After three days of intellectual interaction at the Palma International Yachting Forum, organisers have planned a generous spread of extracurricular activities. From golf buggies to beach buggies, RIBs to rotor blades, the weekend of 4 and 5 May is expected to represent an extravaganza of air, land as well as sea – at incredibly affordable prices.
First up on Saturday 4 May is a friendly, yet competitive, one-day golf tournament at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Puntiro Golf Course organised by local PGA golf pro Peter Ledwidge. With late tee times to accommodate potentially weary heads, this links-likened course will play host to the Talk Yachts Palma Golf Challenge with first, second and third prizes available for best players alongside a raft of goodies donated by Mallorca’s nautical companies – all presented over an early evening cocktail on the Clubhouse terrace.
Sunday 5 May promises to be the crowning glory of an incredible week with a RIB Road ‘n’ Rotor Rally. Over the course of three hours, Forum delegates will be able to savour the special sights of this Balearic Island in three ways – sea, land and air.
High-speed RIB shuttles will whisk guests from harbourside Palma International Boat Show and rendezvous with a fleet of Karmann beach buggies stationed along the stunning Bay of Palma coastline. After showing off the off-road driving skills, a Sloane Helicopters’ chopper will scoop passengers up for a 15 minute sky tour over the Bay and rural hinterland to the east of Palma, before dropping them at the Sea Club at one-of-a-kind Cap Rocat, a former military fortress turned über luxury hotel, for chic canapés and something cold to wash them down. The all-new 4.2l Jaguar Proteus C-Type will be on hand for chauffeured drives – the first in Spain and winner of two trophies in the recent Oris Rally Clasico Isla Mallorca. The RIB “taxi” will then return delegates to the Boat Show and back down to earth.
Forum organiser, Peter Franklin, says, “The ultimate aim was to give people an experience they would never forget at a price they could hardly believe. The golf day comes in at 150 euros per person to encompass green fees, prizes, drinks and snacks but, perhaps more interesting, is the value offered by the RIB Road ‘n’ Rotor Rally. In this case just 190 euros covers the entire three hour experience, food included. Sloane Helicopters lists a 15 minute sightseeing tour on their website for 299 euros alone, take more than 100 euros off and throw in a RIB, buggy and gourmet food and it’s easy to see why we think it’s an unmissable offer – a true chance of a lifetime.”
Places for both events are limited to 40 participants and will be open exclusively to Forum delegates booking up to and including Friday 12 April. After this preference will be given to other yacht crew and marine service personnel. Golfers must have their own set of clubs – maximum handicap 28 for men and 36 for women.
Running from the 1st to the 3rd of May 2013, concurrently with the Palma International Boat Show from the 1st to the 5th of May, the Palma International Yachting Forum promises an impressive attendance of specialist participants and leading authorities from the superyacht world – a nice welcome to the early season calendar of nautical events.