Aaron, Christoph and Maya Podesta’s Elusive II won the overall title at the Royal Malta Yacht Club’s BOV Gozo Weekend, an edition that drew one of the biggest fleets of recent years. Twenty-five boats raced in the IRC and RMYC Club Class divisions over three days that could hardly have been more different: light airs and heavy rain on the way to Gozo, moderate breeze and near-perfect racing on Saturday, and calm, almost summer-like weather for the run home on Sunday.
Friday: a slow passage to Mġarr
Race Officer Martin Azzopardi got the fleet away in light winds. Sean Borg’s Jubatus took the IRC honours, with Luis Azzopardi’s Kixx Me second and Elusive II third. Progress was painfully slow, and several boats were forced to retire when the time limit ran out before they could reach the line; those still racing finished in a downpour. In the RMYC Club Class, Aaron Gatt Floridia’s Otra Vez was the only finisher.
Saturday: the highlight off Gozo
A steady, moderate breeze gave the fleet the best conditions of the weekend for three windward-leeward races, which several crews singled out as the highlight of the event. Elusive II won all three, while Vivace, sailed by Andrew Agius Delicata and Matthew Gabriele, and Jubatus swapped second and third places between them.
The RMYC Club Class raced a coastal course. Otra Vez won again, ahead of the double-handed Big Star, skippered by Sandro Musu and Sue Busuttil, with Martin Kunath’s Forever 25 completing the podium.
Sunday: back to Marsamxett
The fleet left Mġarr for Marsamxett in calm conditions. Elusive II pipped Jubatus in a close race for another win, and Seb Ripard’s Calypso 3.0 edged out Vivace for third.
That consistency gave Elusive II both the overall title and IRC 1, ahead of Jubatus and Kixx Me. Vivace won IRC 2 and Godwin Zammit’s Inspiration took the IRC Cruisers Class. Otra Vez topped the RMYC Club Class, and Big Star won the short-handed class.
Prize giving
Prizes were presented at the Royal Malta Yacht Club in the presence of Ernest Agius, Chief Operations Officer at Bank of Valletta, which has supported the regatta since 2012.
“The BOV Gozo Regatta is much more than a weekend of competitive sailing. It is part of a proud maritime tradition that reflects Malta’s enduring relationship with the sea and the remarkable heritage of the Royal Malta Yacht Club… The commitment, teamwork and resilience displayed by the crews embody values that we at BOV strongly identify with,” said Agius.
“We were very pleased to see such a strong turnout for this year’s BOV Gozo Weekend. A fleet of this size, racing across three days in such varied conditions, reflects the health of racing in Malta,” remarked Mark Napier, Commodore of the Royal Malta Yacht Club, who thanked Bank of Valletta for its continued support and all the crews who made the weekend a success.
The Club also thanked Race Officer Martin Azzopardi and his volunteer race management team, who put in long hours on the water across all three days.
Results
Overall: Elusive II (Aaron, Christoph and Maya Podesta)
| IRC 1 | IRC 2 | IRC Cruisers | RMYC Club Class | Club Class short-handed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Elusive II (Aaron, Christoph and Maya Podesta) | Vivace (Andrew Agius Delicata and Matthew Gabriele) | Inspiration (Godwin Zammit) | Otra Vez (Aaron Gatt Floridia) | Big Star (Sandro Musu) |
| 2nd | Jubatus (Sean Borg) | Calypso 3.0 (Seb Ripard) | – | Big Star (Sandro Musu) | Forever 25 (Martin Kunath) |
| 3rd | Kixx Me (Luis Azzopardi) | Lartista (Anthony Calleja) | – | Forever 25 (Martin Kunath) | Thunderchild (Matthew Zarb Cousin) |
Next on the Royal Malta Yacht Club calendar is the Zhik Double Handed Figure of Eight Race on 28th November.
Photo Credit: RMYC / Terry Caselli Photography
