Gaastra PalmaVela, the springboard to the season

by PalmaVela on 11 May 2016 Gaastra PalmaVela is well established as the curtain raiser for the Mediterranean racing season but it is increasingly drawing a bigger overseas entry, a more diverse fleet, and more and more grand prix teams looking to set their year in motion racing against high quality opposition.

In particular the 2016 edition of Gaastra PalmaVela, contested 5-8 May on the Bay of Palma attracted strong international fleets for the TP52s, Wally and Swan 45 divisions. But also studded through the handicap fleets were the Dutch flagged J Class Lionheart and George David’s speed machine Rambler 88 up against each other in the Maxi class. IRC and ORC were well represented but the whole 115 boat regatta with entrants from 17 different nations also includes racing for J80, Classics, Dragons and Flying 15s as well as two different handivoile classes. Race Director from the Real Club Nautical de Palma Manuel Fraga points out: “We have boats ranging from 3 to 43 meters and have to adapt the racing areas to the needs of each fleet: professional, amateur, disabled sailing. It is not easy.

The Wallys and Maxi teams especially relish the mix of coastal contests and windward-leewards over their four days of racing while for the likes of the TP52s which, in three weeks would start their 52 Super Series, five all windward leeward regattas, the diet of up and downs is preferable.

The TP52 fleet saw a record entry of nine boats and the Wallys drew an entry of 11 boats. In many of the fleets long standing rivalries are rekindled on the Bay of Palm in the Wallys that means a ‘battle of the giants’ between Open Season, Thomas Bscher’s Wally 107, Sir Lindsay Owen Jones’ Wally Cento Magic Carpet with Volvo Ocean Race winner Ian Walker as tactician. In the TP52s Azzurra, winners of the 52 Super Series, the world championships and Gaastra PalmaVela, were looking to fend off the challenges from the full strength Quantum Racing which was debuting a new afterguard, Ian Moore stepping in for Juan Vila this season, to work with tactician Terry Hutchinson and America’s Cup winning helm Ed Baird.

Breezes proved unseasonably challenging. Mostly by May the reliable sea breezes are kicking in. Thursday fitted this scenario, Friday saw an offshore NE’ly challenged by the thermal breeze to make it difficult, with big shifts altering the course to favour smaller boats in the handicap classes. Saturday was slightly better and Sunday light with some sunshine. Drizzly rain and cloud did not enhance the overhead conditions.

The Maxi fleet was more of a mismatch. Lionheart, with Bouwe Bekking calling tactics won every race, Rambler struggling in the variable conditions. The Wally class went to the wire. Early in the regatta it looked like the big boats could dominate but Jean Charles Decaux’s J One, the oldest boat in the fleet, finished five, one on the final day to clinch the class by one point after six races. Quantum Racing may have had a couple of wobbly races on the last two days but ran out winners by six points ahead of Azzurra while the ongoing all-German duel in the Swan 45s this time saw Christian Plump narrowly beat Hendrick Brands’ Earlybird.

In the IRC Class Ruedi Huber’s Baltic 50 Music finished as they started, on top of the class, winning by two points. In ORC Class Zero the victors are Dr Luis Senis’ Swan 45, in Class One Fyord Maverta, a Rodman 42. Class Two saw Scott Beattie’s British crew on the J 97 Just the Job fight back from an OCS in the first race to win their class. The First 31.7 Sirpy triumphed in Classes Three - Four.

Gaastra PalmaVela goes from strength to strength and will be unmissable in 2017 for owners and teams seeking the best start to their season.