrien Keller’s Irens 84 Allegra from Switzerland, a further 30nm back. In the race for overall victory under IRC time correction, only four yachts have passed the volcanic transit of Stromboli. At this point, Balthasar leads, with Black Jack just under an hour behind, and the French Carkeek 54 Daguet 5, skippered by Frédéric Puzin, a further two hours in arrears.
After yesterday’s relatively stress-free start from Grand Harbour, the 117 competing yachts worked their way north to Sicily in a predominantly easterly wind. A relatively easy-looking fetch saw competitors headed as they reached the halfway point, but with sufficient breeze to make the passage past Capo Passero a straight-forward affair. Most boats stuck close to the Sicilian shore on the route north, with only Kranendonk, the Chinese entry, making a bold move offshore. Coming back to the fleet abeam of Augusta, the VO65 split away again and continued to make good ground, successfully negotiating the notorious Messina Strait and slipping into the Tyrrhenian Sea at 1000 CEST this morning, just behind Django Deer from Italy. An impressive piece of sailing by the crew of largely first -timers.
Black Jack, meanwhile, had trailed Allegra to the southern tip of Sicily. Trading tacks in the darkness between Avola and Capo Murro di Porco, the maxi monohull eventually broke ahead of the multihull. Driving north at a steady 11 – 12 knots, the crew headed direct for the toe of Italy and appears to have held the mainland shore of the Messina Strait all the way through, exiting at 0336 CEST. An untroubled double-digit cruise to Stromboli followed, reaching the conical landmass at just before 0700. Progress west has been steady, rather than breath-taking with 70nm still to go before the turn south. Tristan Le Brun, the skipper of Black Jack, took the time to report in: “We are just passing Stromboli. It has been a very good race and so far, everything is going well. We are having a good time leading the fleet. We are also catching up in corrected time, which is going better and better for us, so we’ll keep pushing hard.”
There have been several standout performances so far. Balthasar, in IRC 1, has made short order of the course and has established a strong grip on her class. Working hard to stem the losses on the water to Black Jack, Louis Balcaen and his crew held an hour lead on time correction over the larger maxi at Stromboli. The striking green Daguet 5,racing in IRC 2, was the third monohull through Messina and around Stromboli, well ahead of several, more powerful IRC 1 rivals. Elusive 2, the Maltese First 45 sailed by the Podestà family, is further back but making stellar advances along the course and held the overall lead under IRC at the Capo Passero and Messina transit lines. The crossing to Stromboli has slowed through the day, and any advantage gained to date may prove difficult to hold. Salpare, Anatole Masfen’s Swan 66 from New Zealand, has also taken the first few tests of the race in her stride, leading IRC 3 through the Messina Strait just before midday, and only 38 seconds under IRC behind the Bulgarian ClubSwan 42 Aboat Time, skippered by Sandro Montefusco.
Campbell Field reported in from Salpare, this morning: “It’s been a long, wet night and dawn couldn’t come soon enough. We’ve been working our way up towards the Strait of Messina in light, shifty conditions — two knots one moment, six the next — so it’s been all about patience and keeping the boat moving. Every puff of wind counts.”
“Life on board is good. The crew’s settled into the rhythm of the race — constant trimming, short catnaps, endless cups of coffee. There’s always a quiet sense of purpose; you just focus on the next few hours, not the finish line. This offshore race is about managing the moment and to the next corner rather than all the miles ahead to the finish.”
Overnight the conditions across the north of Sicily look tricky to say the least. Winds are forecast to be light and shifty,, with models agreeing on one thing only – uncertainty. Yachts currently in the breeze may not hold it and face those behind catching up. The reverse is true with yachts ahead extending if breeze reaches them first. Offshore races are often won or lost during the hours of darkness. The ability to stay focussed, and to react positively to changes in wind direction or strength with diligence and precision can make a huge difference to the end result.
DAY 2 FORM REPORTS @ 1600 CEST
IRC 1
All of IRC 1 have passed through the Messina Strait. Balthasar’s corrected time put her over an hour ahead of Black Jack 100, with the Australian J/V62 Whisper of David Griffith in third nearly two hours further back. Kranendonk was a very respectable fifth after time correction.
Four of the most powerful entries in the fleet have reached the island of Stromboli, and at the transit, Balthasar’s lead had shrunk to less than an hour over Black Jack, but stretched to more than six hours over Whisper. According to the tracker, Balthasar is building her lead again and holds a podium spot in the overall standings too.
IRC 2
With only Luce Guida, Jean Michel Caye’s French Vismara 80, left to exit the strait, the Messina transit shows Daguet 5 holding a half hour lead over Jon Desmond’s PAC 52 Final Final, with Django Deer 30 minutes further back. Daguet 5 was the only IRC 2 yacht to have reached Stromboli by cut off time, crossing the transit at 1424 CEST. The French yacht appears to be extending its corrected time lead on Final Final and the chasing pack. The IRC 52 Ràn 8 (SWE) has unfortunately had to retire, all crew are safe.
