Mascalzone Latino vincitore

26 October 2016 - The Royal Malta Yacht Club just announced that IMA member Vincenzo Onorato's Cookson 50 Mascalzone Latino is the overall winner of the 37th Rolex Middle Sea Race. Whilst a number of yachts are still racing, none of them have the possibility of beating Mascalzone Latino's corrected time. The Mascalzone Latino team will be awarded the Rolex Middle Sea Race Trophy and Rolex timepiece on Saturday 29 October at the prize giving ceremony to held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta.

This race crew was a mix of Italians and British sailors who have raced all over the world under the Mascalzone Latino banner and with great success.  Last year they came agonizingly close to adding the Rolex Middle Sea Race to the honour role. In the absence of owner, Vincenzo Onorato, the boat was skippered this year by Matteo Savelli. The afterguard included Adrian Stead, Lorenzo Bressani and Branko Brcin. Ian Moore was the navigator. The sail trimmers were Leonardo Chiaruigi, Pierluigi De Felice, Stefano Ciampalini and Andrea Ballico. Daniele Fiaschi and Davide Scarpa shared the bowman duties.

Matteo Savelli: “Twelve months ago we cherished the possibility of victory but it was not to be by a nine seconds gap. But our belief in success at this event was simply delayed until this year. And now, we can say we couldn’t expect more. Everything has worked properly and the job went off without a hitch. The crew commitment was remarkable; the only regret was the lack of Vincenzo Onorato onboard."

The 2016 Rolex Middle Sea Race will be marked in the ever growing race legend as a tactically demanding one, with huge pressure on the tacticians and navigators to keep the yachts moving in the face of changing conditions. “It felt like unfinished business after coming so close to winning last year,” commented Ian Moore, continuing, “but past performance is no guarantee of future success! We knew if we wanted a chance to win this race that we would have to sail really well and get a little bit lucky with the weather. In the end,  our luck held, and the guys sailed really well despite tough conditions.”

Vincenzo Onorato of Mascalzone Latino: “I am really very happy for this victory. We have quite the same crew for many many years. We won together six Worlds titles, I can’t remember how many Europeans and many of the most important major regattas in the world. The Rolex Middle Sea Race is the pinnacle of offshore racing in the Med. We were looking to win for a long time and finally we have proudly succeeded”.

www.rolexmiddlesearace.com

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

The Royal Malta Yacht Club
Founded in 1835. It is the only yacht club in Malta and is a founder member of the Malta Sailing Federation. The Royal Malta Yacht Club has a deep commitment to yachting and organises a full programme of racing and social activities throughout the year. Located right on the water in Ta’ Xbiex Marina the club offers extraordinary facilities which include a lounge bar and dining area with outdoor terraces, roof top terrace, conference rooms, a fitness room with changing rooms, waterfront facilities for small boats and a seasonal marina for larger boats.

The club is an ideal base for yachtsmen whether for racing or cruising at any time of year. It is a favourite port of call for members of renowned yacht clubs from all over the world with which the club has reciprocal agreements. The members vary in age and profession but share a common passion for, yachting and the social life that is generated around the club.

The 37th Rolex Middle Sea Race
22nd - 29th October 2016

The Rolex Middle Sea Race takes place in the heart of the Mediterranean and covers one of the most beautiful courses in the world. Starting and finishing in Malta, the 608-nautical mile route includes the deep azure waters of Sicily and the Strait of Messina, the islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, and even features Stromboli's active volcano as a course mark.

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a highly rated offshore classic, often mentioned in the same breath as the Rolex Fastnet, The Rolex Sydney - Hobart and Newport-Bermuda as a "must do" race. The Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club co-founded the race in 1968.

2015 welcomed an interesting fleet which included some high profile boats making up a total of 111 yachts, representing 22 countries to make yet another successful event.  Monohull Line Honours went to George David’s Rambler 88 which arrived soon after Lloyd Thornburg's MOD 70 Phaedo 3, which was the first Multihull home. Michele Galli's Italian TP52, B2 won the Rolex Middle Sea Race Trophy, whilst fellow Italian Vincenzo Onorato's Cookson 50, Mascalzone Latino won the Boccale Del Mediterraneao.

For more information about the Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Rolex Middle Sea Race.

Royal Malta Yacht Club
Address: Ta' Xbiex Seafront. Ta'Xbiex, XBX 1028, Malta
Telephone: +356 21 333109

For Press enquiries:
maria@rmyc.org
+356 9981 2345