Viva Malta Clinches Podium Finish At Palermo–Monte Carlo Offshore Race

Viva Malta returned from the Palermo–Monte Carlo offshore race with an impressive second-place finish in ORC Class 1 and third place overall in ORC, following one of the most challenging editions of the 500-nautical-mile race in recent years.

The race began on Tuesday, 18 August, with around 15 knots of wind, as Viva Malta made a strong start and held second place at the Bocca di Bonifacio checkpoint. Conditions deteriorated soon after, with winds easing significantly before a severe weather system prompted race officials to suspend the race and direct the fleet to seek shelter.

Viva Malta secured a berth in Bonifacio and remained there until the race was cleared to resume. The crew restarted at 2am on Saturday, facing a demanding 20-knot breeze and five-metre swells before conditions gradually eased on the approach to Monaco.

Despite the interruption, the crew maintained high morale and demonstrated strong teamwork and tactical decision-making. On the restart, Viva Malta closed a gap of approximately 40 nautical miles on the boats ahead, pushing hard towards the finish.

The boat crossed the finish line off Monte Carlo at 22:20 on Saturday evening, with the wind easing to just seven knots.

The result reflects the determination, composure and teamwork of the Viva Malta crew, who secured a podium finish against a fleet of around 40 boats.

The crew extends its gratitude to Sport Malta, the Malta Sailing Federation and Yachting Malta Ltd.

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