Congratulations are in order for this local team! Maltese yacht Elusive 2, for the first time in several years, has won the prestigious Middle Sea Race. #YAS! The Podesta siblings, Aaron, Christoph and Maya, had a personal triumph, coming in first with a margin of 15 minutes.

The Podesta siblings have raced together in this yearly race since 2002, except 2014 when Aaron got hitched. The three siblings got their love for sailing from their father Arthur, who has also raced in the Rolex Middle Sea Race since 1968 up until his death in 2015.

Arthur won the race on three occasions as a crewman in 1968 with Josian, in 1970 with Tikka, and in 1983 with Saudade, but never got a chance to win it as the skipper of his own yacht. The siblings dedicated their win to their late father.

The race is a lengthy one that sees sailing boats starting and ending in Malta, travelling around islands in the Med including Sicily, Lampedusa, Pantelleria and the Egadian and Eolian islands. The yachts sailed off on Saturday and the Elusive 2 arrived back at 7.31pm last night.

Apart from that, the Jarhead Young Sailors Foundation revealed that they made history by “crossing the finishing line as the first all-female team to complete the Middle Sea Race,” according to a Facebook post. “Girls completing one hell of a race, from no wind to head wind, straight into the waves, thunder and all.”

Watch the moment here:

Congratulations to the Podesta siblings and the crew!

Elusive 2 - First 45 / Facebook