PalmaVela 2023: Maxi boats and smaller One Design teams in Palma from May 4 to 7
Palma de Mallorca, April 17, 2023The 19th edition of PalmaVela regatta, organised by the Real Club Náutico de Palma, will host a varied fleet including maxi yachts as well as the smaller One Designs. Scheduled to take place off Palma de Mallorca from May 4 to May 7, Palmavela inshores will be preceded by the Offshore Race "La Larga". With more than 100 teams registered for the inshore races, and 45 for "La Larga" offshore, the event as a whole will see an extremely varied fleet gathering together in Palma.
For another year Palma sees the return of the Wally yachts and Maxi boats from the IMA (International Maxi Association): therefore Palmavela 2023 will once again have the privilege of experiencing some of the largest competitive racing boats in the world. Moreover, the event counts as part of the IMA 2023 Racing Calendar, being the inshore series a classifying regatta for the IMA Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge 2023. On the other hand, "La Larga", the offshore race, is part of the IMA Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge 2022-2023.
Among the entries, David M. Leuschen’s Wallycento Galateia will be back to defend their category title following their sweeping full count of victories in 2022. In 2023 Leuschen’s crew will also be facing Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones’ Wallycento Magic Carpet 3, Francesco de Santis’ Morgana, Nicolás González Cuadrado’s Vera, Benjamin Potter’s S/Y Rose and Romain Mouchel’s Atalante.
“It is a real pleasure to host, once again, the big boats fleet. We are also extremely grateful because the sailing calendar is a busy one, and it can be complicated to organize a team with over 30 crew members, such as is the case for Magic Carpet and Galateia for example”, explains Vivi Mainemare, Sporting coordinator for the RCNP.
The fleet of the "big boats" will begin racing on Thursday May 4 - with starting signal at 1.30 pm. Weather conditions permitting, the Racing Committee aims to complete up to six races, including a minimum of two coastal races.
For another consecutive year, the Real Club Náutico de Palma’s event is sticking firmly to its vocation as a multi-class regatta, and alongside the big boats the smaller One Designs measuring between 8 and 11 metres will also be present: the J80s, 6-Metres and Dragons.
“At an organizational level, it is the combined effort of all the club staff, members and Institutions which has meant we can host such a wide-ranging fleet including the big boats and the One Designs, all with their own areas. The transformation of a club such as the RCNP, enables us to host so many boats of so many different types,” explained Mrs. Mainemare.
Divided into three classes, there will be a total of 23 One Designs competing in real time for the prestigious Baleares regatta title. Both the J80 class and the Dragons are now veteran divisions in the event, whilst the 6 Metre boats will be making their début appearance in the PalmaVela. It is their third competition at the RCNP following the Copa del Rye MAPFRE in 2018, and the recent Trofeo Princesa Sofía.
The One Design Racing programme includes a total of nine windward-leeward races, divided over three days of racing, and begins on Friday 5th May at 13.00h.
(Race report by RCNP press office)
Event' website: www.palmavela.com
Event' press office:
Alejandro Varela
+34 609 800 218
alejandro@infosailing.net
Helena Paz
+34 659 293 291
helena@infosailing.net
Clara Giraldo
+34 661 346 534
clara@infosailing.net