Rolex Middle Sea Race: I Love Poland clinches monohull line honours

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I love Poland finished just three minutes ahead of VO70 E1, also from Poland

The Polish VO70 I Love Poland, skippered by Grzegorz Baranowski, claimed a dramatic monohull line honours title at this year’s Rolex Middle Sea Race following the closest finish in recent race history.

She arrived at the finish of the 606nm race in Valletta, Malta, a little over three minutes ahead of fellow VO70 E1, also from Poland. The two crews enjoyed a memorable duel over the final 10 miles, effectively match racing towards the finish line.

Skippered by Grzegorz Baranowski, I Love Poland finished after almost four days

I Love Poland’s elapsed time was three days 23hrs 58mins 5secs. The race record remains one day 23hrs 55mins 3secs set by the American yacht Rambler in 2007.

The monohull battle followed a fantastic multihull showdown at the 41st edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, one of the world’s most renowned, challenging offshore races.

Maserati Multi70 was the first yacht to finish the race as it secured multihull line honours, 15 minutes ahead of Mana

On Monday evening, Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati Multi70 from Italy secured multihull line honours in an elapsed time of two days 8hrs 31mins 31secs, finishing 15 minutes ahead of fellow Italian entry Mana following an epic, race-long head-to-head. Mana has since been crowned winner of the class on time correction.

The focus now turns to who among the 50-strong international fleet will prevail on handicap and be crowned the overall Rolex Middle Sea Race winner.

Maserati Multi70 was one of two Italian-owned MOD 70 trimarans engaged in a 56-hour duel

The race and its organiser, the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC), have been partnered by Rolex, a longstanding and committed supporter of yachting, since 2002.