Our Company

After moving to Malta from the UK in 1988, Darius instantly fell in love with the sea. He took up windsurfing, wake boarding and sailing, and over the years built up his miles and obtained the relevant tickets and qualifications. In 2003 Darius joined RLR and has since progressed to the forefront of the team, enabling the business to evolve to the established status that it’s at now.

Darius’ family includes his wife, two daughters, their dog and bird. His love for the sea and outdoors remains strong, and he starts most days with a long open-water swim along the Maltese coast.

Thomas Ripard has been working as a professional sailor for over 10 years. He is the grandson of John Ripard Snr. Co-Founder of RLR Ltd. and the famous Rolex Middle Sea Race. Thomas has years of experience skippering and crewing on yachts around the world from 100 year old William Fife classics to state-of-the-art Grand Prix racing yachts. His love for the sea fuels not only his passion for sailing but also windsurfing and any other sea-related sport.

With his expert knowledge and wealth of experience, Thomas plays a fundamental role in customer relationship management and new business ventures. He also manages the yacht services and agency side of the business.

Lauren is a keen sailor – inshore, offshore, small boats or big boats, they’re all equally great as far as she is concerned! With over 8,000nm of offshore experience and 7 years experience running a lifejacket business in the UK with her family Lauren is well placed to offer tailored advice to sailors looking to get their boats ready for ocean crossings or simply messing around on a summer day in one of Malta’s many beautiful bays.

Lauren is married to Thomas and they welcomed their daughter Eve in 2022. They are both looking forward to bringing her up on the water with many sailing adventures planned on their boat Barney.

Ekaterina joined RLR in 2023 to help grow our superyacht crew uniform showroom. Her attention to detail is second to none and she is passionate about helping you find the right crew uniform for your team, whether that is a 4-man Optimist team going off to their first Youth Worlds regatta, or for the Captain of a 50m+ motoryacht.

Away from work, Ekaterina can be found walking her two dogs on the beach, who also often accompany her to the Chandlery!

Kurt has been working for RLR for the past 15 years, adding to a total 25 years of industry experience. Being a warranty-certified technician for Volvo Penta and Raymarine, Kurt is a crucial member of the RLR team proving that no problems are too great to solve.

Kurt is married with two young children, loves sports and the outdoors. He’s quick to brighten the mood with his good sense of humour and enjoys eating out with good company.

The second Kurt in the mechanics shop, and the youngest member of our team at 28 years old. Kurt Schembri joined the team in 2018 with ten years of experience in the engineering industry. He’s a classic car enthusiast and loves all motorsports in general proving the passions for engineering and mechanics runs deep.

Like his colleague in the mechanics shop, Kurt is also a warranty-certified technician, and together they make an expert team of capable and experienced professionals.

Ines has worked with RLR for over 4 years now, and this has been her first working experience in the yachting industry. However, she has been working in accounts for the majority of her career.

While she wouldn’t consider herself an adventurous sailor, Ines used to own a small boat on which she enjoyed cruising along the coast of Malta, and she loves living so close to the sea.

Hannah has been around the chandlery and boats her entire life, with her stepfather Christian Ripard, and is deeply rooted in the sailing world. Her lifelong love for the sea and passion for sailing give her an inside edge when it comes to retail in the shop, allowing her to provide expert product recommendations based on firsthand experience with the brands we work with. Beyond sailing, Hannah is an outdoor enthusiast who thrives on adventure, whether she’s out on the water, hiking trails, or soaking up the sun at the beach. As a dedicated solo parent, she is raising two daughters single handedly, sharing with them her deep connection to the ocean and the outdoors, ensuring they grow up with the same adventurous spirit and love for nature.

We had to work hard to persuade Fabio to join our Rigging team! After more than 25,000nms offshore and 13 Rolex Middle Sea Races, plus multiple race campaigns inshore and offshore he is happiest when on a boat far out at sea. Fabio's wealth of experience means he has extensive product experience and knows how to get maximum performance out of your rigging equipment. His favourite sailing memory (so far)? The 2022 Zhik Double Handed Figure of 8 Race, which he co-skippered on J99 Calypso with Sebastian Ripard and they blitzed the competition!

Rebecca has been part of the RLR family for 22 years and is a core part of our team. Outside of work she loves spending time with her own family, gardening and being outdoors or with her two cats.