{"id":14410,"date":"2025-11-04T14:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jpk.fr\/?p=14410"},"modified":"2026-01-19T13:14:46","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:14:46","slug":"un-jpk-1180-sur-le-podium-irc-double-de-la-rolex-middle-sea-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jpk.fr\/en\/course\/un-jpk-1180-sur-le-podium-irc-double-de-la-rolex-middle-sea-race\/","title":{"rendered":"On board a JPK 1180 on the podium of the Middle Sea Race"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Marco Paolucci, skipper of the JPK 1180 Libertine, secured an impressive third place in the IRC double-handed category of the 2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race. Here is his account of the race:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This year, I arrived in Malta well ahead of schedule, on Sunday, October 12th, together with Enrico Ciotti, a long-time member of Libertine\u2019s short team. Perhaps I was eager to return to the Middle Sea Race after a year\u2019s forced break \u2014 without a boat \u2014 since Libertine Comet was sold in 2023.<\/p>

Last December, the new Libertine arrived, a JPK 11.80: new boat, new challenges. Getting to know a yacht takes time and dedication \u2014 two things I\u2019m not short of \u2014 but the road is long, and patience is essential. From January 2025, with friends, both professional and amateur sailors, I began the optimization work: mast tuning, new sails, refining the polars, and so on.<\/p>

From May to September, several training regattas followed, all with one goal in mind: to be fully ready for the Rolex Middle Sea Race.<\/p>

For my crewmate, Niccol\u00f2 Bertola, it was his first time in Malta; for me, the fourteenth. He\u2019s 38, I\u2019m 63 \u2014 he could be my son.<\/p>

We're off!<\/h2>

We set off cautiously, mid-fleet in IRC5, without trying to match the pace of fully-crewed boats, but without conceding anything either. Exiting the Grand Harbour of Valletta, everything went smoothly. The wind called for the A1.5 spinnaker: two gybes, and we were abeam of St Julian\u2019s. Down with the kite, out with the genoa, close-hauled toward Sicily and the first key passage: the Strait of Messina.<\/p>

The boat moved well, averaging over 7 knots. The wind shifted as usual; rain set in and would not stop for sixteen hours. After passing Catania, the breeze dropped, forcing us into repeated tacks that pushed us toward the Calabrian coast. Those behind us found a different breeze and sailed straight, saving valuable miles. We regained a little ground toward the end of the leg, but not enough to make a break. We exited the Strait with a favorable current, but the wind collapsed, and the fleet bunched up again.<\/p>

Our tactical choice to stay north approaching Stromboli proved right: we picked up a light breeze and sailed close-hauled at 6.5 knots of COG in 8\u20139 knots of true wind (TWS).<\/p>

The sun set, and as often happens in these transitions of light, something changed: the wind dropped to 2 knots but stayed on the nose. We passed Strombolicchio at 1 knot of speed over ground, very close to the rock \u2014 never had I passed so near, not even in 2022, the year of great calms. We left the small island behind at 11 p.m., the sound of the surf on the rocks reminding us of the danger.<\/p>

Care was needed around the exclusion zone near Stromboli: crossing it would mean heavy penalties. The wind opened up, we hoisted the gennaker, sailing at the boat\u2019s favorite angle, 90\u2013100\u00b0 TWA, deliberately staying north, even at the cost of sailing a longer route, in search of better pressure. Heading for Ustica \u2014 a tactical choice that paid off, while our rivals stayed farther south.<\/p>

We passed the Egadi Islands, taking care to leave Levanzo to port. We had a 67-mile lead in corrected time: the rating was starting to pay off, but the race was only halfway through.<\/p>

On board, Starlink was a valuable tool: constant connection for weather updates, and to share the excitement with those following us, delighted to see us leading on YB Tracking. Experience has taught me that in the Middle Sea Race, you should never celebrate too early. I kept reminding everyone: stay calm \u2014 300 miles to go.<\/p>

The calm waters of Lampedusa<\/h2>

We knew the next part would be tough: forecasts showed fading headwinds ahead, and stronger breeze coming from behind. What we didn\u2019t know was that in the light downwind legs, a crossed sea would make the spinnaker hard to fly, collapsing the sails. Meanwhile, our competitors enjoyed stronger winds between the Egadi Islands and Lampedusa, gaining 25 miles and, more importantly, sailing a more direct route, saving another 20.<\/p>

The wait in the light airs off Lampedusa was brutal. Keeping concentration after four days of racing is never easy \u2014 starting in rain, ending in summer heat. As always around Lampedusa, dolphins came to play around the boat: mockery or encouragement? You never know.<\/p>

Around us, all the top contenders of Groups 4 and 5: Mon Ile, Elusive II, Be Wild, Ton Ton La Ferla, the two Neos, the catamaran Picomole\u2026 all larger than us. We stayed offshore \u2014 a habit of mine, to avoid getting stuck under the island. This time, even those who hugged the coast got away cleanly.<\/p>

With a good reaching angle toward Comino, we sailed faster than the apparent wind \u2014 a brief illusion, as everything died again at sunset. We moved at 1 knot of true wind, drifting with the current. We searched north for pressure \u2014 persistence paid off: the wind returned. We set the A1.5 again: 4.5 knots of boat speed for 6 knots TWS at 140\u00b0 TWA.<\/p>

The wind built. At 15 knots, we decided to switch from the A1.5 to the A4: a conservative but wise choice for the run toward the Comino Channel. The breeze rose to 22\u201324 knots, with gusts up to 27: the boat held 10 knots average, surfing at 15, perfectly stable, no broaches, no nose dives.<\/p>

We took turns at the helm, each trying to catch the best wave: record to Niccol\u00f2 \u2014 17.4 knots.<\/p>

Off Gozo, it was time to gybe: cross seas and powerful waves. We dropped the kite and sailed for a while under mainsail alone \u2014 fine-tuning our coordination. Misled by YB tracking, which showed us with a two-hour lead, we furled the gennaker near Comino \u2014 too much ferry traffic. Once clear, we hoisted the A2 up to the offset mark before the finish. With 16 knots of true wind, we made 9 knots of COG at 155\u00b0 TWA, three gybes between anchored ships, and safely doused the spinnaker in its sock.<\/p>

Final upwind leg, and the cannon fired at 11:12 a.m. on October 23rd.<\/p>

End of the race in Valletta<\/h2>

We were happy, not even exhausted. As always in this magical race \u2014 different every year.<\/p>

I\u2019ll say it again: the Rolex Middle Sea Race has no equal \u2014 for its difficulty, its beauty, the level of its competitors, and the variety of its weather and sea conditions. All of this under the flawless organization of the Royal Malta Yacht Club, which I am proud to represent as a member.<\/p>

Libertine\u2019s results:<\/p>