After three intense days of racing, the 20th Superyacht Cup in Palma de Mallorca has drawn to a close. Every crew put in a prime performance that made for attention-grabbing races on all three days of the event. The following article summarises the class winners for days 2 and 3 and names the overall winner of the 20th Superyacht Cup.
Day 2:
As spectators gathered, the second day of racing saw a repeat appearance of the perfect weather from the day before. 22 stunning superyachts prepared for the custom courses where participants in Classes A and B were to race 21.1 nm and Classes C and D needed to cover a shorter distance of 14.3 nm.
Sailing yacht KIBOKO DOS – Image © Claire Matches
When racing began at 13:00 the sea breeze blew around 8-11 knots. This was all the invitation 32m SEA WAVE required to be first across the starting line for Class A, followed closely by 45m MARI CHA III and 33m INOUÏ.
SEA WAVE took the lead from the first mark as WIN WIN and INOUÏ piled on the pressure in the race to the next mark. It was only once WIN WIN passed the second mark that she caught up with the race leader and pulled ahead to become the first to reach the fourth and fifth markers and become the winner of Class A.
In Class B, P2 proved her worth once more, passing 35m SOJANA at the third mark 2 minutes and 55 seconds ahead before taking first place again, pushing GANESHA into second place.
Class C began neck and neck as TEMPUS FUGIT, KIBOKO DOS, STAY CALM, FIREBIRD and HEARTBEAT all rounded the first mark within one minute and nine seconds of each other. STAY CALM and KIBOKO DOS continued to compete for first as the second mark approached, but KIBOKO DOS broke out in front and won in Class C.
Two-masted gaff schooner MARIETTE of 1915 raced against 42m NAEMA and 60m GERMANIA NOVA to take the lead in Class D, making it her second win of the regatta. Second place went to new participant NAEMA, who finished 9 minutes and 42 seconds behind the lead.
Day 3:
The final day of the Palma de Mallorca Regatta was expected to have the lightest winds: 8-12 knots in the morning and 6-10 knots from 14:00. The race committee chose two courses designed to test each crew’s skill: a 20.6 mn course for Class A and a 17.8 nm course for Classes B, C and D.
Sailing yacht P2 – Image © Claire Matches
The racing day began at 13:00 as Class A SEA WAVE took the lead to round the first marker with Mari Cha III and Inouï following close behind. Mari Cha III overtook SEA WAVE in an effort to reach the second mark first and pull ahead. However, Mari Cha III was not the only yacht to overtake SEA WAVE and in the end it was WIN WIN and UNFURLED who fought to reach the third mark ahead of the competition. In a similar scenario to day one, WIN WIN, SAUDADE AND UNFURLED competed for the fourth mark and the finish line, but it was UNFURLED who drew ahead to cross the finish line 1 minute 4 seconds ahead of SAUDADE.
P2 made great time from the very start of the Class B race, going on ahead of the rest of the competition to beat SOJANA to the third Porrasa mark by 1 minute and 45 seconds. As P2 passed the fourth mark and crossed the finish line it was regatta veteran GANESHA who was trailing closest behind.
Class C saw a close fight between TEMPUS FUGIT, KIBOKO DOS and newcomer FIREBIRD. The latter 27m sailing yacht pushed ahead of the two winners from earlier races, but couldn’t keep up the pace. 28m KIBOKO DOS closed the distance and overtook before the fourth mark, creating a gap of 1 minute and 44 seconds between them as she crossed the finish line.
MARIETTE of 1915 won both the first and second Class D races and intended to add a third win against competitors NAEMA and GERMANIA NOVA. After making it past the first and second marks ahead of her rivals, MARIETTE of 1915 was overtaken by GERMANIA NOVA who went on to finish 3 minutes and 49 seconds out in front.
Once corrections were applied, the overall class winners were:
Class A – WIN WIN
Class B – P2
Class C – TEMPUS FUGIT
Class D – MARIETTE of 1915
The winner of the Superyacht Cup 2016 was from Class A: WIN WIN. Her captain, Clive Walker, told spectators: “I’ve got a huge smile on my face. We’ve been trying to win a regatta ever since we launched the boat two years ago and we’ve finally done it, which is a huge relief. To be part of this team for the last eight years and having won [in the past with Scorpione dei Mari] as well is incredible, just fantastic. A win-win situation!”
At the regatta’s 20th prize-giving ceremony, the WIN WIN crew held high the winner’s trophy the ‘Big Bent Cleat’, looking as impressive as ever on its newly refitted base.
The Superyacht Cup also presented a €11,000 cheque to the Joves Navegants charity, a long-running sailing initiative on the island designed to improve the lives of underprivileged boys and girls. Donations give the chance for 8 young adults in a drug dependency programme the chance to sail 21m GALAXIE and learn about yacht maintenance, sail preparation and steering at sea. Other projects from Joves Navegants include circumnavigating Mallorca and Menorca and La Ruta de la Sal, a sailing regatta where at risk young adults sail GALAXIE between Barcelona and Ibiza.
