The 47th Rolex Middle Sea Race starts on Saturday 17 October. Set against the extraordinary backdrop of Malta’s Grand Harbour, the fleet will set sail beneath Valletta’s towering limestone bastions. The 606nm race around Sicily takes in stunning Mediterranean scenery, including the volcanic island of Stromboli.
Wherever you are in the world, this is how to follow the action:
Watch the start in person – Saturday 17 October, from 11:00 CEST
Vantage points at both sea level and high up from the fortifications around Grand Harbour
Watch live online or television – Saturday 17 October, from 10:30
CEST Live coverage begins at 10:30 CEST on Rolex Middle Sea Race YouTube and Facebook, bringing you the spectacle of the fleet starting from Grand Harbour, Valletta.
English commentary supported by Yachting Malta
https://www.youtube.com/@RolexMiddleSeaRace
Maltese commentary from TVMSport+
https://tvmi.mt/live/4
Starting Order + sequence
The 108 boat fleet is divided into seven groups broadly based on rating, starting with the slowest/least powerful and finishing with the fastest/most powerful. All times CEST:
11:00 IRC 6 – 22 boats
11:10 IRC 5 – 23 boats
11:20 IRC 4 – 16 boats
11:30 IRC 3 – 17 boats
11:40 MOCRA / CLASS 40 – 8 boats
11:50 IRC 2 – 12 boats
12:00 IRC 1 – 10 boats
Live tracker
Follow every yacht around the course, compare positions and ranking, watch the tactics unfold around the course.
2026 race tracker: https://pro.yb.tl/rmsr2026/
Smart devices can download the free YB Races App from App stores
Daily Live Show – from Sunday, 18 October at 09:30 CEST
Find out what is happening behind the positions with the daily live show featuring updates on fleet progress, weather, tactics and stories from the crews, plus breaking news.
Race news: https://www.rolexmiddlesearace.com/press-releases/
Watch video: https://www.rolexmiddlesearace.com/videos/
Rolex Middle Sea Race Social Media
Videos, pictures, interviews and news throughout the race on the official event channels.
Instagram: @rolexmiddlesearace | Facebook: Rolex Middle Sea Race | YouTube: @RolexMiddleSeaRace_ | TikTok @rolexmiddlesearace
Join the conversation: Tag @RolexMiddleSeaRace and share your photos, videos and race experiences using #RMSR2026
Event Website and Results: https://www.rolexmiddlesearace.com/
For everything in one place, visit www.rolexmiddlesearace.com
Be an expert:
Organiser: Royal Malta Yacht Club
First race: 1968
First winner: Josian (MLT) John Ripard Sr
Outright Race Record: 33 hours 29 minutes 28 seconds – 2021 - Argo (USA) Jason Carroll, MOD 70
Course: starting from Grand Harbour, Valletta, Malta, boats will sail an anti-clockwise course leaving to port the island of Sicily, observing the TSS in the Strait of Messina, the Aeolian Islands (including Strombolicchio), the Egadi Islands (except Marettimo), Pantelleria and Lampedusa, through the South Comino Channel, keeping Malta to starboard, to the finish at Marsamxett Harbour, Malta. Ustica, Linosa and Lampione are not marks of the course
Largest monohull (Length Overall): Black Jack 100 – 30.48 metres (100 feet)
Smallest monohull (LOA): Calypso - 9.44m (31ft)
Largest multihull (LOA): Luke Seawalker – 18.29m (60ft)
Oldest yacht: Mowgli - 1960
Number of monohulls: 104
Number of multihulls: 4
Number of countries/territories: 26
Most entries by nation: Italy 16, United Kingdom 12, Malta 11, Germany 9, France 9, Austria 8, Poland 8
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