The 47th Rolex Middle Sea Race starts on Saturday 17 October. Set against the extraordinary backdrop of Malta’s Grand Harbour, the fleet will set sail beneath Valletta’s towering limestone bastions. The 606nm race around Sicily takes in stunning Mediterranean scenery, including the volcanic island of Stromboli.

Wherever you are in the world, this is how to follow the action:

Watch the start in person – Saturday 17 October, from 11:00 CEST

Vantage points at both sea level and high up from the fortifications around Grand Harbour

Watch live online or television – Saturday 17 October, from 10:30 CEST

Live coverage begins at 10:30 CEST on Rolex Middle Sea Race YouTube and Facebook, bringing you the spectacle of the fleet starting from Grand Harbour, Valletta.

English commentary supported by Yachting Malta

Maltese commentary from TVMSport+

Starting Order + sequence

The 108 boat fleet is divided into seven groups broadly based on rating, starting with the slowest/least powerful and finishing with the fastest/most powerful. All times CEST:

11:00 IRC 6 – 22 boats

11:10 IRC 5 – 23 boats

11:20 IRC 4 – 16 boats

11:30 IRC 3 – 17 boats

11:40 MOCRA / CLASS 40 – 8 boats

11:50 IRC 2 – 12 boats

12:00 IRC 1 – 10 boats

Live tracker

Follow every yacht around the course, compare positions and ranking, watch the tactics unfold around the course.

2026 race tracker:  https://pro.yb.tl/rmsr2026/

Smart devices can download the free YB Races App from App stores

Daily Live Show – from Sunday, 18 October at 09:30 CEST

Find out what is happening behind the positions with the daily live show featuring updates on fleet progress, weather, tactics and stories from the crews, plus breaking news.

Race news:  https://www.rolexmiddlesearace.com/press-releases/

Watch video:  https://www.rolexmiddlesearace.com/videos/

Rolex Middle Sea Race Social Media

Videos, pictures, interviews and news throughout the race on the official event channels.

Instagram: @rolexmiddlesearace   |   Facebook: Rolex Middle Sea Race   |   YouTube: @RolexMiddleSeaRace_

Join the conversation: Tag @RolexMiddleSeaRace and share your photos, videos and race experiences using #RMSR2026

Event Website and Results:  https://www.rolexmiddlesearace.com/

For everything in one place, visit www.rolexmiddlesearace.com

Be an expert:

Organiser: Royal Malta Yacht Club

First race: 1968

First winner: Josian (MLT) John Ripard Sr

Outright Race Record: 33 hours 29 minutes 28 seconds – 2021 – Argo (USA) Jason Carroll, MOD 70

Course: starting from Grand Harbour, Valletta, Malta, boats will sail an anti-clockwise course leaving to port the island of Sicily, observing the TSS in the Strait of Messina, the Aeolian Islands (including Strombolicchio), the Egadi Islands (except Marettimo), Pantelleria and Lampedusa, through the South Comino Channel, keeping Malta to starboard, to the finish at Marsamxett Harbour, Malta. Ustica, Linosa and Lampione are not marks of the course

Largest monohull (Length Overall): Black Jack 100 – 30.48 metres (100 feet)

Smallest monohull (LOA): Calypso – 9.44m (31ft)

Largest multihull (LOA): Luke Seawalker – 18.29m (60ft)

Oldest yacht: Mowgli – 1960

Number of monohulls: 104

Number of multihulls: 4

Number of countries/territories: 26

Most entries by nation: Italy 15, Malta 11, United Kingdom 11, Germany 10, France 9, Austria 8, Poland 8