Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1276949
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 AUGUST 2020 6 BOOKS Clean Sweep for Artie III THE 60th edition of the Malta – Syracuse Race, hosted by the Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Lega Navale Italiana (Sezione Si- racusa) held on August 1. This was postponed from its usual date in mid-July due to health restrictions and was in the cir- cumstances, a watered-down edition when compared to pre- vious years. Nevertheless, 18 boats made it to the starting line – includ- ing Italian veterans Ottovolan- te and Malafemmena. Malta was done proud with Nine Maltese boats making it to the starting line. The Mal- tese fleet included Alecto (Charles Cronin), Artie III (Lee Satariano), Comanche Raider III (Ramon Sant Hill), Elusive 2 (Aaron, Christoph & Maya Podesta), Inspiration (God- win Zammit), Janissah (Mario Debono), Lartista (Anthony Camilleri), Maltese Falcon 2 (Jonathan Camilleri Bowman) and Otra Vez (Aaron Gatt Floridia). Lee Satariano's Artie III – made up of mostly Rolex Mid- dle Sea Race seasoned sailors, made a clean sweep by winning line honours, the race Overall in the ORC Category as well as in and the IRC Category which consisted of the Maltese fleet. Commenting after the race, Satariano was very pleased with the overall result. He expressed his satisfaction at how the boat's performance – a result of frequent training and race par- ticipation. Satariano explained that the crew is doing their ut- most to compete in more of the offshore races in preparation for the Rolex Middle Sea Race. The fleet had a generally good breeze for most of the race, though winds became light- er as they approached Sicily. Despite their excellent perfor- mance and having finished well before second placed Ottovol- ante, the course record estab- lished in 2014 by Massimo Sav- oca's Dreamer Tech - a time of 08:37:22, still eluded Artie III. The second and third placed Maltese boats were Aaron Gatt Floridia's Otra Vez, followed by the Podesta siblings' Elusive 2. In the Cruiser Category, God- win Zammit's Inspiration was the first Maltese boat in this category, finishing in fourth place. The youngest crew member of the Malta – Syracuse Fleet was Kristian Borg Nicolas, who formed part of the Maltese Fal- con II crew. He was presented with a token of his participa- tion by Lega Navale Italiana President, Antonino Amato. Unfortunately, the scheduled Syracuse – Taormina Race was cancelled due to poor turnout. The Club extends its grati- tude to all the volunteers un- dertaking Race Management duties as well as the Lega Nav- ale Italiana and Yachting Malta for their support. The Club is now focusing its attention to the Ramla Bay Re- sort Weekend Regatta which is scheduled to take place on the weekend of August 28. This Regatta had been hugely pop- ular in previous years, and the interest in its revival this year promises to see a very good participation. For more information please visit – www.rmyc.org Malta Book Festival will go online due to COVID-19 cancellation of mass events THE Malta Book Festival for 2020 will be moving exclusive- ly online, the National Book Council has announced. The council said that in light of the risk mass events posed due to COVID-19, the festival will not be taking place in its traditional brick-and-motor form. However, a number of small events with limited audience numbers will still be held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. "Although the decision is made with a heavy heart, it is deemed necessary in the inter- est of audiences and the long- term existence of the event. We cannot take the risk of being responsible for one single infec- tion at the Festival and we can- not hold an event that would endanger our clients, stake- holders and staff. One single case would jeopardize all of our hard work over the past years. It is therefore clear that unless a vaccine is announced and dis- tributed, or the virus and the pandemic dissipate in any other way, we cannot run the risk of holding the Malta Book Festi- val in its traditional form," the council said. The council said that should a vaccine be distributed in time, it was ready to hold the event in its traditional format, but as it stands now the Malta Book Fes- tival 2020 will be held in a vir- tual form, and the general pub- lic will be able to participate in events which will be streamed online on the National Book Council Facebook pages and Malta Book Festival 2020 event page, along with other events organised by publishers in their respective pages. "As always, publishers, who are the main stakeholders of the Malta Book Festival, will be ful- ly supported in this transition. School children will still be able to attend events online, and the usual book vouchers would also be made available," the council said. The council it was working to deliver the same level of experi- ences between readers, authors and publishers that the commu- nity had come to expect from the festival, but one that reflect- ed the latest guidances and safe- ty protocols. It said that even in its virtual form, the council be- lieved that the events featuring the participation of local and international authors still have the potential to convey the same sort of change among a growing book-loving community. "The National Book Council sees this as an opportunity to fa- cilitate the industry's transition into the online retail sphere. We have to make sure that Maltese books are available for purchase in an easy and accessible way via websites and smartphone appli- cations – the survival of the Maltese book industry depends also on this. Simultaneously, we are asking the government and the public broadcast provid- er to offer their full support in this necessary transition, thus supporting an industry which is crucial for the educational and intellectual development of so- ciety," the council said. The Malta Book Festival will be held over November 11 to 15. The full programme of events with all the activities will be is- sued in the coming months. For further updates on the Malta Book Festival and event, details follow the National Book Coun- cil's website and Facebook page. The council said in light of the risk mass events posed, it has decided that the festival will not be taking place in its traditional brick-and-motor form