PalmaVela

Seven more classes have joined today the show of the 18th PalmaVela. Three regatta fields, nine classes in contention and 76 boats have unfurled their sails in a softer Palma Bay in terms of conditions.

Same scenario, different game board. This is the bay of Palma, an exceptional regatta course that is never the same and in which the crews never stop putting themselves to the test. The second day of PalmaVela has kicked off with calmer wind conditions than yesterday, about 10 knots of wind that have dropped drastically in intensity to recover again at the end of the afternoon to even reach 15 knots. A context in which to hone in on decisions and maneuvers has been fundamental and which has extended the day at sea until almost the end of the afternoon.

With today’s nine classes distributed over three regatta fields, PalmaVela has once again demonstrated its open character, embracing professional and amateur crews, and lengths ranging from 7.5 meters for the Marina (ORC 4-5) to more than 30 meters from the Wally Cento Galateia or Magic Carpet 3.

After a long day on the water, the leaders at the end of the second day are: Galateia (IRC/IMA Maxi Yachts), Nadir (ClubSwan 42), Urbania (ORC 0-1), Elena Nova (ORC 2), Lady ( ORC 3), Immac Fram (ORC 4-5), Dorsia Coviran (J80), Yeahnah (Dragon), and January Sails (Spirit of Tradition).

Galateia, more leader in IRC/IMA Maxi Yachts
After yesterday’s coastal regatta, the great boats will now focus their program on windward/leeward format races. Up to two were scheduled to do today and they have not failed. The Wally Cento Galateia, with the Mallorcan Jordi Calafat as the only Spaniard on board and the first provisional leader of this edition, becomes stronger thanks to two new first places that he adds to his private locker.

The first regatta of the day was very close, with Galateia winning with only 14 seconds ahead of Magic Carpet 3, the same model of Wally’s house boat although two years earlier (2013).

With the wind decreasing in intensity, the fleet had to wait about two hours until the Committee was able to once again establish a regatta field with guarantees for racing. Galateia once again imposed her law, while the Italian Bullit (Wally 93) has broken into the provisional general podium thanks to her second position in the task that has relegated Magic Carpet 3 to third place overall.

Jordi Calafat has recognized that “today’s conditions in the bay have been atypical, and the day has been complicated, with a lot of insecurity with the direction of the wind in the morning, but in the end we have done two quite decent regattas, especially the second race . He sincerely thought that there would not be such a steady wind in the second. I’m happy with the result, we’ve done two good races”.

At ClubSwan42 Pez de Abril wins the only heat of the day but cannot beat leader Nadir
Long day also for the ClubSwan42 fleet. Around 1:30 p.m. he began his first test of the day, which had to be canceled due to the total fall of the wind. It wasn’t until about 5:00 p.m. that they were able to get going.

José Mª Meseguer’s Pez de Abril sealed his first partial victory in this PalmaVela, moving up from third to second place in a general standings led by the Majorcan Nadir for yet another day.

Triple tie between Aifos 500, Urbania and Furiosa in ORC 0-1. Elena Nova leading in ORC 2
The ORC 0-1 classes are very close and it is only necessary to see the general after two tests: triple tie at six points between Urbania (5-1), Aifos 500 (1-5) and Furiosa (3-3) .

“The ship is almost at 100% evolution, now it’s our turn to reach that evolution stop. The ‘Aifos’ is very strong and will be a great rival. The Porto Cervo World Cup and the Copa del Rey MAPFRE will be the big goals this year”, declared Iñaki Castañer, Urbania’s tactician.

On board the Aifos 500, his rival Jaime Rodríguez-Toubes highlighted that in the end they were able to complete two tests “despite the unstable wind conditions in the morning, when we thought that the second test could not take place. We won the first and in the second we made a fifth. We had trouble at the start with two boats that were out of line and were in the middle but it was solved, then we had a problem with a gennaker, and luckily it didn’t get under the hull. In the general classification we are three boats tied in the lead at six points, it will be very close”.

The Swan 42 Elena Nova owned by Christian Plump is the provisional leader in ORC 2 after a single test in which he has prevailed over Christoph Mann’s Plan B. The M8 completes the provisional podium.

Coastal for ORC 4-5 and the Spirit of Tradition classics
The beauty of classic ships has been present in the Spirit of Tradition, which has completed a journey of 17.3 nautical miles (32 km) through the bay. At the top of the general standings is the owner and skipper Gabriel Catalá (RCNP) aboard January Sails, who has almost 13 minutes ahead of his club mate and winner of the last edition Legolas de Jens Ricke.

Same route and same miles for the 11 boats that make up the ORC 4-5 class, in which the German Immac Fram, from the Kiel CN, is the first provisional leader. The Marina del José Villalonga (RCNP) was second with a meager advantage of just nine seconds over the Meerblick Fun, which won La Larga sailing in the A2 category.

J80 complete three tests, Dragon two and ORC 3 one
The J80, Dragon and ORC 3 monotypes have sailed at the race course closest to Palma Cathedral. Dorsia Coviran, with Natalia Via-Dufresne at the helm, is the first leader of the J80 fleet with partials (3- 1-1), while Yeahnah has taken the cat to the water in Dragon thanks to two firsts in two sets. Lady, by Nicolás González, rules in ORC 3.

Starting tomorrow, they all sail
The only class that remains to debut its locker in this 18th PalmaVela is the ORC A2, with a fleet of 10 boats with crews made up of only two people. It will be tomorrow, Saturday, when they enter the fray.

The start of the tests for the 11 classes is scheduled for 12:00.

PROVISIONAL PODIUMS. Day 2
(Position/Ship/Skipper/Stands/Points)

IRC/IMA MAXI YACHTS
1. Galateia, David M. Leuschen, 1+1+1=3 points
2. Bullitt, Andra Recordati, 4+3+2=9 points
3. Magic Carpet 3, Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, 3+2+4=9 points

CLUBSWAN 42
1. Nadir, Pedro Vaquer, 1+1+2=4 points
2. Fish of April, José María Meseguer, 2+4+1=7 points
3. Long Echo, Barry Sampson, 3+3+4=10 points

ORC 0-1
1. Urbania, Tomas Gasset, 5+1=6points
2. Aifos 500, Jaime Rodríguez Toubes, 1+5=6 points
3. Furiosa, Rolf Relander, 3+3=6 points

ORC2
1. Elena Nova, Christian Plum/Javier Sanz, 1=1 points
2. Plan B, Christoph Mann, 2=2 points
3. M8, Hns. French, 3=3 points

ORC3
1. Lady, Nicolas Gonzalez, 1=1 point
2. Sirpi, Jose Matheu, 2=2 points
3. Shazam, Phjillip Seippel, 3=3 points

ORC 4-5
1. Immac Fram, Kai Mares, 1=1 point
2. Marina, Jose Villalonga, 2=2 points
3. Meerblick Fun, Gabriele Pohlmann, 3=3 points

J80
1. Dorsia Covirán, Natalia Vía-Dufresne, 3+1+1=5 points
2. Hosts, Kristyn Gills, 1+3+2=6 points
3. AGD Desamiantados, Helena Alegre, 2+2+3=7 points

Dragon
1. Yeahnah, Ben Kolff, 1+1=2 points
2. Powwow, Michael Zankel, 2+2=4 points
3. Galant, Jan Strombeck, 4+3=7 points

Spirit of tradition
1. January Sails, Gabriel Catalá, 1=1 point
2. Legolas, Jens Ricke, 2=2 points
3. Nostromino, Jesper Bank, 3=3 points