The ‘Yeahnah’ claims victory at the VIII Mediterranean Cup of Puerto Portals

The Swiss vessel has won all five races of the regatta organized by Puerto Portals, which is now preparing for the 2026 Gold Cup.

The “Yeahnah,” owned by Swiss Jan Eckert, has been proclaimed the champion of the VIII Mediterranean Cup held at Puerto Portals after an indisputable display. The vessel won all five races and finished with only four points, thanks to the discard applied on the final day. Eckert had the Australian Torvar Mirsky and the Portuguese Frederico Melo on board.

The Mediterranean Cup, organized by the Puerto Portals Yacht Club, brought together 18 boats from seven countries and has established itself as one of the most important competitions for the Dragon class in Spanish waters. Teams from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, and Spain participated.

The only race on March 23, the fifth of the championship, started at 10:35 AM with a westerly wind of 17 knots, which intensified to exceed gusts of 25 knots. The wind and wave conditions were at the limit of what is allowed, leading the Race Committee to decide to suspend the sixth race at 11:49 AM, prioritizing the safety of the fleet.

Throughout the championship, the Bay of Palma has offered very demanding conditions, forcing the Committee to work hard to manage the different weather scenarios. Particularly challenging was Saturday, March 22, when the organization had to wait for a squall with gusts of 52 knots to dissipate before starting two of the five races that were finally contested. The patience of the team in charge of setting up the race course was rewarded with a magnificent day of competition.

Joining the “Yeahnah” on the podium were the “Ingrid,” by German Dirk Pramann, finishing second with 14 points, and the “Basic Logic,” by Austrian Werner Deuring, third with 16 points. In the Corinthian category, reserved for non-professional crews, the winner was the “Flin,” by Estonian Hannes Hollander, who finished seventh overall.

The Mediterranean Cup closed the Dragon class season at its European base in Mallorca, after the previous VIII Puerto Portals Winter Series. Next year, the Puerto Portals Yacht Club will face one of its biggest sporting challenges with the organization of the Dragon Gold Cup, a top-level competition that will attract numerous teams. Álvaro Irala, general manager of Puerto Portals, explains that it is a Coefficient 0 regatta, equivalent to a European or world championship, in which up to a hundred boats can participate. “This is going to lead to a surge of participants in the 2026 Winter Series,” he predicts.