Elusive 2 secures overall victory as Vivace, Inspiration and Xpalidocious claim class honours
The Medcomms Round Malta Race brought the Royal Malta Yacht Club’s competitive racing calendar to a close with a record fleet of 30 yachts spread across the Racing and Cruising divisions. The strong turnout capped a season that has seen cruising classes peak in both participation, drawing a solid and increasingly competitive fleet across all divisions.
Rear Commodore (Sailing) Adrian Gauci Borda welcomed the scale of participation and the way the season concluded remarking that “To close the year with a Round Malta Race of this scale is extremely encouraging. The strong participation we have seen across all divisions — from racing through to cruising — highlights the increasingly inclusive nature of the Club’s sailing programme. Bringing together such a large, varied and competitive fleet to end the season augurs well for continued interest and participation across the 2026 sailing calendar.”
Sailed on a southbound Round Malta course, the fleet started from Marsamxett Harbour before proceeding to the Fairway Buoy, the Munxar and Bengħajsa Cardinal Marks, and then on a free course to Ċirkewwa. The route continued through the South Comino Channel, re-entered Marsamxett Harbour, and finished close to the Royal Malta Yacht Club.
Race Officer Martin Azzopardi oversaw three separate starts, beginning with the RMYC Cruisers Class, followed by the IRC Cruisers and IRC Racing Class. An easterly to north-easterly breeze at Force 3–4, combined with sunny conditions, set the scene for a tactically demanding race without being physically punishing.
In the overall classification, the same three boats that topped the standings last year once again claimed the podium, although with a change at the top. Elusive 2, skippered by siblings Aaron, Christoph and Maya Podesta, secured overall victory ahead of Sebastian Ripard’s Calypso, with Sean Borg’s Jubatus finishing third. While Jubatus was the first boat to cross the finish line, just seconds ahead of Elusive 2, rating and time correction factors ultimately handed the win to the Podesta family.
Reflecting on the victory, Aaron Podesta, co-skipper of Elusive 2, said: “Racing around Malta in a steady north-easterly breeze made for a beautifully tactical day on the water. Every decision counted, the conditions kept us sharp, and great teamwork carried us through to the win. It was a great day of racing and a lovely way to end the year on Elusive. Thank you, RMYC.”
Sebastian Ripard also highlighted both the conditions and the scale of the fleet: “Round Malta felt like a nice summer’s day race, with plenty of sun and a gentle easterly breeze that made for pleasant sailing and an intense tactical challenge. It was a stark contrast from last year’s wet and wild ride, but equally engaging. What really stood out, though, was the fleet it attracted — there was an armada of boats out there, and I felt touched to be part of such a large community.”
In the IRC Cruisers Class, Inspiration, skippered by Godwin Zammit, claimed victory ahead of Simon Xuereb’s Spirit of the Winds. The RMYC Cruisers Class attracted a particularly strong and varied fleet, including several boats competing in the event for the first time. Xpalidocious, owned by David Pizzuto, dominated the class, finishing first on both elapsed and corrected time, well ahead of Patrick Hamilton Hill’s Gregale in second and Anthony Miggiani’s Gioia in third.
Royal Malta Yacht Club Commodore Mark Napier acknowledged the continued support of the race sponsor Medcomms Ltd, noting that“The Medcomms Round Malta Race has become an important fixture in our calendar, and the Club is grateful to Medcomms for their continued support. Their backing helps us deliver quality racing and sustain the momentum we are seeing across all classes.”
The Club also expressed its thanks to the Race Management Team, led by Martin Azzopardi, together with Michelle Caruana, Adrian Gauci Borda and Arthur Van Der Deijl.
Medcomms Round Malta Race Results
| IRC Racers Overall | |
| 1st | Elusive 2 (Aaron, Christoph, Maya Podesta) |
| 2nd | Calypso (Sebastian Ripard) |
| 3rd | Jubatus (Sean Borg) |
| IRC Class 2 | |
| 1st | Vivace (Andrew Agius Delicata / Matthew Gabriele) |
| 2nd | Lartista (Anthony Calleja) |
| 3rd | Time Out (Mario Sant) |
| IRC Cruisers | |
| 1st | Inspiration (Godwin Zammit) |
| 2nd | Spirit of the Winds (Simon Xuereb) |
| RMYC Cruisers | |
| 1st | Xpalidocious (David Pizzuto) |
| 2nd | Gregale (Patrick Hamilton Hill) |
| 3rd | Gioia (Anthony Miggiani) |