Why pro sailors dread the Middle Sea Race - Course Preview Pt.1

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is an incredibly tricky racecourse, so we asked offshore legend Simon 'SiFi' Fisher to talk us through it.

The 47th edition sets off from Valletta this Saturday 17 October – a couple of months earlier than Freddie might have you believe in the intro! This is part one of our course preview, from Malta to the north coast of Sicily.

SiFi has raced six editions of The Ocean Race, winning two, and has at least five Middle Sea Races to his name. So why do so many pros talk about this 600-mile season-closer with a note of trepidation? It's all answered in this video.

Simon also explains how navigators prepare with a meteorologist, and why a rigid plan won't survive this race. To finish, he takes us round Stromboli and into the islands off the north coast. Stay tuned for Part Two.

00:00 Intros and Opti Dads
01:11 Do Pro Sailors dread the lap of Sicily
03:12 SailGP Racecourse to Start an Offshore
04:50 Getting up the Strait of Messina
07:54 Staying open minded as a Navigator 
08:50 How Plans Change
10:48 Getting out to Stromboli
12:48 Part 2 Coming Soon