Italy’s Django 7X emerged victorious from an absorbing battle with Balthasar in the 47th Rolex Middle Sea Race, securing the IRC 1 class title as the contest for overall honours remains wide open.

The past 24 hours have seen a steady stream of yachts return to Malta after completing the demanding 606-nautical-mile course, with challenging conditions south of Sicily continuing to test the remaining competitors.

Following Black Jack 100’s dramatic arrival on Monday afternoon, Django 7X and Balthasar completed one of the closest contests of this year’s race, with the Italian yacht crossing the finish line 39 minutes ahead of her rival.

The two crews had been locked in battle virtually throughout the race, exchanging the advantage at several key stages.

Django 7X held a seven-minute advantage on IRC corrected time at Capo Passero, extending the margin to 19 minutes at Messina. Balthasar subsequently reduced the deficit approaching Stromboli before taking the initiative on the passage towards Favignana.

However, stronger winds eventually favoured Django 7X, whose design and additional water ballast proved decisive during the final stages.

Vasco Vascotto, sailing aboard Django 7X, acknowledged that the changing conditions had played an important role.

“We knew that it would be close between us and Balthasar, but we also knew that when the breeze picked up, we had a little edge,” he said.

Balthasar’s Bouwe Bekking admitted that his opponents had enjoyed an advantage in stronger winds but praised the quality of the contest.

“As soon as the breeze comes up and the reach is coming into play, they just go faster than us. But we had a fantastic race,” Bekking said.

Although two yachts remain at sea in IRC 1, neither can better Django 7X’s corrected time, confirming the Italian boat as class winner.

Django 7X also holds the provisional overall IRC lead, although the result remains uncertain with much of the fleet still racing.

Meanwhile, French yacht Daguet 5 has strengthened her position in IRC 2, moving into the provisional lead ahead of Artemis Bleu and Wild Joe.

Owner Puzin expressed satisfaction with the performance, highlighting the crew’s ability to negotiate lighter winds near Trapani as a decisive factor.

“We managed the low-pressure situations better than some others. It made a real difference near Trapani, when we were able to accelerate into the new breeze,” he explained.

Daguet 5’s performance has raised hopes of another class success following Puzin’s victory in 2023 with a different yacht.

Maltese yachts remain in contention

Local interest remains particularly strong in IRC 3, where Lee Satariano and Christian Ripard’s Artie III is leading both on the water and on corrected time.

The Maltese HH42 was approximately 35 nautical miles from the finish at the time of the latest race report, with Zephyr and Mia Gioia continuing their pursuit.

Artie III was expected to reach Malta on Tuesday evening.

In IRC 4, Jonathan Gambin’s Ton Ton Laferla continues to lead fellow Maltese contender Elusive 2, both on the water and on corrected time.

At Lampedusa, Ton Ton Laferla held a corrected-time advantage of 42 minutes, with both yachts expected to complete the course in the early hours of Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Géry Trentesaux’s Courrier Pogo has moved ahead of Scricca in IRC 5, with Calypso occupying third place and Libertine and Karpo remaining in contention.

Colombre continues to lead IRC 6, although Red Ruby, Diavolina and Munjek RS remain potential challengers. Red Ruby, which narrowly missed out on overall victory in 2023 by just 24 seconds, could benefit from the anticipated changes in weather conditions.

Among the Class 40 yachts, Stella Nova holds an advantage of approximately one hour over Optimus Prime as both approach the South Comino Channel.

In the multihull division, Calamity is the only yacht to have rounded Lampedusa and has also taken the provisional handicap lead.

With 14 yachts having completed the course following the latest arrivals, the majority of the 107-boat fleet remains at sea.

Forecast changes over the coming hours could significantly influence the final standings, particularly among the smaller yachts still competing for corrected-time honours.

The battle for the overall Rolex Middle Sea Race title therefore remains unresolved, despite Django 7X’s impressive performance and confirmed victory in IRC 1.