IRC 3
All of IRC 3 is through the Messina Strait, but none have yet reached Stromboli. Salpare led the class through the narrow passage, followed 20 minutes later by Jean Yves Tomas’ ICE 53 Soleag and then the French Ker 40 Chenapan IV, co-skippered by Gilles Caminade and Cyrille Legloahec. On corrected time, Aboat Time just squeezed in front of Salpare. Local yacht Artie III was in fourth at this transit, only an hour behind the leaders under IRC. According to the tracker, the front three are trading places on the leg to the volcanic turning mark at Stromboli, suggesting this class could be tight all the way to the finish.
IRC 4
The cream has risen to the top in IRC 4 with 2018 overall race winner, Géry Trentesaux steering his latest charge the Sydney 43 GTS Long Courrier (FRA) to the front of his class through the Strait of Messina just before 1300 CEST. Some 12 minutes later, Antonio Giulio Cafaro’s Adria 49 Ars Una (ITA) passed through and leads the class after IRC time correction. Taavet Hinrikus’s MAT 1220 Nola (EST), skippered by Margus Uudam, exited around 1400 CEST and ranking third.
Dominique Tian’s Glen Ellen (FRA), ranked fourth, is winning in the battle of the ClubSwan 42s, 17 minutes ahead of BeWild (ITA) at Messina. Jonathan Gambin’s Dufour 44 Ton Ton Laferla. (MLT) continues to impress and is close to exiting the Strait.
Long Courrier’s Arnaud Aubry commented: “Since the start, the crew has been on deck. We have not eaten since the start, but after Messina it might be possible. Alexis Loison, our navigator, is asking us to make the best possible heading and speed, and we are chasing after Artie III. The next few hours will be spent exploring the best wind, which we think might disappear after passing Messina. Looking ahead, we are expecting a lot of sail changes later tonight.”
The First 47.7 Audace (ITA) racing double-handed has retired, both crew reported to be safe.
IRC 5
Elusive 2 is putting in another masterclass performance, and is seven miles ahead of the nearest other boat in their class. Passed through the Messina at 1305 CEST, Elusive 2 is currently third overall after IRC correction according to the race tracker. Michael O’Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood (IRL) was second through Messina, an hour and a half later, but has dropped to fifth on corrected time as Gianrocco Catalano’s First 40 Mon Ile (ITA) slipped into second place, followed by Malcolm Roe’s Swan 48, Grace of Sydney. The Dufour 40 Spirit of the Winds (MLT) and the double-handed RM 1260 Mareamore (ITA) have retired. All crew are safe.
IRC 6
A brilliant first night has vaulted Simon Toms’ Sun Fast 3300 Zephyr (GBR) to the top of IRC 6 — and remarkably, to the top of the provisional overall IRC leaderboard. In class, Zephyr holds a commanding lead of over two hours on corrected time, after a night filled with constant trimming and tactical manoeuvres to stay in pressure. It was a busy night and morning on board Zephyr with a myriad of manoeuvres to stay in the best pressure. “All good so far!” explained Zephyr’s owner Simon Toms. “We were pleased with a much better first night compared to last year’s full on conditions! Right now, we’re focusing on exiting the Strait and then getting through what looks like a lighter phase over the next 24 hours.”
Ranked in second place is Guido Baroni’s Sun Fast 3600 Lunatika (ITA). The battle for third is tight. George Greer’s Arcona 380 Kiboko Tatu (USA) is just 20 minutes ahead of Andrew Agius Delicata and Matthew Gabriele’s Reflex 38 Vivace (MLT).
IRC Double Handed
Lunatika raced by Guido Baroni and Alessandro Miglietti has taken the lead in the double handed class from Marco Paolucci and Niccolò Bertola on the JPK 1180 Libertine (ITA). The class is no longer an all-Italian podium as the dynamic duos approach the exit to the Strait of Messina. Jeremi Jablonski and Marek Mirota on the Hanse 430 Avanti from the United States have moved up to third place.
Multihulls
Allegra reached Stromboli at 1321 CEST this afternoon, but has made little progress since, moving at around 4 knots. Meanwhile, Matteo Uliassi’s DNA F4 Falcon, which was second through Messina Strait exiting at 1046 CEST, has been overtaken by Aldo Fumagalli’s Rapido 53XS Picomole on the final approach to Stromboli. Both are struggling in the same minimal breeze as Allegra. According to the tracker, Allegra currently holds a commanding lead over Picamole and the Alibi 54 Eleven, co-skippered by Hugues de Saint Germain and Nicolas Rose.