No one following this year’s Rolex Middle Sea Race had foreseen that two 70-foot ocean-racing maxis would match race the final 10 nm to the finish line to decide the monohull line honours title of the 41st edition of the 606 nm classic offshore.
Even late Tuesday night, this appeared an unlikely scenario. For the two yachts concerned, both from Poland, it was a fairy tale ending with the winner only decided in the final miles.
In the end, it was I Love Poland, owned by the Polish National Foundation and skippered by Grzegorz Baranowski, that outmuscled their compatriots, the largely Corinthian crew from the Yacht Club Sopot near Gdansk, on E1, to secure the prize.
I Love Poland had held the race lead virtually all the way from the very start, but when the two VO70s entered the South Comino Channel, at the north western end of Malta, just before 10.00 CEST yesterday, the unfancied E1 had the temerity to take the lead. It was a short-lived moment of glory, as I Love Poland took the gun by a mere 3 minutes after four days or racing.
“We are very happy. It was a combination of perfect crew work, perfect navigation and a bit of luck,” said a clearly fatigued Grzegorz, shortly after stepping ashore.