Autumn in the central Mediterranean finds top Yachting crews and classic sailing around the beautiful islands of Malta and Sicily

(TRAVPR.COM) UK - October 10th, 2011 - With summer’s heat retreating, Malta’s wind and weather are perfect for a major yachting event. The Rolex Middle Sea Race starts from Valetta on October 22nd, runs north to circumnavigate Sicily and returns to Marsamxett after six hundred miles.

The days before the main event are filled with challenging local courses that acclimatise the crews and certainly raise tension in anticipation of the big race. Malta’s ancient port is a perfect backdrop to this intense preparation.

As yachts leave the capital’s Grand Harbour, conditions may require all the crews’ upwind tactics, or reward their vast downwind plumage in a straight-line dash up to Siracusa and north through the Straits of Messina.

This anticlockwise route round Sicily makes for exciting navigation with many points of interest, not least Mount Etna’s ash and lava blasting into the sky over the port side, going north.

Rich mythology has grown from the whirlpools and volcanos here, and this race includes it all. After the narrows between Sicily and Italy, competitors steer for Stromboli, an awesome fire-spitting mountain in the sea, then round other unfrequented islands on the journey home.

The storms encountered in 2007 saw many retirements, while those that continued reached the limits of their vessels’ performance and all the course records were broken.

The quickest return stands at five minutes short of forty-eight hours, but the Middle Sea Race attracts cutting-edge craft and the ablest skippers, so the record may not stand for long.

More information about the event can be found on the Royal Malta Yacht Club website at http://www.rmyc.org/.

Anyone looking for their own adventures on the islands of Malta and Gozo should check out leading activity tour operator Activities Abroad who offer a wide range of adventure holidays for families, groups and singles in many worldwide destinations including Malta & Gozo.

More information at www.activitiesabroad.com.

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