Having been in contention for a top three place in IRC 4 at several points of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, Kinsale Yacht Club‘s Conor Doyle was rewarded for his Mediterranean exploits with the ORC Three title in Valetta Harbour, Malta on Friday evening.

As Afloat reported earlier, Ireland’s only entry in the race 600-miler ended up fourth on IRC Four rating after a tough battle with French and Maltese yachts. 

The Ireland Freya crew skippered by Conor Doyle from Kinsale at the finish of the 2022 Middle Sea Race in Valetta harbour, includes Kelvin Harrap, Rory Harrap, Will Byrne, Barry Hurley, Nick Jones, Malcolm McCormick, Cian Guilfoyle, James Lyons, Conor Doyle and Nin O’Leary

Malta’s past and present combined today at the Rolex Middle Sea Race final prize giving. Held, as is now tradition, in the 16th century former-Sacra Infermeria overlooking Grand Harbour, scene of the start one week ago, the story of the event was all but completed, just as the finishers conclude their own story as the cross the finish line.

This year’s edition, the 43rd in the long and illustrious history of the Mediterranean’s most demanding and renowned 600 mile offshore race, will be remembered for light winds, dogged determination and the remarkable imagery from the racecourse. Its character, so diametrically opposed to last year, it is hard to imagine the two races took place over the same track at the same time of year.

The principal success stories of the 2022 Rolex Middle Sea Race…