The Superyacht Cup Palma - Day 2
by Kate Branagh 24 Jun 2017 08:55 BST
21-24 June 2017
Palma's Superyacht Cup doesn't only bring sailors together from all corners of the globe, but is also an event where the camaraderie plays a pivotal role in the regatta's enjoyment. This was most evident during Thursday night's lively SYC Dock Party, where owners, guests and crew got to rub shoulders, relax and talk 'sailing', to a vibrant soundtrack of the Hogan House Band's uplifting tunes.
Hot sunshine and nice sailing conditions mid-afternoon set the scene for the second day of racing. The race committee elected an exciting course for each class ranging from 20-25nm, the first, shorter course was sailed by Class B. Both options not only suited today's light conditions but also saw the competition tussling for lanes and safety officers having to keep their eyes peeled. And while the 33m defending champion Win Win and 32m return competitor Bolero came out on top during Race Day One, today could easily see yesterday's non-winners' appetite for victory return the results, securing their spot on the podium.
Racing kicked off at 13.00 and saw the 32m Southern Wind Farfalla get off to a flying start, gliding over the start line two seconds after schedule. The talk of the regatta this year, newbie boat Ribelle, staunchly held on to her lead since the start while she rounded the third (Bahia 1) mark in Class A. However yesterday's top dog Win Win crept up from behind, which resulted in a thrilling overtaking maneuver putting this Baltic built beauty at the head of the pack while rounding mark 4. The next point was as exhilarating as top-gun-trio Win Win, Ribelle and, now, Saudade all rounded within 2 minutes and 7 seconds of each other. Top performer Win Win refused to back down today and slipped over the finish ahead of Ribelle and Saudade, who crossed second and third respectively.
Class B saw yesterday's ruler Bolero maintain her front position albeit with Atalante and Atalante 1, both designed by Hoek and built by Claasen, breathing down her neck, showing us some proper sibling rivalry. The 39m Atalante, flagship of the Truly Classic range, made a bold and early move into clear air which served her well, as she managed to edge out Bolero, rounding mark 4. At this stage the 46m Windrose of Amsterdam, which has sailing legend Bubi Sansó at the helm, had muscled her way into third. The award-winning Atalante kept her leading position and proved her Dutch sailing creds by flying over the finish line first, followed by the 32m Bolero and 46m Windrose of Amsterdam. However, although this classic-style stunner was first over the line, she was not the elapsed time victor. This was the 32m Bolero, a yacht that has proved to be far from the average. She sailed a solid race and thus takes top slot in Class B. Bolero's owner recalls: "Today was a wonderful day. We have a great crew, very knowledgeable and we enjoyed the race very much, it was perfect, and another win today, so a great day for me and the crew." About second place finisher Atalante 1 he commented: "They were chasing us all the time and tried their best to catch up with us, but did not succeed today, but you never know what can happen tomorrow."
In Class A it was the racing-attuned 33m Win Win who ended up with the same amount of points (2) as the fast and sleek 34m Ribelle.
Sponsors North Sails host today's Happy Hour at the Regatta Bar, where cooling drinks will take the bite out of a very tense second day out on the water. The Daily Race Awards will take place at 18.00. As soon as today's heroes have soaked up their moment in the spotlight, we're sure most sailors will want to cheer on the gung-ho sailors competing in the paddle-powered relay-race, hosted by Pendennis.
While tales of the day's adventures are swapped back on the dock, owners will be heading to the stunning St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca, to enjoy tonight's Mid-Summer BBQ. Although this spectacular event will feature delicious food as well as an unforgettable view of the jewel-toned Bay of Palma, we're certain tomorrow's last day of racing will be the most talked-about topic.
thesuperyachtcup.com