Valletta, 29 October 2022 - If the 2021 edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race offered once in a lifetime conditions that propelled the fleet to enthralling speeds and course records, this year’s race proved a marked contrast. In the face of brutally light winds, crews demonstrated significant patience and perseverance in maximising every opportunity to maintain momentum.

Offshore racing by definition is unpredictable. Each race the nature of the examination is unique. Finishing the Rolex Middle Sea Race is never a given. This year especially so. Provisions were stretched, fortitude tested and at times hopes seemingly forlorn. Overcoming these many obstacles demanded the summoning of deep resources of skill, endurance and collective teamwork. The exemplary demonstration of human endeavour has long tied Rolex's partnership with offshore racing and in particular the 600-nautical mile discipline. This year marks twenty years of Rolex's support for both the Rolex Middle Sea Race and its organisers, the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC).

Emerging victorious as overall race winner from the 118 entrants representing 24 countries, and in such an exacting edition of the race, was Eric de Turckheim's French yachtTeasing Machine. After coming close to victory at a number of Rolex-partnered offshore races in recent years, this triumph was the result of persistence and a passion to continually improve, as de Turckheim explains:

“It is a huge emotion for me and my team to win the Rolex Middle Sea Race. It was difficult due to the very light winds. The secret of winning this race is having a team experienced in winning in conditions like this. It is a very technical race, probably the most technical of the 600-nautical miles.”

The Rolex Middle Sea Race's 606-nm (1,122 kilometre) racecourse's many corners and turning marks introduce constant navigational challenges. Starting and finishing in Malta, it encompasses an anticlockwise circumnavigation of Sicily, a myriad of islands and two active volcanoes. On such a complex course, one error or misjudgement can have marked consequences. As de Turckheim continues, maintaining this focus is essential:

“You have to keep your discipline and not make mistakes. Like in any sport, you can be the best, but make a mistake and you pay. Sailing is a great sport because it teaches you never to be arrogant.”

Proving decisive for Teasing Machine was the long stretch along the north coast of Sicily where she led her pack of rivals, a position she successful defended despite the constant confrontation with patchy winds.

As Teasing Machine tactician and navigator Laurent Pagès explains, this involved taking calculated risks:

“The time of day or night that you arrive at the critical points affects the angle of approach to make the best of the wind and current. This race creates a need to analyse a great mix of information. You need to know how your boat will react to specific situations. In this race, sometimes you have to make radical calls because taking a conservative decision does not always work.”

For the yachts still out at sea and unable to better Teasing Machine's corrected time, the focus turned the primal ambition of finishing the race. Retiring may have been tempting, yet by the final prizegiving, a total of 13 yachts had still to finish the race.

For the frontrunners, elapsed line honours times were significantly slower than last year. The 100-ft (30.48m) Maxi Leopard 3 (NED) secured the monohull title in just over 70 hours. Over 30 hours outside the record set a year earlier. Mitch Booth called tactics onLeopard 3 this year, having skippered the monohull record breaking Comanche in 2021. He was well positioned to reflect on two very different races:

“Every single time the race is different. This year was a very tough race and extremely challenging. Not because there were strong winds (like in 2021), but because there were a lot of obstacles. The team did such a great job. This race is one of the iconic offshore races. In the Mediterranean it is the pinnacle.”

The most gripping finish was offered by the multihulls. Arriving a little over nine hours (on elapsed time) ahead of the fastest monohull, Riccardo Pavoncelli's Mana (ITA) crossed the finish line off Valletta a mere 54 seconds ahead of Zoulou (FRA). A margin which after more than 60 hours of sailing over 600-nautical miles is remarkable. An incredible display of the competition reflected across the fleet.

During today's final prizegiving, RMYC Commodore David Cremona paid tribute to the competitors:

“This edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race was certainly very different from the last. To those still sailing we commend their perseverance and to those who finished the race we congratulate them on a momentous effort.”

Ultimately the 43rd edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race will be remembered for the spirit which prevailed in the face of the testing weather conditions. An emphatic demonstration of an abiding willingness to respect the race’s finest traditions and overcome the vagaries of the wind, waves and sea.

ROLEX AND YACHTING
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships  with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

ABOUT ROLEX
AN UNRIVALLED REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND EXPERTISE
Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watchmanufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognised the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolised by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization. The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 500 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.