Royal Malta Yacht Club is seeing an encouraging early wave of entries for the 46th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, set to commence on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Among the international fleet entrants are several standouts, including defending champion Red Bandit, Carl-Peter Forster’s predominantly youth-crewed TP52 from Germany.

To date, yachts representing 10 nations have confirmed their participation in one of the world’s most iconic and scenic offshore races. Countries already represented include Argentina, Australia, China, France, Germany, Monaco, Serbia, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. A broad geographic spread of participation is a hallmark of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, known for its 606-nautical-mile route starting and finishing in Malta and encompassing a near-complete circumnavigation of Sicily.

Entries of note and potency beyond Red Bandit include Daniel Figueirido’s Soto 53 Humilidad Zero from Argentina, Frédéric Puzin’s Carkeek 54 Daguet 5 from France, Jens Kellinghusen’s Ker 56 Varuna, Gordon Ketelbey’s Botin-designed TP52 Zen from Australia and James Neville’s Botin 65 Artemis Bleu.

As always, entrants are mix of those who have done the race before, often several times, and those on their first foray. Another entry to watch out for is Final Final, a US-flagged PAC52 owned by Jon Desmond and crewed by a mix of top offshore talent and long-standing sailing companions. While Final Final is an unfamiliar name in the Mediterranean, scratch beneath the surface and the entry appears full of potential, with plenty of pedigree and a compelling campaign story.

Among Final Final’s direct competition will be another Admiral’s Cup entry, Gordon Kettelbey’s TP52 Zen, racing for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. An experienced offshore sailor, Kettelbey has 17 Rolex Sydney Hobarts under his belt, along with three 565nm Rolex China Sea Races and a RORC Caribbean 600. This will be his first Rolex Middle Sea Race. “The Rolex Middle Sea Race has always been on my bucket list. When we decided to send Zen out for the Admiral’s Cup, we thought we would do a season in Europe. The Rolex Middle Sea Race was high on my agenda,” explains Kettelbey. “It will be good to have my own well-prepared boat to compete in what can be one of the most challenging long races on the sailing calendar. I hear it also offers breathtaking scenery.”

As the Rolex Middle Sea Race continues to attract a world-class fleet, the stories of passion, preparation and spirit that have always defined this legendary offshore challenge will continue to be shared.

For those interesting in joining the adventure, the Notice of Race and the online entry system are accessible through the official Rolex Middle Sea Race website. Competitors are encouraged to submit their applications promptly to secure their place and preferred berthing. The RMYC looks forward to welcoming the fleet to Malta in October 2025, continuing the proud tradition of this extraordinary race.

For more information and to register, please visit the official Rolex Middle Sea Race website.