Puri Negri wins....everything

With only nine finishers in a windless Rolex Middle Sea Race, Atalanta II comes out on top in IRC and IMS

With just nine boats finishing from a fleet of 58 starters thanks to five days of near non-existent winds, the 2005 Rolex Middle Sea Race had one of the strangest results of an offshore race.

Last boat to arrive last night was David Franks’ J/125 Strait Dealer, the only Maltese yacht to make it around the 608 mile course. “I think everyone is pleased that a Maltese boat finished,” said Franks, who’s crew included British navigator Graham Sunderland and Mascalzone Latino America's Cup crewman Chris Dougall, who heralds from Malta. “We had wind, but it was never strong wind. It has been an extraordinary race. Normally I hate those conditions. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the conditions, but I did enjoy toughing it out with the crew. It was more psychological rather than physical toughness. Nonetheless the boat was so well prepared. We planned so hard, we were ready to do whatever we had to do to finish. Even in the light stuff we were working the boat trying to squeeze everything out of it. In some cases we would change the sails up to 10 times within the hour. Whatever it took we did.”

Prior to next year’s race Franks says he wants to carry out a survey of the Strait of Messina with his navigator, Graham Sunderland. "The Strait of Messina is unique. There are genuinely big whirlpools there. There are very strange tides, no one has nailed them which why Graham and I want to address that."

There were so few finishers this year and none in the smaller Class Two, despite valiant efforts from several boats. At today’s prizegiving in Valletta’s Mediterranean Conference Centre, the impressive former ‘Sacra Infermeria’ of the Order of St John of Jerusalem dating back to the 16th century, Carlo Puri Negri’s Farr 70 Atalanta II managed a clean sweep of the silverware.

Puri Negri, professionally General Executive Manager of Pirelli & C. Real Estate, won seven major trophies - the RLR Trophy for line honours, the Malta Tourism Authority Trophy for the first foreign boat home, the FIV Trophy for the first Italian yacht on corrected time, a Rolex steel Submariner for first place in IRC Class 1A, the first place trophy for IMS/ORC Class A, the Boccale Del Mediterraneo Trophy for IMS Overall and the Rolex Middle Sea Race Trophy for being the overall winner.

“I have never seen so many trophies!” said Puri Negri. “We are happy because the Rolex Middle Sea Race is an important and glorious race.” In winning the Rolex Middle Sea Race, Puri Negri and the Atalanta II crew have also won the Mediterranean Championship of Offshore Racing – a new series of four events including the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the Giraglia Rolex Cup.

David Franks and Strait Dealer won the Malta Maritime Trophy for being the first Maltese boat across the line and the Starboard Trophy for being first Maltese boat overall in IRC. The Youth Cup for the youngest participating crew member was won by 13 year old Luisa Manduca, who sailed on father Alfred’s Allegra.

“We had record number of entries and you try and make the best of it but theoretically we have had the worst result with most of the fleet retiring,” summarized Georges Bonello DuPuis, Commodore of the Royal Malta Yacht Club. “I am happy at least Strait Dealer finished, so Malta was mentioned in the prize giving ceremony. Let’s hope this year’s light weather is a not a set back in our work over the last few years. As to next year - I am looking for a new weather site - god.com!”

The 27th Rolex Middle Sea Race starts on 21 October 2006.