The American canting keel maxi, Rambler 88, never relinquishing her command of the fleet, to finish at 0448 CEST on Tuesday, 20 October. Claiming line honours, George David’s new Juan Kouyoumdjian design took just two days, 16 hours, 48 minutes and 43 seconds to complete the 2015 Rolex Middle Sea Race.
The wind conditions didn’t enable Rambler 88 to beat the course record which the team set in 2007, they never faltered and perfectly executed their game plan.
The MOD 70 Phaedo 3 was the first boat to arrive at midnight and forty-five minutes (2 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 41 seconds), and we are waiting for the Irens 63 Paradox.
Covering more than 608 nautical miles, the fleet of 111 yachts of this 2015 Rolex Middle Sea Race, which competed in the 36th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race was no exception. Teams from 22 nations with yachts ranging from nine to 25 metres in length set off under cannon fire and in very light air conditions on Saturday, 17 October.
The first to return were the Americans. Lloyd Thornburg’s MOD 70 trimaran Phaedo3 christened the finish line just after midnight on Tuesday, 20 October. Closely followed by George David’s canting keel maxi Rambler 88 who claimed monohull line honours. An impressive feat for the course record holders, who had hoped for a weather forecast that would enable them to better their time with their new Juan Kouyoumidjian design.
“We broke the course record in 2007 but that has not been broken this year. So it is nice to keep that one intact,” commented George David. “This was a slow race, although we did have incredibly varied conditions, we saw zero to 23 knots of wind speed and everything in between and every cardinal point of the compass for wind direction and wind transitions of up to 90 degrees. In respect of the record, the first half of the race killed any chance and in the second half we had 160 miles dead up wind from Trapani to Lampedusa.’
Going for the Grand Slam
“I would say we have had the short end of the weather in our races this year, definitely in the Rolex Fastnet, although we won our class and beat Comanche, it was a small boat race with good wind coming behind for the little boats.” With the Rolex Fastnet and Rolex Middle Sea Race complete, Rambler 88 is going for the Grand Slam. George David and his star crew now have their sights set on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which starts on 26 December in Sydney (AUS), the ultimate offshore race.