Carl-Peter Forster's Red Bandit from Germany won the 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race on Wednesday, becoming the third German boat to win this prestigious offshore challenge.

Red Bandit followed in the footsteps Saudade and Morning Glory, who won the race in 1983 and 2006 respectively. The Royal Malta Yacht Club announced that no other yachts would be able beat Red Bandit’s IRC corrected times.

In the race around Sicily's 606 nautical mile course, the IRC handicap system is used to equalize the playing field between different yacht sizes and classes.

This system rewards the boat with the best performance relative to its rating, not necessarily the first one to complete the course.

Before the official confirmation, Forster said "It's unbelievable." "I am particularly proud of the young people who, four years ago, had not sailed on a large boat.

They've learned how to sail the machine so well. "I'm very proud of the way they have gelled together as a group."

Red Bandit was able to overcome extreme conditions this year, including winds of 60 knots during a storm, as well as calmer and more tactical phases.

Forster stated, "This is my seventh race." It was the usual multi-faceted, amazing Rolex Middle Sea Race. The wind gusted up to 60 knots during a storm, we made the fastest Messina Strait cross thanks to the six knots current, and there were good boats around us. "Good fighting and competition at all times."

"AMAZING JOB"

The team is largely made up of sailors younger than 30. It's part of Forstar Offshore Foundation. Forster created it to help young sailors make the transition from dinghy races to offshore competition.

Jesper Radich, a tactician, said: "We struggled on the upwind leg." It was difficult to sail in 20 knots without a heavy weather-jib. The crew was amazing, they hiked the boat for 16 hours each day to keep us on the race.

The 52-foot vessel won the Middle Sea Race in spite of having to retire from the race last year due to damage to its equipment.

Scallywag 100 was helmed on Tuesday by David Witt, and owned by Hong Kong businessman Lee Seng Huang. This prize is given to the fastest monohull that crosses the finish line. It does not matter if it has a handicap rating or a "corrected" time.

The race was completed in just two days and 21 hours, 33 mins, 29 secs by the supermaxi or high-performance yacht measuring typically 100 feet.

The Middle Sea Race, first held in 1968 by the Royal Malta Yacht Club and Royal Ocean Racing Club, was founded. The race's circular route starts and ends in Malta, and passes Mount Etna as well as Stromboli.

It is renowned for its challenging conditions and attracts a large fleet. Along with the Fastnet Yacht Race and Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, it is considered to be one of the most prestigious offshore regattas. (Reporting and editing by Toby Davis.)

(source: Reuters)