The Royal Malta Yacht Club successfully hosted the Yachting Malta Race Week, an action-packed programme of sailing events that brought together offshore, coastal, dinghy, and women’s sailing competitions. The week-long schedule showcased the diversity of the sport and the enthusiasm of the Maltese sailing community.

The programme featured a variety of events, including a long offshore race to Licata, coastal and round-the-cans races, and a Dinghy Ranking Regatta. In addition, the Royal Malta Yacht Club joined forces with Vikings Sailing Club to host Steering the Course, a World Sailing initiative aimed at encouraging greater female participation in the sport.

Licata Race
The offshore challenge proved to be an excellent training opportunity for crews preparing for the forthcoming Rolex Middle Sea Race. Jonathan Gambin’s Ton Ton Laferla Insurance claimed a decisive victory, finishing well ahead of the fleet. In the Cruisers’ Class, the win went to Steve Carter’s Stella R.

Cruisers’ Coastal Race
A series of two short coastal races took place over the weekend. Godwin Zammit’s Inspiration dominated the competition, securing overall victory after winning every race.

SB20 Class
The SB20 fleet delivered close and competitive racing throughout. Matthew Scicluna and his crew comprising of Lee Gauci and Fabio Galea who also gearing up for the Rolex Middle Sea Race, clinched victory after a hard-fought duel with Duncan Camilleri’s team, with the outcome decided on the final day. Third place was secured by Jan Rossi and his crew.

Steering the Course
As part of Yachting Malta Race Week, the Steering the Course event placed women at the forefront of sailing, both on the water and in race management. Participants were divided into two divisions — Skippers for the more experienced and Crew for newcomers.

• In the Skippers division, third place went to Sonja Stellini, second to Renata Fernandez Favaron, and first to Veronika Basalkina.
• In the Crew division, third place was jointly awarded to Francesca Borg and Sara Femenia Ribes, second to Seda Shahmuradyan, and first to Kimberly Engels.

Trophies were presented by Vikings Sailing Club Commodore Sandra Agius Darmanin, who also led the race management team, supported by Michelle Caruana and Tamara Pavlovic.

Dinghy Ranking Regatta
The most fiercely contested event of the week, the Dinghy Ranking Regatta, drew strong participation from all local sailing clubs. Over two days, six races were held in contrasting conditions — on Saturday, sailors battled a grigale breeze of 13–15 knots with steep chop, while Sunday brought a south-easterly of 5–8 knots with a moderate swell. These varied conditions tested skill and adaptability, delivering a thrilling weekend of racing.

The Yachting Malta Race Week concluded with a lively Prize Giving ceremony at the Royal Malta Yacht Club, which was presided over by Club Commodore Mark Napier and Yachting Malta CEO Michael Mifsud.

“Yachting Malta Race Week has once again highlighted the strength and diversity of our sailing community. From offshore to dinghies, and from seasoned crews to newcomers through initiatives like Steering the Course, it was fantastic to see so many sailors on the water. I would like to thank Yachting Malta, our volunteers, race management teams, and all the clubs who came together to make this week a real celebration of sailing.” – Mark Napier, Commodore, Royal Malta Yacht Club

Building on this, Yachting Malta CEO Michael Mifsud emphasised Yachting Malta’s role in fostering both participation and performance.

“One of Yachting Malta’s main goals is to support initiatives that strengthen the sport across all levels — from grassroots dinghy racing to offshore challenges, and equally by promoting greater female participation through international initiatives like Steering the Course. The success of this Race Week, both in terms of participation and performance, is a clear reflection of the enthusiasm and talent within our sailing community. We are proud to have partnered with the Royal Malta Yacht Club and Vikings Sailing Club to make it happen.” – Michael Mifsud, CEO, Yachting Malta