Swan yachts top in class at Sail Racing PalmaVela

by Nautor's Swan on 9 May 2017 An exciting finale to Sail Racing PalmaVela, the showcase regatta that for 14 years has lifted the curtain on the Mediterranean competition season.

17 Swan yachts have been fighting in their class for top place in a regatta that has seen more than 130 boats on the starting-line.

At this kick-off event of Swan 2017 OD racing circuit the Swan fleet was composed of three ClubSwan 50s and six Swan 45s. Meanwhile, outside of One Design, more Swan Yachts have been racing in the ORC class (five ClubSwan 42s, one Swan 45, one Swan 53 and one Swan 56).

The three ClubSwan 50s (Mathilde, EarlyBird and Niramo) enjoyed tight racing across all eight days where the chartered Earlybird (charterer being Peter Finis), with Karol Jablonski on tactics, was two points ahead going into the last day. But Morten H Kielland’s crew – lead by French former 470 helm Sacha Pelisson – engineered an upset when they won the final race with Earlybird third.

This inaugural ClubSwan 50 regatta in Europe saw Morten H Kielland on Mathilde winning on tiebreak, thanks to a final race victory.

Morten H Kielland declared after the last race 'This success is totally unexpected. This is a totally new boat. I had never sailed this type of boat before. I had a classic 12 Metre from 1928. So this is a 180 degree change of direction. I sold the 12 Metre a couple of years ago and was talked into this. About my crew, we have sailed together as a crew for just five days now, but we have a very good tactician and made a good start today.'

Incredibly, the results in the ORC B class saw four Swan yachts in the first five positions: Swan 45 Porron IX winning, (the Owner will also receive the ClubSwan Award, being the best-placed Swan), and three ClubSwan 42s in second, third and fifth places, respectively Pez de Abril, Marina Greenwich and Nadir.

There was no such surprise in store for the Swan 45 class. Christian Plump’s crew’s residency at the top of the class – Swan 45 or ORC – is a notable feature of this showcase spring regatta. Elena Nova won with a race to spare, thus confirming his leadership in the class, being current World Champion.

The Swan OD Circuit will proceed with Giraglia Rolex Cup (inshore-races), next June 12/14 and then will return to Palma with Copa del Rey MAPFRE, to get to the grand-finale with the first edition of The Nations Trophy, where the 45s will race their World Championship, and the 42s and the 50s will sail their Europeans.

To complete a week of incredible results, the Swan 45 Ange Transparent won the Regata dei Tre Golfi, ORC class, in front of a Ker 40 and 2 Cookson 50s.