New Mediterranean Inshore series launched as International Maxi Association turns 40

In 2019 the International Maxi Association (IMA) celebrates the 40th anniversary of its establishment by notable maxi boat owners of the day, Baron Edmond de Rothschild, Raul Gardini, John Kilroy and William Whitehouse-Vaux. From its modest, relatively low-key beginnings, today the Association, and the sport it represents, have grown beyond all recognition.

The International Maxi Association is formally recognised by World Sailing as representing the interests of maxi boat owners internationally and it is thanks to this arrangement that two World Championships can be held: for the Maxi 72s and the J Class, both classes officially affiliated to the IMA.

For the last three seasons the International Maxi Association has championed the Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge (MMOC). This annual five event series starts with October’s Rolex Middle Sea Race and concludes with the Palermo Montecarlo the following August. It was designed by the International Maxi Association to encourage maxi yacht owners to campaign their giant sailing yachts offshore.

For this, it's 40th anniversary year, the International Maxi Association is introducing a sister circuit, the Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge (MMIC). Unlike its offshore sibling, the MMIC will run over a calendar year, kicking off with the Real Club Nautico de Palma’s Sail Racing PalmaVela in May and concluding in October with Les Voiles de St Tropez. Here the winner will be announced at a special gala dinner.

The 2019 MMIC will comprise:
Sail Racing PalmaVela (Palma, Mallorca) 8-12 May
Rolex Capri Sailing Week – inshores (Capri, Italy) 15-18 May
Rolex Giraglia – inshores (Saint-Tropez, France) 9-11 June
Copa del Rey MAPFRE (Palma, Mallorca) 27 July - 3 August
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup (Porto Cervo, Sardinia) 1-7 September
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez (Saint-Tropez, France) 28 September - 6 October

Competitors must compete in at least four of these events to qualify for a position on the MMIC scoreboard. Those who race in more can count their best four scores.

International Maxi Association President Benoît de Froidmont commented: "Bringing the inshore racing program for our yachts together in the Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge was the logical next step following our introduction of the IMA's Offshore Challenge three years ago. The new 'Challenge' includes most of the events IMA members already race in. We hope it will provide an extra incentive for more IMA members to join us on the water as well as for other maxi yacht owners to join the IMA and its supported racing". 

Leading by example, de Froidmont will be campaigning his Wally 60 Wallyño in this first MMIC. He plans to compete in Capri and at the Rolex Giraglia, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and at Les Voiles de Saint Tropez - so the minimum four events required to qualify.

The fourth Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge is already under way. For 2018-2019 this once again comprises five events. It started in October last year with the Rolex Middle Sea Race. In a race that favoured the smaller boats, it was two time Rolex Maxi 72 World Champion, Dieter Schön’s Momo that proved top performer among the maxi yachts followed by George David’s Rambler 88.

The four remaining events in 2019 will be:
Regata dei Tre Golfi (Naples, Italy to Capri via Ponza and Li Galli – doubling as the first part of Rolex Capri Sailing Week). Start: 10 May 2019
151 Miglia-Trofeo Cetilar (Livorno, Italy to Punta Ala via Giraglia rock). Start: 30 May 2019
Rolex Giraglia (Saint-Tropez to Monaco via Giraglia rock). Start: 12 June 2019
Palermo Montecarlo. (Palermo, Sicily to Montecarlo via Porto Cervo mark and Strait of Bonifacio). Start: 21 August 2019

Competitors must compete in at least three of these events to qualify for the MMOC trophy. Those who race in more can count their best three scores. Past winners have included George David’s Rambler 88 while the present title holder is Carlo Puri Negri and his Farr 70 Atalanta II.

The International Maxi Association has recently acquired two century-old silver trophies that are being repurposed as prizes for its Mediterranean Maxi Inshore and Offshore Challenges. The former will be awarded at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda-hosted IMA members dinner at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, while the latter will be presented at an end of season gala in St Tropez.

Andrew McIrvine, Secretary General of the International Maxi Association commented: "In our goal to boost the quality and quantity of all maxi racing we hope that having both inshore and offshore Mediterranean series will encourage greater maxi participation in the leading regattas of the season.

For more information on the International Maxi Association visit: www.internationalmaxiassociation.com

Press contacts:
Maria Luisa Farris - Email: communications@internationalmaxiassociation.com Tel: +39 345 8257605
James Boyd - Email: press@internationalmaxiassociation.com Tel: + 44 7710 109386

Editor’s notes:

The International Maxi Association (IMA)

The International Maxi Association (IMA) represents the owners of Maxi yachts from all over the world. Recognised in 2010 as the World Sailing international class of Maxi yachts, the IMA is uniquely entitled to organise officially-sanctioned World championships for Maxi yachts. The IMA now has 60 members from all over the world, and more than a dozen honorary members including Gianfranco Alberini, who for more than 30 years was Secretary General of the IMA up until his death in June 2013. The current President of the IMA is Benoît de Froidmont, owner of the Wally 60 Wallyño. Secretary General is Andrew McIrvine, also Admiral of the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

The IMA is registered in Geneva, has a base in Porto Cervo and an office in the UK, for rating and technical matters. With two affiliated classes (Maxi 72s, and, since 2017, the J Class) and one associated class (Wally Class), the IMA's remit is to "guide and structure maxi yacht racing. The IMA rule defines and categorises maxi yachts: it aims to embrace all maxi yachts and as such follows, instigates and encourages developments that are deemed to have a positive effect on the construction and racing of maxi-sized boats.