The Paymix Pro Ragusa attracted a strong and balanced mix of racers and cruisers, all eager to take part in the first offshore race of the year hosted by the Royal Malta Yacht Club.
Race Officer Martin Azzopardi set the fleet off from Marsamxett to Ragusa, split the fleet in two groups—IRC and RMYC Cruisers—ensuring a well-matched division.
The race began in light to moderate west-northwesterly conditions, allowing the fleet to maintain a good pace and complete the course to Ragusa in reasonable time.
First across the finish line in Ragusa was Jonathan Gambin’s Ton Ton Laferla Insurance, followed by Matthew Miceli Demajo’s Code Zero and Stefan Debattista’s Geisha. Interestingly, once ratings were applied, the corrected time results for the IRC classes mirrored the finishing order.
The RMYC Cruisers Class was won by Georges Bonello Du Puis’ Escape, followed by Peter Delia’s CRU and Kevin Pisani Zammit’s Dimm.
The Ragusa weekend is also renowned for its lively and entertaining social programme. A well-attended BBQ at La Ola Beach kicked off the festivities on Friday evening, with most crews choosing to socialise and unwind by the sea.
A Padel Tournament was held on Saturday, drawing 12 teams—six from Malta and six from Italy. Maltese duo Jonathan and Janna Camilleri Bowman delivered a strong performance, reaching the final and securing second place in a highly competitive event.
Sunday’s weather conditions meant that the return leg to Malta would be a true test of patience and perseverance. With a strong current influencing the starting area, Race Officer Mark Napier, assisted by Michelle Caruana, carefully timed the sequence to give the fleet the best chance of being carried across the line. However, the light breeze made for slow progress, and in the end, only Ton Ton Laferla managed to complete the race—crossing the finish just over an hour before the midnight time limit.
“We’re honoured to have sailed Ton Ton alongside such skilled teams in this year’s Paymix Pro Ragusa Regatta. Thanks to our crew’s steady focus and the support of our sponsors, Laferla Insurance Brokers, we navigated well and are grateful for the experience and shared sportsmanship” remarked Jonathan Gambin, Ton Ton Laferla skipper.
A Prize Giving evening was held at the Royal Malta Yacht Club in the presence of the team from Finance Incorporated Limited (FIL), the fintech company behind Paymix Pro. FIL’s CEO Cenk Kahraman remarked that, “Sponsoring the Paymix Pro Ragusa Regatta was a natural fit for us — as a company providing seamless business payments to the yachting industry, we are proud to support an event that brings the sailing community together through friendly competition. It was a well-executed regatta, and we are glad to have been part of it.”
Bringing the event to a close, Royal Malta Yacht Club Vice Commodore David Cremona presented the prizes to the winning crews. Commodore Mark Napier expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of the regatta, noting that it brought together a well-balanced mix of racers and cruisers while offering a fantastic opportunity for social interaction throughout the weekend. “This is exactly what these regattas are all about,” he remarked.
Paymix Pro Ragusa Regatta Results
Ton Ton Laferla Insurance (Jonathan Gambin) – 1st IRC Overall and IRC Class 1
Spirit of the Winds (Simon Xuereb) – 1st – IRC Class 2
Code Zero (Matthew Miceli Demajo) 1st – IRC Cruisers
Pippus (David Anastasi/Maya Podesta) 2nd- IRC Cruisers
Janissah (Mario Debono) 3rd – IRC Cruisers
Escape (Georges Bonello Du Puis) – 1st RMYC Cruisers
Cru (Peter Delia) – 2nd RMYC Cruisers
Dimm (Kevin Pisani Zammit) – 3rd RMYC Cruisers
The next event on the RMYC Sailing Calendar is the Marzamemi Weekend Regatta scheduled to take place between the 6th and 8th of June.
