Please select your home edition
Edition
Palm Beach Motor Yachts

The big boats return to PalmaVela with The Offshore Race of PalmaVela as the first stage

by PalmaVela 24 Apr 2022 01:17 PDT 29 April - 8 May 2022
The Big Boats sailing in previous editions of PalmaVela © Nico Martínez / PalmaVela

Eight Maxis join the rest of the PalmaVela fleet which is set to muster 100 teams representing 20 countries from three continents

PalmaVela which lifts the curtain on the Mediterranean yacht racing season as the first major event of the year on the international regattas calendar returns to its traditional dates early in the month of May, thanks to the Real Club Náutico de Palma.

With an entry list that sees the return of the big boats as the Maxis of the IMA (International Maxi Association) join the fray, the 18th edition of PalmaVela will muster a hundred teams that include ORCs, Swan 42s, J80s, Dragons, Vintage and Classics.

"With the return of the Maxis to the regatta, PalmaVela returns to the bay of Palma and to the club's pontoons in all of its magnificent Spring splendour," says Emerico Fuster, president of the Real Club Náutico de Palma, who describes the competition as "a very diverse regatta with a fleet of small keelboats like Dragons and also big boats such as the Maxis."

Apart from the competition on the water, Fuster highlights that "the regatta will bring about two thousand people in the city of Palma, adding to the good Easter that our hoteliers and restaurateurs have had. Without a doubt, one more sign that we are returning to a certain type of normality."

Integration in international circuits

The first major regatta of the year in Europe is also part of the 2022 IMA Calendar (qualifier for the 2022 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge with the traditional PalmaVela, and for the 2021/2022 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge with the 2nd edition of La Larga-The Offshore Race of PalmaVela), as well as the first event of the ORC and One-Design Mediterranean Sailing Circuit.

La Larga - The Offshore Race of PalmaVela

The first act of the 18th PalmaVela will be La Larga-The Offshore Race of PalmaVela, which in its second edition will be held in the waters of the Balearic archipelago with the start, from the bay of Palma, scheduled at 12:00 local time on May 1.

In the last edition, victory went to the hands of the Danish VO70 "Trifork" that completed the 220 nautical miles between Palma, Dragonera, Ibiza, Formentera and Cabrera, arriving in front of the Cathedral of Mallorca, in a time of 21 hours and 45 minutes. In so doing it set the first record in the history of this competition recently launched by the Real Club Náutico de Palma as part of the program for the 17th PalmaVela held last October.

In the ORC A2 class on corrected time on the 'short' course of 163 nm (Palma-Dragonera-Tagomago-Cabrera-Palma) was by "Hydra", owned by Óscar Chaves, with a record of 22 hours and 40 minutes. However, in this case the victory was not for the fastest boat but for the one that, curiously, crossed the finish line in last position: the First 31.7 "Blaumarina", owned by Miguel Enseñat, which transformed a record of almost 29 hours in a hard-fought victory, the fruit of patience and highly commendable determination.

Victory in the full crew ORC class went to Jaume Morrell's "Mestral Fast", which closed the 163-nm course in 27 hours and 657 minutes, gaining a 49-minute lead in compensated over the second classified, the "Meerblick Fun" owned by Otto Pohlman.

This week the Real Club Náutico de Palma has begun preparations both on shore and at sea to welcome the hundred teams from 20 countries which, including sailors, shore teams and organization, will exceed 2,000 people involved in the regatta and who will live Palma between the end of April and the beginning of May.

Related Articles

21st Sandberg PalmaVela overall
A breezy finale in the Bay of Palma A thrilling and intense final day at Sandberg PalmaVela was enjoyed with choppy seas and wind conditions ranging from gentle airs to gusts of up to 23 knots. Several broken masts are evidence how tough the day was for some. Posted on 4 May
21st Sandberg PalmaVela Day 3
Light winds returned to the Bay of Palma again Light winds returned to the Bay of Palma again but that didn't stop the 11 classes getting new races. Posted on 3 May
21st Sandberg PalmaVela Day 2
Ten new classes joined the action Ten new classes joined the action on Day 2, bringing the total to 11 divisions for this edition. Posted on 2 May
21st Sandberg PalmaVela Day 1
Magic Carpet E wins two from two on her debut The Maxi class officially opened racing today at the 21st Sandberg PalmaVela, completing two W/L races in which the newest elite 100-footer, Magic Carpet E, dominated with two clear victories in what was its first-ever races. Posted on 1 May
21st Sandberg PalmaVela kicks off tomorrow
With the spectacle of the Maxis in Palma Over one hundred teams representing 19 nationalities will gather in the Bay of Palma for the first major multi-class event of the season: the 21st Sandberg PalmaVela. The impressive Maxis will be the first to take the stage. Posted on 30 Apr
La Larga comes to a close
With the prize-giving ceremony at the RCNP The Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) held the prize-giving ceremony for La Larga this Tuesday, 29 April, at 19h00. Posted on 29 Apr
La Larga crowns the winners of its fifth edition
Marking the official start of the 21st Sandberg PalmaVela The Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) has brought the fifth edition of La Larga to a close, marking the official start of the 21st Sandberg PalmaVela. Posted on 28 Apr
'Trifork' wins La Larga line honours
The VO70 completed the 228 mile course in 24 hours and 34 minutes At 16:54 today, the VO70 "Trifork" from Real Club Náutico de Palma, skippered by Joern Larsen, crossed the finish line of La Larga after sailing 228 miles in 24 hours and 34 minutes. Posted on 27 Apr
The Battle for La Larga begins
As the fleet heads towards Ibiza With very light winds and after a postponement of more than four hours, La Larga finally got under way today at 16h20 in the Bay of Palma. Posted on 26 Apr
La Larga reaches 30 registered teams
The offshore race of the Sandberg PalmaVela travels through the Balearic archipelago One of the most attractive offshore regattas in the Mediterranean, due to its route through the Balearic archipelago and its timing in the calendar, scheduled for the last days of April, is reaching an impressive level of competition. Posted on 25 Feb
Sea Sure 2025Rooster 2025Selden 2020 - FOOTER