Middle Sea Race October 17: What to Check a Month Before the Start

The 47th Rolex Middle Sea Race starts on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Entries are open, and from this point preparation stops being a matter of mood: not much time remains before the start, and the list of things you can't finish in the last week is long.

The main change compared to past seasons: the race runs under the new edition of the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations — 2026–2027. It applies from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027.

Why the edition of the rules matters more than it seems

The Offshore Special Regulations aren't recommendations — they're a condition of entry. The boat is checked against them before the start, and non-compliance means you don't go out.

A mistake that repeats every season: the crew prepares against the previous edition, because it's sitting in the folder from the last race and everything in it is familiar. Between editions the requirements change for equipment, its expiry dates, and crew training. You need to check against the current one — 2026–2027 — not the one left over from two years ago.

The first and cheapest practical step: download the current edition fresh and work from it, even if you think you remember it.

What to check by expiry date

A separate category where most boats trip up. These items have a date, and it doesn't move:

• liferafts — survey and certification;
• pyrotechnics — expiry date on every flare and smoke signal;
• EPIRBs — battery and registration;
• inflatable life jackets — gas cylinders, firing heads, bladder check;
• fire extinguishers — expiry date and pressure.

All these dates need to be written into a single list with numbers, not checked from memory. The usual picture: three out of five items are expired, and it's discovered a week before departure, when the service shop is already backed up.

Crew preparation

In offshore races, requirements are placed not only on the boat. The current edition sets what share of the crew must have training in sea survival and first aid, along with qualification requirements on board.

Check the notice of race and the current OSR edition for the exact shares and course types. What matters here isn't memorizing a number, but doing one thing in advance: collect the whole crew's certificates in one file and check the dates. Courses have a validity period, and an expired certificate is the same as none at all.

Signing up for a course two weeks before the start is too late — in autumn, ahead of the offshore racing season, places fill up in advance.

The one-month plan

The order in which this actually gets done in time.

1. Current OSR edition and notice of race — download, read, note discrepancies with your own boat.
2. A list of dates for all equipment with deadlines, in a single document.
3. Crew certificates — collect and check the dates.
4. Write down everything that needs servicing into a queue: raft, life jackets, extinguishers.
5. Check communications and navigation in operation, not at the dock: radio, beacons, instruments.
6. Run a drill — man overboard and reefing, with the full crew.
7. Get the inspection done in advance, not on the day of entry.

What this race gives you beyond the result

The Middle Sea Race is a passage around Sicily lasting several days, with nights and with weather that changes fast in October. It's not a sprint, and the preparation here is closer to an offshore passage than to a club race.

The practical takeaway follows from this: prepare the boat as for a passage, not as for a race. A working stove, dry bunks, and a clear watch schedule affect the result more than one more set of sails.

In short

Start is Saturday, October 17, 2026; the rules are the OSR 2026–2027 edition, in force from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027. Start not with the sails, but with two lists: equipment dates with expiry, and crew certificates. Those, more than boat speed, are what most often decide whether you make it to the start line.