The Italian trimaran is ready for the challenge against MOD 70 PowerPlay

Three days until the start of the 39th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, in which 149 boats will cross the starting line in Valletta, Malta, on Saturday 20th October at 11.00 am local time (09.00 am UTC).

Maserati Multi 70 will face 5 other teams in the MOCRA category; among them the direct rival PowerPlay (formerly Concise 10), Peter Cunningham’s English MOD 70 skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield.

“We met PowerPlay’s crew and we are very happy that they have come to the Mediterranean to participate in this regatta” says skipper Giovanni Soldini. “After this race we agreed to continue with the same programme, with the RORC Transatlantic Race in November and the RORC Caribbean 600 in February, alongside other MOD 70s, making the regattas more competitive and fun”.

Maserati Multi 70’s Team is finishing the last preparations for the race. During the delivery to Malta the solent’s hook – which secures the sail to the mast – got damaged. The substitute piece has already been replaced in record time, so the Italian trimaran is ready to go out to train with the direct rival PowerPlay.

Along with the skipper, Giovanni Soldini, on board of Maserati Multi 70 there will be a crew of seven people:

Guido Broggi (ITA), mainsail trimmer – boat captain of Maserati Multi 70, who has thousands of miles of ocean sailing under his belt and has collaborated with Giovanni Soldini for many years, since he was team leader in the construction and sportive preparation of 60’ Fila in 1998. In 2018, he was part of the crew of Maserati Multi 70 for the Tea Route record from Hong Kong to London.

Vittorio Bissaro (ITA), tactician – participated in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio in the Narca 17 class and on board of Maserati Multi 70, he took part in the RORC 600 Caribbean race and the Transpacific Yacht Race of 2017. In the last months, he has collaborated with the Maserati Multi 70 to optimize the trimaran from a dynamic and data analysis point of view.

Carlos Hernandez Robayna (ESP), trimmer – he has many years of sailing under his belt, and has sailed in different classes and joined Giovanni Soldini in many regattas and ocean crossings, including the Transpacific Yacht Race and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Oliver Herrera Perez (ESP), bowman – in his career he has sailed aboard Ims 500, Swan 45 and Rc44. Previously a part of the Maserati Vor70 crew, he continues to compete as bowman aboard Maserati Multi 70 and, in 2018, he was part of the crew of Maserati Multi 70 for the Tea Route record from Hong Kong to London.

François Robert (FRA), pitman – he has participated in numerous regattas, of which two editions of Mini Transat and one edition of Transat Jacques Vabre, and was on the build team for Giovanni Soldini’s 60’ Fila and the Class 40 Telecom Italia.

Matteo Soldini (ITA), grinder and trimmer – he has collaborated on the Maserati Multi 70 project since the beginning and participated in numerous offshore races, including two editions of the Rolex Middle Sea Race.

Nico Malingri (ITA), grinder and trimmer – he started navigating at a young age and conquered two two-hander records with his father Vittorio Malingri aboard a 20 foot catamaran: the Marseilles-Carthage in 2016 and the Dakar-Guadalupe in 2017.
The Rolex Middle Sea Race, organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club, is this year celebrating the 50th anniversary since its first edition in 1968. The regatta’s 606 miles route is sailed anti-clockwise around Sicily, passing north of Stromboli, west of Favignana and Pantelleria and south of Lampedusa, before heading back to the finish line in Valletta.

The speed record is held by George David who, in 2007, crossed the finish line aboard Rambler, maxi 27-metre-long monohull, in 47 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds.

The multihull category (MOCRA) record time was set by Maserati Multi 70 which, in 2016, completed the regatta in first place in 49 hours, 25 minutes and 1 second.

The challenge is supported by Maserati, the main sponsor that gives its name to the trimaran and Aon as co-sponsor, along with the official supplier for clothing, Ermenegildo Zegna.

A special thanks also to Boero Bartolomeo S.p.A. and Garmin Marine.