Comprising the seven most prestigious offshore races in the Med, the IMA Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge aims to promote and boost maxi yacht competition offshore in the Mediterranean.
Launched by the International Maxi Association in 2016, the 2024-2025 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge will comprise 7 events, the best 3 counting towards the main prize.
2024-25 Series:
Rolex Middle Sea Race 2024,
starting from Valletta, Malta, on 19 October 2024: Valletta, Malta to Valletta anticlockwise around Sicily via the Strait of Messina, Stromboli, Favignana, Pantelleria and Lampedusa.
Distance: 608 miles.
Organiser: Royal Malta Yacht Club
www.rolexmiddlesearace.com
starting from Valletta, Malta, on 19 October 2024: Valletta, Malta to Valletta anticlockwise around Sicily via the Strait of Messina, Stromboli, Favignana, Pantelleria and Lampedusa.
Distance: 608 miles.
Organiser: Royal Malta Yacht Club
www.rolexmiddlesearace.com
La Larga – the offshore race of PalmaVela
established in 2021 as the preliminary offshore race to PalmaVela event. Starting on April 26 in 2025, it consists of 2 offshore courses (one of 225 nm: Palma-Dragonera-Ibiza and Formentera-Cabrera-Palma) and one of 165 nm (Palma-Dragonera-Tagomago-Cabrera-Palma).
Organiser: Real Club Nautico Palma
www.palmavela.com
established in 2021 as the preliminary offshore race to PalmaVela event. Starting on April 26 in 2025, it consists of 2 offshore courses (one of 225 nm: Palma-Dragonera-Ibiza and Formentera-Cabrera-Palma) and one of 165 nm (Palma-Dragonera-Tagomago-Cabrera-Palma).
Organiser: Real Club Nautico Palma
www.palmavela.com
Tre Golfi offshore race
starting from Naples, Italy, on May 16 2025: Naples to Capri, via Ponza and Li Galli (Italy).
Distance: 170 miles.
Organiser: Circolo del Remo e Vela Italia (CRVI) with Yacht Club Italiano
www.tregolfisailingweek.com
starting from Naples, Italy, on May 16 2025: Naples to Capri, via Ponza and Li Galli (Italy).
Distance: 170 miles.
Organiser: Circolo del Remo e Vela Italia (CRVI) with Yacht Club Italiano
www.tregolfisailingweek.com
151 Miglia-Trofeo Cetilar
starting on May 30th 2025 from Livorno, Italy.
Race course: Livorno to Punta Ala - via Giraglia rock and Formiche di Grosseto.
Distance: 151 miles.
Organiser: Yacht Club Punta Ala, Yacht Club Livorno, Yacht Club Repubblica Marinara di Pisa
www.151miglia.it
starting on May 30th 2025 from Livorno, Italy.
Race course: Livorno to Punta Ala - via Giraglia rock and Formiche di Grosseto.
Distance: 151 miles.
Organiser: Yacht Club Punta Ala, Yacht Club Livorno, Yacht Club Repubblica Marinara di Pisa
www.151miglia.it
Giraglia offshore race
starting on June 11th 2025 from Saint-Tropez, France.
Organiser: Yacht Club Italiano.
www.rolexgiraglia.com
starting on June 11th 2025 from Saint-Tropez, France.
Organiser: Yacht Club Italiano.
www.rolexgiraglia.com
Aegean 600
a 600 nm offshore race starting and finishing in Sounio, Greece.
Race course: START (Sounio) – Milos island to port – Gate at Santorini Caldera – Kassos, Karpathos and Rhodos islands to port – Kandelousa to starboard – Kos to port, Kalolimnos to starboard, Farmakonissi, Agathonissi and Patmos islands to port – Gate at Mykonos and Dilos strait – Kea island to port – FINISH (Sounio).
Start on 6th July, 2024
Organiser: Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC)
aegean600.com
a 600 nm offshore race starting and finishing in Sounio, Greece.
Race course: START (Sounio) – Milos island to port – Gate at Santorini Caldera – Kassos, Karpathos and Rhodos islands to port – Kandelousa to starboard – Kos to port, Kalolimnos to starboard, Farmakonissi, Agathonissi and Patmos islands to port – Gate at Mykonos and Dilos strait – Kea island to port – FINISH (Sounio).
Start on 6th July, 2024
Organiser: Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC)
aegean600.com
Palermo to Montecarlo Race
starting from Palermo, Italy, TBD: from Palermo, Sicily to Monaco via a YCCS gate off Porto Cervo.
Distance: 450 miles.
Organiser: Circolo della Vela Sicilia (CVS) with Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda
www.palermomontecarlo.it
starting from Palermo, Italy, TBD: from Palermo, Sicily to Monaco via a YCCS gate off Porto Cervo.
Distance: 450 miles.
Organiser: Circolo della Vela Sicilia (CVS) with Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda
www.palermomontecarlo.it
Notes:
- Only IMA members are eligible to the IMA Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge (MMOC);
- To be eligible for the annual trophy, yachts must compete in at least 3 of these events. If more than the minimum number of events required are sailed, the worst result will be discarded;
- A Perpetual Trophy will be awarded to the winner of the Challenge at the end of the season, usually during the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo.
PAST WINNERS
2015-2016 RAMBLER 88 George David
2017-2018 ATALANTA II Carlo A. Puri Negri
2018-2019 VERA Miguel Galuccio
2021-2022 SPIRIT OF LORINA Jean-Pierre Barjon
2022-2023 BLACK JACK Peter Harburg