Well we did it. Best long offshore race that we can all remember. Fantastic organisation, hospitality and friendship from the Royal Malta Yacht Club team (especially Georges, Alex and Alana) and the Rolex support group. Very few of the Heartbeat team can remember a previous race with an erupting volcano as a mark of the course. Results could have been better but we were in top 20 for first 510 miles until virtually becalmed for a day after Lampedusa. See quick flash of HBIv at 1m 26s on this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sfsqhD7sU0. Also see the break up of the Royal Malta YC pontoon the previous week – which they’d fixed by race start here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMyq1sMkx3A&feature=related. Heartbeat IV still images are viewable at http://jjpaynejames.smugmug.com/Boats/Rolex-Middle-Sea-Race-2011/19806215_C8vcpN#1556709571_shBKZQ5. The fantastic team were – Jason, Judy and Grace Payne-James, Roger Temple. Nicola Paterson, Ashley Foxhall, Ian Magee, Russell and Karen Walker, Dani Southey, Trevor Bassett and Marcus Bonomini. Grace won the Youth Cup as the youngest person to complete the course. What a great few days. Thanks to all who helped get it all together.
0645h - The Finish
Marcus
Ian
Grace
Nic
Dani
Karen
Trevor
Ash
Le Fin
Roger
Jude
