Red Bandit wins 2024 Rolex Middle Sea Race

German TP52 Red Bandit, skippered by RORC member Carl-Peter Forster has been declared overall winner of the Rolex Middle Sea Race © ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo

German TP52 Red Bandit (GER), skippered by RORC member Carl-Peter Forster has been declared overall winner of the Rolex Middle Sea Race for the best corrected time under IRC. Red Bandit is a confirmed entry for the 2025 Admiral’s Cup next year and will sail with Dirk Clasen’s Humphreys Ginko 39 under the burgee of the Bayersiche Yachtclub in Starmberg Germany.

Second overall under IRC was past RORC Vice Commodore Eric De Turckheim racing MND 54 Teasing Machine (FRA) and completing the overall Rolex Middle Sea Race podium was Franco Niggeler with his Cookson 50 Kuka 3 (SUI).

“It’s almost unbelievable, I’m particularly proud of these young people, most of whom did not sail a big boat four years ago,” commented Carl-Peter Forster about the Rolex Middle Sea Race victory. “They have learned to sail this machine so well, which is pretty, pretty amazing. I’m proud of this group, and how they gel together as a team. This was my seventh race, it was the usual amazing, multifaceted Rolex Middle Sea Race. Wind up to 60 knots in a thunderstorm, the fastest Messina Strait crossing thanks to six knots of current with us, the usual light winds, and good boats all around us. Good fighting and competition all the time,” continued Forster.

Red Bandit © ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo

The Red Bandit campaign provides a pathway programme for young athletes, under the Forstar Offshore Foundation set up by Forster. The foundation enables highly-competitive dinghy sailors and other youth talent to experience and develop as ‘big boat’ offshore racers. With the principal exception of Forster and the highly experienced tactician, Jesper Radich, the crew is under the age of 30.

Red Bandit © ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo

The team’s success owes much to a passion for the sport, a desire to improve and a dynamic team spirit. This impressive character allowed Red Bandit to stay on the pace throughout a testing race that mixed light winds with strong, and rough seas with flat.

Red Bandit is the third German yacht to have won the Rolex Middle Sea Race following in the footsteps of Saudade (1983) and Morning Glory (2006).

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is the first race of the 2025 RORC Season's Points Championship, the world's largest offshore racing series which for 2025 includes the Rolex Fastnet Race

For more information about the Rolex Middle Sea Race: www.rolexmiddlesearace.com

Red Bandit Crew: Carl-Peter Forster, Bouwe Van Der Weiden, Christian Buck, Frederick Eichhorst, Jacob Meggendorfer, Jesper Radich, Joshua Weber, Max Wentzel, Moritz Troll, Moriz Forster, Nico Jansen, Niklas Schubert, Oliver Oczycz, Sophie von Waldow.