The American-armed ship George David completed the Rolex Middle Sea Race tour after two in the morning of Tuesday to score his second win in a straight real time. The rest of the fleet continues to advance to Malta to define the identity of the absolute champion of this 37th edition of the classical ocean

The Rambler 88 crossed the line of arrival in front of the Royal Malta Yacht Club at 2: 18: 26 a.m. Tuesday, signing a time of 2 days, 14 hours, 3 minutes and 26 seconds to take the victory in real time of the 37th Rolex Middle Sea Race, a title for which only the monocascos compete."I would say that this race has been more frustrating than the previous ones," George David recognized on his arrival. "I have rarely seen compression like the one we suffer east of Messina and at the exit of Estromboli. I am convinced that the results will show that we clearly won the race between Palermo and Malta, but that we clearly lost it from Malta to Palermo. Actually, it's been two races."

Apart from the result, the American shipowner took advantage of the virtues of the event: "The Rolex Middle Sea Race is always fun. It's the most beautiful tour in the world, and this is a fact. The islands are spectacular, and Estromboli always shows a little rash. We continue to come for the beauty of Malta, the hospitality of its people, the stage of the tour and the wind, which can be both great and frustrating." This is the second consecutive win for Rambler 88, which was already in 2015 the fastest in real time, then with a time of 2 days, 16 hours, 18 minutes and 43 seconds. Both brands are far from the record that set the same team on board the Rambler 100 in the 2007 edition, when it completed the 608 miles of the Rolex Middle Sea Race tour in 1 day, 23 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds. On the morning of the third day of competition, the bulk of the fleet still remains in race, so it is soon to know who will be the absolute winner of the Rolex Middle Sea Race 2016 in offset. When writing this information, Rambler 88 and Volvo Open 70 Maltese Trifork are the only monocasques that have completed the tour.

The Spaniards, heading for Malta
Spanish ships continue to advance towards Malta. The TP52Audi EnergyPatroned by Toni Guiu surrounded Lampedusa first thing this morning, facing the last hundred miles of tour from the third provisional position in class IRC 2. ThePetrouchka IIIJaime Binimelis is just under 200 miles away, and is provisional sixth in both IRC 4 and ORC 4. TheSpinde Valle de la Riva never got to take the exit.

Previous: The Rolex Middle Sea Race 2016 in Malta with galactic quality

The 37th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race begins in Malta. We explain in five keys what is the most important height race in the Mediterranean:

1. Icon circuit
Its 608 nautical miles tour is a true circuit between icons. The first is the exit, in the magnificent amphitheater of the Grand Harbour of Malta, at the feet of the historic bastions of La Valeta, where the cannons of Saluting Battery announce the beginning of the race. The fleet then begins the circumnavigation of Sicily in a counterpoint, passing through the Strait of Messina, taking as beacon the active volcano Estromboli, and visiting legendary waters, such as those surrounding the islands Eolias, the Egadas, Pantelaria or Lampedusa, before returning to Malta.

2. International fleet
The Rolex Middle Sea Race brings together annually a heterogeneous fleet of professional and amateur teams from almost all over the world. Its 2016 edition is a good example, and will have 112 ships of 25 nationalities. They will be divided into six different exits; the first will be given at 11: 00 tomorrow, Saturday, October 22. First held in 1968, the race is organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club and sponsored by Rolex since 2002.

The Rolex quality present in this classic that begins and ends in Malta

3. Spanish equipment
The presence of Spanish regatists is a constant among the crews of the Rolex Middle Sea Race. This year there are also three ships with national flag:Spin, a 1963 Sparkman & Stephens design that originally belonged to Don Juan de Borbón, and will be patronized by Ricardo Rubio and armed by Valle de la Riva; thePetrouchka III, a prototype of the Royal Nautical Club of Palma armed and patronized by Jaime Binimelis who in 2011 achieved victory in class ORC 3 and a meritorious second absolute square in the general of ORC; theAudi Energy, a TP52 of the Real Club Marítimo of Barcelona armed by Pablo Garriga and patronized by Toni Guiu.

4.- Anyone can win the general
It is one of the attractions of the race: Literally, any participant can take the Rolex Middle Sea Race Trophy and the engraved Rolex watch that is given to the ship with better compensated time. In such a long and full course of turning points and variables, pure speed or length are not a guarantee of success. Historically, victory has alternated between professional and non-professional teams, and between large and small ships. Good example are the latest editions: the powerful Italian TP52B2won in 2015 and 2013, while in 2014 and 2011 the small J122 Maltese was imposedArtieand in 2012 the modest Melbourne 46 South AfricanHigh Fidelty.

the Rolex Middle Sea Race

5. The fastest aspire to victory in real time
More predictable is the real-time victory, given to the first ship to complete the tour. Here, the range of applicants is reduced to the largest and fastest models. This year is favorite the winner of 2015, the powerfulRambler 88(26.8 meters long) by American George David, whose team set the current test record in 2007 in 47 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds on boardRambler 100(30.5 meters long). If we talk about speed, mention aside deserve the three multicasques that will run under MOCRA class: the MOD70Phaedo 3andMaseratiand the Multi 50Ciela Vilage. Although they do not participate in the struggle for official victory, they should theoretically be the fastest to complete the course.