CQS announces crew for Rolex Middle Sea Race

CQS during the Rolex Fastnet Race © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi

Ludde Ingvall will skipper a strong multi-national crew on CQS for the Rolex Middle Seas Race, starting from Valletta, Malta on Saturday, which it the final event on the team's European tour.

Watch captains are experienced New Zealand sailors Rodney Keenan and Richard Bearda, while the navigator is Kalle Coster from the Netherlands.

Also in the strong Kiwi contingent on board is boat captain Tony Long, and bowman Logan Andressen who is returning to the crew after an injury.

Mainsail trimmers are England's James Esprey alongside another Kiwi Martyn Baker.

Sweden's Andreas Axelsson and Rokas Milevicius from Lithuania are amongst four headsail trimmers, the others being Australian David Ward and Kiwi Phil Maxwell.

Ludde commented about his team, "we have a good mix of long term offshore experience, and some very promising up-and-coming talent. Performances in this race will help us make our selection for crew in the RORC Trans-Atlantic race."

The Rolex Middle Seas Race is one of the classic 600 mile offshore races, alongside the Fastnet, Sydney to Hobart and Newport-Bermuda races.

The races starts in the historic surroundings of Valletta's Grand Harbour, with the first leg taking the fleet north to the Straits of Messina between Italy and Sicily.

From there the course continues north to round the active volcano Stromboli, before turning west to Favignana off the western tip of Sicily, then south around Pantelleria and Lampedusa, where they turn north again to the finish in Marsamxett Harbour back in Malta.

Crew: