More than 100 yachts representing 25 countries will gather in Grand Harbour on Saturday, 17 October for the start of the 47th Rolex Middle Sea Race, as the celebrated offshore classic marks 30 years since its revival.

The 606-nautical-mile race, organised by the Royal Malta Yacht Club, returned in 1996 following a 13-year absence after the 1983 edition.

With registration now closed, this year’s fleet features crews representing 47 nationalities. Italy provides the largest number of entries, while the United Kingdom has the highest number of crew members.

The international fleet stretches across Europe from Finland to Türkiye, with sailors also travelling to Malta from Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Canada and the United States.

Six yachts entered this year have previously won the race. Louis Balcaen’s Maxi 72 Balthasar returns to defend the overall title it secured in 2025, while 2024 winner Red Bandit, a German TP52, is also back.

Black Jack 100, which was first to finish last year, returns to the race, while French sailor Géry Trentesaux, overall winner in 2018 with Courrier Recommandé, will compete aboard Courrier Pogo.

Another notable overseas entry is the American Sun Fast 3300 Red Ruby. Justin and Christina Wolfe finished second overall aboard the yacht in 2023, just 24 seconds behind the 93-foot maxi Bullitt.

This time Red Ruby will race with four crew rather than two, with the Wolfes joined by Jonathan McKee and William “Carl” Buchan, who won Olympic gold together in the Flying Dutchman class in 1984.

Strong Maltese contingent

Eleven Maltese yachts will line up for this year’s race: Amuni, skippered by Kevin Pisani Zammit; Artie III, with Lee Satariano and Christian Ripard; Calypso, with Sebastian Ripard and Daniel Calascione; Elusive 2, with Aaron, Christoph and Maya Podesta; Geisha MeDirect, skippered by Stefan Debattista; Noel Grech’s Gozo Dream; JYS Jan, with Gary Mercieca and Jake Mallia; Luis Azzopardi’s Kixx Me; Mario Debono’s Seven; Jonathan Gambin’s Ton Ton Laferla Insurance; and Vivace, with Andrew Agius Delicata and Matthew Gabriele.

Among them are two crews with previous overall victories.

Aaron, Christoph and Maya Podesta, children of the late Arthur Podesta, took overall honours aboard Elusive 2 in both 2019 and 2020. Seventy per cent of the yacht’s regular crew return this year, supplemented by experienced sailors racing with the family for the first time.

Lee Satariano, meanwhile, won the race in 2011 and 2014 aboard an earlier Artie, on both occasions alongside Christian Ripard as co-skipper. The pair are reunited aboard Artie III.

“This is my passion at the end of the day,” Satariano said. “I enjoy spending weekends, and even weekdays, at the yard, switching off and working on the boat.”

Ripard set for record 36th race

This year’s edition will also mark a significant milestone for Christian Ripard, whose 36th participation will take him past the record of 35 set by Arthur Podesta.

Ripard has twice won the race as skipper. His first success came with Bigfoot in 1996, the year the event was revived, before Strait Dealer claimed both line honours and the overall victory in 2001.

Strait Dealer remains the only Maltese-crewed yacht to have been first to finish the Rolex Middle Sea Race.

The 2026 edition will have particular significance for another branch of the Ripard family.

Sebastian Ripard and Daniel Calascione, co-owners of Calypso, will compete in the first Rolex Middle Sea Race since the death in July of their grandfather John Ripard Sr, one of the race’s co-founders.

Calypso, expected once again to be the smallest boat in the fleet, will carry five of his six grandchildren – Sebastian and Thomas Ripard, Daniel and Marc Calascione, and Luke Scicluna. Regular crew members Saul Vassallo and Kris Borg Nicholas complete the line-up, while sixth grandchild and longtime crew member Sam Pizzuto is unable to participate this year.

“This will be a poignant year for us,” Sebastian Ripard said. “The race is closely linked to the collective memory of our grandfather, and we’ll be competing together on the same boat, confined to all of Calypso’s 30 feet.”

Familiar faces return

Royal Malta Yacht Club Rear Commodore Mario Debono returns with a new yacht, Seven, a Grand Soleil 46 he acquired in Corfu in 2025 after previously competing aboard the Sun Odyssey 45 Janissah.

“Leaving Janissah behind was actually quite emotional,” Debono said. “I wasn’t trying to replace Janissah or erase that chapter. I simply felt ready to write another one.”

Jonathan Gambin is set to contest his 19th race aboard Ton Ton Laferla Insurance.

“By now taking part in the Rolex Middle Sea Race has become almost automatic,” Gambin said. “Unless there is a good reason why I cannot, my crew and I expect to be on the start line.”

Stefan Debattista also returns aboard Geisha MeDirect with a core group that has competed together in several previous editions, while Andrew Agius Delicata and Matthew Gabriele’s Vivace will be looking to build on last year’s performance.

Vivace won the Arthur Podesta Trophy in 2025 as the first Maltese boat in IRC.

“We are once again full of energy and enthusiasm as we look ahead to this edition,” Agius Delicata said. “Preparations are well underway, with continuous work to make the boat better, faster and safer.”

New campaigns join Maltese challenge

JYS Jan will represent the Jarhead Young Sailors’ Foundation, with Gary Mercieca and Jake Mallia taking charge as co-skippers for the first time. Mercieca has five previous Rolex Middle Sea Races behind him and Mallia four, with this their third edition together.

Noel Grech’s Gozo Dream also returns. The yacht made its debut in 2023 as the first boat to contest the race with an all-Gozitan crew.

Among the newer Maltese entries are Kevin Pisani Zammit’s Amuni and Luis Azzopardi’s Kixx Me.

Kixx Me will make its Rolex Middle Sea Race debut, although it will be Azzopardi’s third participation following two editions aboard his previous boat, Corona. Pisani Zammit also has three previous editions behind him and will compete aboard Amuni, a Farr 36 acquired a few months ago.

Royal Malta Yacht Club Commodore Mark Napier also highlighted the logistical effort required to welcome a fleet of more than 100 yachts to Malta.

“Bringing more than 100 yachts to Malta in the days before the start would not be possible without the support of our marinas,” Napier said.

He thanked Grand Harbour Marina, Grand Hotel Excelsior Marina, Marina di Valletta, Gardens Marina, Roland Marina and Manoel Island Marina for accommodating the fleet and its crews.

Race starts on 17 October

The 47th Rolex Middle Sea Race will start from Grand Harbour on Saturday, 17 October.

Spectators can follow the start from several vantage points around the harbour, including the Upper Barrakka Gardens and the waterfronts of Valletta, Senglea and Vittoriosa.

The race will also be followed live through the Royal Malta Yacht Club and Rolex Middle Sea Race social media channels with commentary in English, while Maltese commentary will be broadcast on TVMSport+.