Cannes – Malta Race

A delivery turned into a race: the winning gamble of the Cannes–Malta Race

600 miles between Cannes and Malta, a Class 40 fleet, and twelve days later, the start of the Rolex Middle Sea Race. The second edition of the Cannes–Malta Race, scheduled for 5 October 2026, is already establishing itself as one of the smartest connections in the autumn Mediterranean calendar.

A race born from a handshake between two clubs

The idea is simple, almost obvious: rather than delivering boats between the Côte d'Azur and the Maltese archipelago in obscurity, why not turn it into a race? It's the result of a reciprocal agreement between the Yacht Club de Cannes and the Royal Malta Yacht Club, two institutions sharing a common ambition — to attract more French crews to the Middle Sea Race starting line.

The first edition, launched on 8 October 2025, immediately validated the concept. Strong names from the Class 40 circuit showed up at the start, instantly creating a credible honours list. For 2026, the appointment is confirmed with the start brought forward to 5 October, giving competitors a comfortable window before the Rolex Middle Sea Race on 17 October.

600 miles of Mediterranean complexity

The course links Cannes to Malta over approximately 600 nautical miles — just over 1,100 kilometres across one of Europe's most unpredictable seas in autumn.

October in the Mediterranean means contrasts. An endless calm off Sardinia can give way in just hours to an angry Mistral sweeping down from the Rhône valley. The crossing of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the approach to Sicily constitute the key passages, where tactical choices make and break the standings.

Under IRC rules, the race demands total technical versatility: fine-tuning in light airs, structural resilience in breeze, and above all, flawless weather routing.

Crewed Class 40: the format attracting the elite

The Cannes–Malta Race is reserved exclusively for crewed Class 40s. A format choice that targets the beating heart of French offshore racing.

Important detail: the event carries a coefficient of 0 in the 2026 Class 40 championship, which nonetheless counts 16 races on the calendar. In other words, no points at stake. Only prestige, training, and that unassailable logic of making a costly trip to the eastern Mediterranean pay off.

And yet, the best came in 2025. And will probably return.

The benchmark podium — 2025 inaugural edition

• 1st — Sogestran-Seafrigo: Guillaume Pirouelle and Clément Chateau, winners of the first edition, the crew to beat
• 2nd — Legallais: Fabien Delahaye, a regular and formidable competitor on the Class 40 circuit
• 3rd — Alternative Sailing – Construction du Belon: Gildas L'Hostis, on the podium from the very first

The presence of skippers of this calibre in a race without coefficient speaks volumes about the format's appeal. This isn't a race for points. It's a race for the road, for the résumé, and to arrive in Malta sharp.

The real prize: the October Mediterranean double

Cannes–Malta + Middle Sea Race: a dense and coherent programme

The entire model rests on this calendrical articulation. Start from Cannes on 5 October, arrival in Malta within the week, then a short period of recovery and technical preparation before the starting gun for the Rolex Middle Sea Race on 17 October.

For teams based in the Atlantic or the Channel, this double-header changes the economic equation. The logistical cost of a Mediterranean deployment — boat transport, crew accommodation, technical preparation — becomes easier to justify when it opens the door to two prestigious offshore races in one month.

Attracting the French to Malta

The Royal Malta Yacht Club makes no secret of its objective: to see more French flags at the start of its flagship event. The Cannes–Malta Race is their lever. And the 2025 result shows the mechanism works.

Real-time tracking

The 2026 edition will benefit from a Race Tracking system set up by the Royal Malta Yacht Club, allowing enthusiasts and sponsors to follow the fleet's progress live, mile by mile.

Find the complete Class 40 race calendar on spencer.club.

Converting the try

The 2026 Cannes–Malta Race is entering its confirmation phase. The foundations laid in 2025 are solid: a demanding course, a clear format, unassailable calendar logic and a first honours list that carries weight. The challenge now is retention. Convincing crews that this October appointment isn't an option, but a must-do.

For Class 40 skippers, the equation is crystal clear: transform 600 miles of delivery into a full-fledged offshore race, while warming up for one of the season's highlights. Hard to find a better programme.