Sean Borg’s Jubatus achieved another triumph on the Licata route, repeating his previous year’s success when he introduced his Cape 31.
The Royal Malta Yacht Club hosted the 172 nautical mile race on Friday evening, starting from Marsamxett. The race was the final chance for offshore racing for teams preparing for the Rolex Middle Sea Race next month, and it proved to be quite challenging with a forecast of light winds for the weekend.
Jubatus gained an early lead with a strong start downwind, sticking to the western side of the course and establishing a solid advantage by the time they rounded the first mark at Licata. While the other boats approached Licata, they encountered more stable breeze, allowing for smoother progress. However, the predicted light winds transformed the race into a tactical test, forcing crews to make constant sail changes to maximize their performance.
As the fleet reached Ragusa, the breeze completely vanished, leaving many boats stranded for hours, desperately drifting in search of any patches of wind to regain momentum, all while dealing with fatigue after hours of racing. After 33 hours of racing, Jubatus was the first to cross the finish line, securing another victory.
Skipper Sean Borg commented, “Since our debut last year, a lot has changed. Once again, we took on a very long offshore race, fully aware that it would be tough, especially with a crew that was two members short of our usual number. The light winds, especially in the final stretch when we were all exhausted, were frustrating, but we are pleased with how things turned out.”
Second place on corrected time was claimed by the J92 Juniper, sailed by Brian Flahive and Aaron Gatt Floridia. With years of experience in offshore racing, the duo faced a demanding night as the shifting conditions called for multiple sail changes to keep the boat moving. In the final leg from Ragusa, they briefly ran out of wind, providing them with a rare opportunity to rest. Once the breeze picked up, they enjoyed what Flahive described as “a nice Code Zero blast to Malta,” resulting in a strong finish to the race.
It was a memorable experience for Kevin Pisani Zammit, as he skippered his First 45, Dimm, to third place, his longest offshore race to date. Despite the challenge of Dimm being the heaviest boat in the fleet and not performing well in winds under 6 knots, they fell slightly behind before rounding Prezioso. However, on Sunday morning, a much-needed breeze arrived from the south, and the exhausted crew powered their way straight to the finish line, securing third place in the race.
The next event on the sailing calendar of the club is the fully crewed figure of eight taking place on Saturday 21st September.
