Club member and skipper of Ned Kelly, Lydia Coffey finished her season by racing in the RORC Middle Sea Race this week.
Lydia, a seasoned offshore competitor, having previously finished the Fastnet Race and the Round Ireland Race, was a last minute addition to Andy Middletons crew racing J109 Jarhead in the final event in the RORC 2016 series calendar.
After a spectacular start from the Grand Harbour, Valletta on Saturday lunchtime, by the time Ned Kelly had completed her final Autumn Series race in the Blackwater on Sunday, Lydia was passing through the straights of Messina and heading towards the active volcanic island of Stromboli.
With light airs gradually fading away across the Northern passage of Sicily, Jarhead parked but fought hard to get around the NW corner of the course, before setting off towards Pantelleria.
By now the lead boat on the water Rambler was already back in the marina on Malta, but rather than press on towards Lampedusa Lydias skipper decided to retire on rounding Pantelleria and headed back to Malta in an attempt to get home ahead of the forecast 35knot headwind they might otherwise face on their final approach to Malta.
At 9am this morning (26/10/16) engine on and officially retired, all crew are well onboard Jarhead, if a little sunburned.
You can follow the race tracker here.