The 20th PalmaVela, ready to inaugurate the multi-class competition with the tall ships

With La Larga already finished and the 52 Super Series PalmaVela Sailing Week pending the last day of competition, the event at the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) is getting ready to welcome the Tall Ships.

The multi-class event that opens the Mediterranean regatta calendar kicks off today with the first races of the Maxi class, which this year has a fleet made up of a J Class, a Far Design and three majestic Wallys.

The conditions offered by the Bay of Palma and the RCNP itself are two of the main reasons why the PalmaVela is an unmissable event for these sailing giants. 

‘The bay is almost always a guarantee for regattas. The teams are very happy because they can compete in a very good regatta, in a very good regatta course and in a great club to start the year", adds Vivi Mainemare, sports coordinator of the RCNP.

In addition to ‘V’ skippered by Ole Hansen and Sven Wackerhagen's ‘Rose’, among the always impressive Wally's there will be the defending champion, ‘Galateia’ of owners David and Chris Flowers. Opposite them, the J Class ‘Svea’ skippered by Paul Kelly and Joost Schuijff's Farr 30 ‘Leopard’ will also be on the starting line tomorrow.

With a weather forecast predicting winds of around 15 knots throughout the day, the Race Committee will be blowing the starting horn at 13:00 for the first windward/leeward format races, which will be responsible for opening the scoreboards of the 20th edition of the PalmaVela.

In total, the Maxi class will be able to complete up to six races over the four days of competition, one of which may be in a coastal format.

After the debut of the Maxis, the entire fleet will take to the water on Friday with the first start scheduled for 13:00 hours for all classes. In total, more than a hundred teams divided into the Maxi, ORC 0, ORC 1, ORC 2, ORC 3, ORC 4-5, A2 0-3, A2 4-5, J80, J70, Dragon, 6 Meters and Spirit of Tradition categories will be competing for the title of the 20th PalmaVela until Sunday.