Emilie Gregory and her team were just 20 miles from Sicily when the storm hit, breaking their yacht’s rudder – the crucial part of the boat that controls direction.
Fortunately, no one was injured but the team on board the Maltese 44-foot yacht Ton Ton Laferla had no choice but to create a makeshift rudder from one of the boat’s floorboards to help them drift back on a gruelling 24-hour trip back to Malta.
Gregory and her team were among 28 others forced to retire from the 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race within the first 24 hours as violent weather wreaked havoc.
By the end of the race a total of 35 teams had pulled out.
On October 19, a total of 112 yachts from 30 countries embarked on the 606-nautical mile circular course from Malta, through Sicily, and back.
However, many boats found themselves caught in an intense storm that shocked even the most seasoned sailors.
“It felt like knives piercing my face, and I was holding on for my life,” said Gregory, 22. Despite her young age, Gregory is an experienced sailor, having started the sport at age eight.
“I have never been in a storm like this. The sea all went white, and I could barely see what was in front of me.”
Gregory explained that at around sunset on Saturday, the wind picked up rapidly, leaving them little time to prepare for the extreme conditions. The wind increased to 56 knots within a minute.
Although they were close to Sicily, the team decided it was safer to return to Malta, where they could be assisted in local waters and friends and family could help them use RHIBs and large dinghies.
Despite the harrowing experience, Gregory expressed her eagerness to participate in the race again due to her love of adrenaline. “Looking back, it was crazy, but it was also one hell of an experience,” she said.
'Storm unusually violent, even for experienced sailors'
Race director Georges Bonello DuPuis described the storm as unusually violent, even for experienced sailors.
He noted that many boats had to retire because they were caught off guard by the storm’s rapid arrival.
“The storm came in so quickly that they didn’t have enough time to prepare and lower the sails in time,” he explained, adding that this was a cause of the breakages.
Retirements in the race vary yearly, but DuPuis acknowledged that this year saw many withdrawals. In several editions, an average of five boats retire, usually due to breakages, slow winds, or logistical issues.