Barcolana Autumn Cup (Coppa d’Autunno)
Gulf of Trieste, Italy. 30 Sept. – 8 Oct. 2006

The 38th annual festival of the sea regatta - know as the most crowded race in the world - takes place again from 30 September - 8 October 2006, accumulating with the 12.5nm race taking place on Sunday 8 October. The race is unique with over 850 boats from 6+m length is a huge celebration of the sea, with a massive support from the local community alongside numerous international boats and crew, plus over 10 million Italian TV’s tuning in to watch the sailing spectacle as colourful spinnakers large and small put on a show in the Adriatic Sea.

Maximus will be competing for the first time in Barcolana and, should conditions be right, may wish to try for another record. Last year, Skandia the Australian Super Maxi broke the record by 21 minutes with the race founders’ son’s crewing, completing the course in 58 minutes 21 seconds. They will also have their eyes firmly fixed on Alpha Romeo 2, fresh from Rolex Maxi Worlds Cup in Porto Cervo, the two maxi titans will be battling it out again on Italian waters. Watch this space…

Rolex Middle Sea
Marsamxett Harbour, Valletta, Malta. 21 October 2006.

The 26th edition Rolex Middle Sea Race on Saturday 21 October will see Maximus line up against Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo 2, Hasso Platner’s Morning Glory and Steward Thwaites’ Konica Minolta maxis to sail this Mediterranean offshore classic: 608nm anti-clockwise course around Sicily, its two active volcanoes (Etna and Stromboli) and various islands, starting and finishing at the impressive, historic Valletta Harbour.

The race course is sometimes described as the most beautiful in the world, but can prove challenging for boats and crew with changeable weather and sea conditions, last year’s light winds meant only nine boats managed to cross the finish line. Maximus will be hoping for stronger winds this year and should conditions be right the Course Record of 64hours, 49 minutes and 57 seconds set in 2000 by Zephyrus IV may well be up for grabs too. With a strong crew – to be announced in Rome on 18 Sept 2006 – Maximus is looking to make its mark on this last Northern Hemisphere regatta of 2006 before returning leaving the Med behind for the Southern Hemisphere series.

A two-race inshore series precedes the main race on 17 & 18 October.