2013 Rolex Middle Sea Race - Day 3

Kristina Plattner's Z-86, Morning Glory has enjoyed fresh breeze along the west coast of Sicily but not enough to have a chance of breaking the course record. Morning Glory needs to finish the race before midday Monday 21 October but is not likely to cross the line until around midnight. At 0900 on Day Three, Morning Glory was still leading on the water, just ten miles ahead of Andres Soriano's Mills 72, Alegre. JV72, Robertissima III, skippered by Vasco Vascotto is six miles behind Alegre. Both of the Mini Maxis can still threaten the leader for Line Honours.

Whilst Morning Glory is expected to be the first boat to finish, there is always a huge reception for the first Maltese yacht to return to the Royal Malta Yacht Club. This year, a record number of 13 Maltese yachts are competing. Edward & Aaron Gatt Floridia's Otra Vez is leading the local boats, just 15 minutes ahead of Lee Satariano's Artie-RTFX at Stromboli.

At 0900 this morning, Alex Thompson's IMOCA 60, Hugo Boss has a nine mile lead over Gaes, co-skippered by the Spanish duo of Anna Corbella and Gerard Marin. The two IMOCA 60s have enjoyed a close battle for the last 440 miles of racing and will be enjoying the amazing scenery as they round the beautiful island of Pantelleria.

All of the competing yachts have now passed the impressive active Volcano, Stromboli.

IRC OVERALL at Stromboli
Alegre – Andres Soriano (GBR)

Alegre passed Stromboli nearly 24 hours ago, in the early hours of Day Two. All yachts racing have now passed this way point and the British Mini Maxi was leading the race overall.

Since Stromboli, the larger high performance yachts found enough wind to escape the light winds north of Sicily but the heavy displacement and smaller yachts have not. The conditions for the first two days suited the heavy displacement yachts but the high performance light weight yachts are reaping rich rewards for making the fresh breeze west of Sicily.

A windless zone developed near Stromboli and overnight, the bulk of the fleet were becalmed. Effectively there had been a re-start for these yachts at Stromboli. However spirits are high, even though progress literally ground to a halt overnight.

IRC Double Handed at Stromboli
TWT UComm - Marco Rodolfi (ITA)

The double handed class is being dominated by the powerful Class 40, TWT UComm. The Italian yacht skippered by Marco Rodolfi, who also owns the highly successful Swan 80 Berenice, has Matteo Auguadro on board, one of Italy's finest sailors. Matteo has competed in the America's Cup, World Match Racing Tour and is a winner of the Rolex Mini Maxi World Championship.

Racing in IRC Double Handed, Georges Bonello Dupuis reported from on board Escape with Tommy Hilfiger. The former Royal Malta Yacht Club Commodore is sailing with Shaun Murphy.

"We came out of Messina like we had been shot out of a cannon!" exclaimed George. "30 knots of wind from behind and we were sitting at 12 knots of boats speed for a long time. I have never experienced that in my life. Excitement turned to near disaster though as, the halyard let go and the spinnaker fell into the water. It took the two of us a lot of back-breaking work to recover it, repack it and re-hoist, but that is what double handed sailing is all about; it is a challenge that we love to take on. Right now we have come to a virtual stop in no wind, I can count 64 yachts around us and we are enjoying a simple dinner, watching the sunset set to the west with Stromboli to the east and the Aeolian Islands to the south. We have the best table in the house!"

IRC ONE at Favignana
Alegre - Andres Soriano (GBR)

Leader on corrected time at Favignana was British Mills 72, Alegre. Marton Jozsa's Hungarian RP60, Wild Joe had a great leg to the north west corner of Sicily deposing the Italian JV72,Robertissima down to third in class. With over half the race completed, the chance of one of these three yachts winning the race overall after time correction is constantly improving.

IRC TWO at Favignana
B2 - Michele Galli (ITA)

At 0900 on Day Three, Michele Galli's B2 was approaching Pantelleria, 215 miles from the finish. On corrected time the Italian team was an hour ahead of their Italian rivals at Favignana. However, Roberto Lacorte's Baltic 65, Nikka 65 is very close behind. Both yachts have an identical rating. The first to cross the line is likely to win the class and have a very good chance of an overall win. Germana Tognella's Italian Cookson 50, Cantankerous was in third place at Favignana, threatening the leaders.

IRC THREE at Stromboli
Lilla - Simon De Pietro (IRL)

Simon De Pietro's scarlet 76 foot sloop, Lilla was leading the class at Stromboli. The multinational crew have tasted offshore honours before, winning class at this year's RORC Caribbean 600. The much travelled yacht has a highly experienced crew and the slow down after Stromboli has given the beautiful classic yacht some advantage, due to its lower rating. Amanda Hartley's Spanish Swan 56, Clem dropped to second place but is only 5 minutes off the lead and James Blackmore's South African Swan 53, Music is in third.

IRC FOUR at Stromboli
Infanta-Freddie Hall (GBR)

Infanta may have lost the overall lead but the classic British yawl is still winning her class at Stromboli. Gherardo Maviglia's Roman Oceanis 430, Amapola has shot up the leader board into second in class whilst Genovese Sun Fast 3200, Hakuna Matata is third in class at Stromboli.

To track the fleet and follow blogs from the boats, including photos and reports, visit www.rolexmiddlesearace.com