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Esimit Europa 2 set the benchmark time for the passage record between Trieste and Valletta
On 14th October at 10:00 PM CEST, the Esimit Sailing Team started their next tough challenge. They got on the way immediately after winning the 44th edition of the Barcolana. Establishing the benchmark time (under the ratification process by the World Sailing Speed Record Council) for the passage between Trieste (Italy) and Valletta (Malta), the European crew faced very strong winds up to 40 knots on one hand, as well as light wind conditions on the other. The Esimit Sailing Team crossed the finish line in Valletta’s Marsamxett Harbour at 6:42 PM CEST on Wednesday, 17th October. The new record is already the second big challenge within just 6 days, after racing at the Barcolana regatta on October 14th and just before participating at the Rolex Middle Sea Race, starting on 20th October.
“Especially in the Adriatic Sea, we passed at least seven different systems with 7 to 40 knots of upwind that made the passage quite difficult for us. At the end, it was an enjoyable journey, but very hard in between, resulting in a good record time, but of course, we are aiming to improve our own benchmark next year, as well. At the same time we would like to encourage yachts, which already participate at the Barcolana and the Rolex Middle Sea Race, to also take on the challenge,” said Esimit Europa 2’s skipper Jochen Schümann, after the arrival in Valletta.
When leaving the Gulf of Trieste, the route chosen by the world acknowledged Spanish navigator Juan Vila, led Esimit Europa 2 along the Croatian shore for quite some time before going to the Italian shore. “Upwind conditions accompanied us on the way when starting in the Adriatic, and we’ve initially chosen to sail closer to the Croatian shore, before finally switching to the Italian shore. Once around Italy, there is more open water, but we still had to be very careful because of the high mountains around Calabria and Sicily, to position ourselves in the best pressure zone,” explained Esimit Europa 2’s navigator Juan Vila.
By completing the Trieste-Valletta passage in 68 hours, 42 minutes and 24 seconds, Esimit Europa 2 established the benchmark for further monohulls attempting to beat the time.
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