Grand Harbour hosts the 47th race start
The Rolex Middle Sea Race 2026 is scheduled to start on Saturday 17 October from Malta's Grand Harbour, with 108 yachts listed across seven groups. The Royal Malta Yacht Club, which organises the offshore event, has provided detailed start times, viewing information and a live tracking service.
The first starting signal is scheduled for 11:00 Central European Summer Time. Spectators can view the spectacle from Grand Harbour's waterfront and its elevated fortifications, while the official race broadcast is scheduled to begin at 10:30.
Seven groups leave at ten-minute intervals
The entry groups are broadly organised by handicap and sailing characteristics. IRC 6 has 22 yachts scheduled at 11:00, followed by IRC 5 with 23 boats at 11:10 and IRC 4 with 16 boats at 11:20.
IRC 3 is scheduled at 11:30 with 17 boats, followed by eight MOCRA and Class40 boats at 11:40. IRC 2 has twelve entries expected to start at 11:50, with the final ten-boat IRC 1 division set to leave at noon.
The course extends 606 nautical miles
Once the fleet leaves Malta, the traditional 606-nautical-mile route runs anticlockwise around Sicily, passing the Strait of Messina and the Aeolian Islands. The course also takes boats by the Egadi Islands, Pantelleria and Lampedusa before they return toward Malta.
The finish is in Marsamxett Harbour, with the route returning via the South Comino Channel. Conditions across this demanding course can vary considerably, so relative positions early in the race do not necessarily predict the corrected-time result.
Live tracking and daily updates
The organiser has supplied a fleet-tracking link at pro.yb.tl/rmsr2026, enabling supporters to follow individual boats and compare positions as the race develops. The YB Races smartphone application is another option for tracking the fleet remotely.
Daily coverage is due to begin on Sunday 18 October at 09:30, with an emphasis on tactics, weather and crew updates. The official race website will carry results and other announcements as the competition progresses.
A report on access, not race results
The announcement is about how to follow a race that is starting today, not a declaration of winners. Although the starting order and planned fleet size are published, finishing positions and corrected-time results are not established until the yachts complete their passages.
For owners and sailing enthusiasts, the schedule provides a detailed way to watch a major Mediterranean offshore race. Future reporting should distinguish confirmed results from provisional tracking positions, which can change as crews navigate the course.
