Balthasar’s Win and Black Jack’s Line Honours at the 2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race
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et against the backdrop of Valletta’s Grand Harbour and the storied Sacra Infermeria, the 46th Rolex Middle Sea Race unfolded this October as a testament to seamanship and legacy. The 606-nautical-mile course – famed as the most beautiful in offshore racing – delivered yet another edition defined by tactical genius and enduring team spirit. Over four days around Sicily, the Italian-flagged Maxi 72 Balthasar, owned and sailed by Louis Balcaen, captured the overall IRC victory, while Britain’s 100 foot Black Jack 100 secured monohull line honours – crowning two superb feats in a single race.
Balthasar’s Hard-Won Victory
Mills-designed Balthasar entered the Mediterranean having just weathered misfortune. As the press notes, the veteran Louis Balcaen – a former round the world sailor – had barely made the start line after Balthasar was forced to retire from the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup only six weeks earlier. “Bouncing back from that setback… demanded significant additional preparation” for this final regatta of the season. Yet the gamble paid off. Balcaen’s all-star crew executed a flawless campaign over the grueling 606 mile course. The reward was clear – Balthasar claimed the coveted trophy by sailing with unerring consistency. As tactician Bouwe Bekking explained,
“Our consistency was the key… we know each other’s rhythms. We make our calls early, adapt fast, and trust each other completely”.
For Balcaen himself, the victory carried profound meaning. “Winning the Rolex Middle Sea Race is one of the highlights of my sailing career,” he said. He dedicated the triumph to “the team we have been sailing together for ten years through the ups and downs,” noting that they had “left nothing on the table, stayed calm and collected during the tough moments and above all… enjoyed every mile of it”. In short, Balthasar’s journey – from last minute Qualifier to Mediterranean champion – embodied resilience and seamless teamwork. Such gritty determination thrilled the finish-line crowds and underscored why, after 46 editions, this race remains the apotheosis of offshore skill.
Black Jack 100: Line Honours in Light-Air Brilliance
Not to be outshone, the 100 foot Reichel/Pugh Black Jack 100 delivered a masterclass in outright speed. Owned by Remon Vos and skippered by Tristan Le Brun, Black Jack had unfinished business – she’d lost monohull line honours to 100 ft Scallywag by just 18 minutes in 2024. The crew exacted swift revenge that summer by winning line honours at the Fastnet Race, and they arrived in Malta determined to repeat the feat. In the mostly light conditions of this year’s Middle Sea Race, Black Jack lived up to the billing. Leading for most of the anticlockwise circumnavigation of Sicily, she “executed a flawless race plan” and crossed the finish line in Malta after an elapsed 65 hours 44 minutes of racing.
Skipper Tristan Le Brun hailed the achievement as deeply rewarding: “This result has a deep feeling of accomplishment. Our team trained very well, we were very meticulous in our approach and every result we have had this season is a reflection of this preparation”. Owner Remon Vos echoed the crew’s pride, observing that “winning line honours at the Rolex Middle Sea Race is very special. It is a very inspiring race and gives you a certain energy and perspective”. As anticipated, however, the gentle breezes of 2025 ensured Comanche’s blistering 2021 course record (40h 17m 50s) remained untouched. Still, Black Jack’s masterly run – edging out Scallywag and others in calm seas – cemented her place in Middle Sea lore for this year.
A Regal Partnership in Sailing’s Elite Circles
The glories of the 2025 race unfolded under the banner of Rolex’s enduring patronage. As the official press release reminds, the Royal Malta Yacht Club has been title-sponsor since 2002 – nearly a quarter-century of partnership. Rolex’s involvement in this and other major offshore contests is legendary: the brand also backs the classic Fastnet and Sydney–Hobart races (celebrating their centenary and 80th anniversaries in 2025). In practice, this means the Middle Sea Race enjoys the polish and prestige befitting an event of high society. The race’s prize-giving is famously held in Valletta’s Sacra Infermeria – a 16th-century Knights’ hospital with sweeping views of the Grand Harbour. This year’s ceremony drew Malta’s Prime Minister Dr Robert Abela (with his wife Dr Lydia) and Italy’s Ambassador Valentina Setta among other dignitaries, underscoring the event’s cultural cachet. The partnership with Rolex – “instrumental to putting on a race like this,” in Bekking’s words – ensures that tradition and luxury are woven into the fabric of the sport.
Cultural Significance in High Society
Beyond trophies and times, the Rolex Middle Sea Race resonates as an elite sporting ritual and a celebration of Mediterranean maritime heritage. It attracts a globally diverse fleet – in 2025 over 1,000 sailors from more than 50 nations competed – yet remains an enclave of exclusivity and excellence. As RMYC Commodore Mark Napier aptly remarked at the prizegiving, the race exemplifies a philosophy that transcends competition: “In sailing, as in life, it is not just about winning. It’s about the journey, the challenges overcome, the lessons learned and the friendships forged along the way”. For the discerning followers of high society sport, the Middle Sea Race thus represents not only a brutal test of seamanship, but also a storied pageant of courage and elegance – a tradition Rolex continues to champion on the world’s offshore stage.
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