The 15th Sail Racing PalmaVela bid farewell to the Bay of Palma with action and excitement in all participating classes. After four intense days of competition, the event organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma erected the first champions of the great regatta season of the Mediterranean 2018.

The 15th edition of the Sail Racing PalmaVela was closed with boxes full of partial in the 14 participating classes. The four days of regattas combined conditions of the entire spectrum of wind intensities between just two and more than 20 knots, days in full sun and others under heavy rain, but always with the common denominator of an exciting competition in the bay of Palma . 132 boats of 26 nationalities fought for glory, and the regatta erected 20 champions from nine countries (between classes and divisions), reaffirming the international character of the first event of the great regatta season of the Mediterranean.

The champions of the 15th Sail Racing PalmaVela are: Magic Blue (Wally class), Selene (IRC), Azzurra (TP52), Earlybird (ClubSwan 50), Elena Nova (Swan 45), Selene Alifax (ClubSwan 42), Inga from Sweden (Melges 40), Dktegoria (ORC 1), Petrouchka III (ORC 2), Airlan Aermec (ORC 3), Mestral Fast (ORC 4), Fehurihi (ORC E), Opera Season (J80), Dottore Falafel (Dragon), Speedy Gonzales (Flying Fifteen), Marigan (Cangreja), Cippino (Bermudiano), Legolas (Spirit of Tradition), Team CVP Andratx 1 (Hansa 303) and Team CVPA 1 (Hansa 303 Doble).

Wally: Magic Blue, champion 
The majestic Wally faced the final round of the championship with a point of difference between Eric Cacace’s Magic Blue leader and Ole Hansen’s Tango, the latest design to join the family of the spectacular WallyCento. In the final sleeve, the winner was going to be the British Wally 77 J-One, that in spite of being the smallest of the class (23.5 meters), already had demonstrated its good benefits taking the coastal one of the first day. The second position after the time compensation corresponded to the Wally 95 Magic Blue, a result that made him mathematically champion of the 15th Sail Racing PalmaVela, first scoring test for the international circuit of Wally 2018.

IRC: Selene wins in extremis
The participants of class IRC left today to the water with tie in front between the X-65 Pelotari Project of Andrés Varela Entrecanales and the Swan 80 Selene of Wendy Smith. The Spanish ship started as a leader, but his rival managed to snatch the victory and the IRC class title to surpass him by one minute and one second after the compensation of times in the final heat.

TP52: Azzurra premieres with victory
The 15th Sail Racing PalmaVela recovered this year the TP52 class, and of the ten teams that came to the event, seven new boat premiered. The expectation was maximum to see the new designs faced for the first time in a racing field. The Italoargentino Azzurra was one of the six Botín designs that debuted in Palma, and presented its candidacy for the first title of the season placing itself in front of the classification from the inaugural sleeve. On the final day, the ship steered by Alberto Roemmers, who competed for the first time with the tactics of the Argentine star Santiago Lange, got his third partial victory of the week to win the absolute victory, surpassing his archrival Quantum Racing by four points after seven tests.

ClubSwan 50: Victory for Earlybird
The Earlybird of Hendrik Brandis, current European Champion of ClubSwan 50 class, knew how to play his cards in the last heat to defend his advantage in front of the classification. The German boat, which left the RCNP with six points of income against Mathilde Morten Kielland, gave four by signing a fifth in the final test, the worst result of the week, but Earlybird completed his card with two points of advantage over the Swiss boat.

Swan 45: Elena Nova defends crown
The Swan 45 said goodbye to Palma celebrating two rounds in the final day to complete its program of nine sleeves. With three points ahead of the provisional, Elena Plump’s Elena Nova was looking for two good results that would allow her to defend the title she already achieved in Palma last year. A quarter in the initial sleeve and a first in the final allowed the German boat to retain the 2017 crown and win its sixth Sail Racing PalmaVela. Second finished Porrón IX by Luis Senís, current world champion of the category.

ClubSwan 42: Selene Alifax does not fail
Also the ClubSwan 42 managed to complete the nine-man program designed by the Committee, playing two in the final day. The Selene Alifax of Massimo de Campo, leader from the first day, confirmed his excellent form with two good partials (2-2), closing his participation with a solid victory and eight points ahead of José María’s Pez de Abril Meseguer

Melges 40: Inga From Sweden, first champion
The debut of the Melges 40 class in the Sail Racing PalmaVela was resolved with nine exciting rounds in the bay of Palma. Richard Goransson’s Inga From Sweden, leader from the first day, completed his triumph with an income of only two points over his immediate pursuer and five over the fourth classified, proof of the equality between a fleet in which they achieved partial victories four of the five participating boats.

ORC: All Spaniards
The Spanish teams have monopolized the titles in the five ORC class divisions. The boats that came out leaders in the final day confirmed victory winning in addition the last sleeve of the championship in their respective categories. The ORC champions were the DK46 Dktegoria of José Ignacio Vincent in ORC 1, the Proto 40 Petrouchka III Jaume Binimelis in ORC 2, the X-37 Airlan Aermec by Juan Cabrer in ORC 3, the Sun Fast 36 Mestral Fast by Jaume Morell in ORC 4 and the RO 300 Fehurihi of Carlos Ros in ORC E.

In J80, the Opera Season of the German Thomas Bscher dismissed an almost perfect championship winning the two tests of the last day. The RCNP boat was proclaimed deserved champion after completing a spectacular card of six partial victories and two third in the eight rounds played.

In Dragon class, the German Dottore Falafel of Ingo Ehrlicher also went to the water as solid leader and dismissed the championship with a partial of 2-5, the most discreet of his week, but enough to proclaim himself champion.

In Flying Fifteen, the Speedy Gonzales of Michael Clough, in front of the classification since the first round, signed a few seconds to return to the RCNP with the title in his pocket.

The Cutter Cangreja Marigan of Tim Liesenhoff achieved the title in class Cangreja, the Frers 50 Cippino by Daniel Sielecki in Bermudiano and the Spirit 46 Legolas in Spirit of Tradition.

In adapted sailing, the Hansa 303 competed in double category, completing four races with final victory of the Team CVPA 1 of Toni Ferra and Isaias Iglesias. The title in individual category corresponded to Team CVP Andratx 1 of Sergi Roig.

The RCNP terrace hosted the final awards ceremony, in which the entire fleet paid tribute to the winners of the 15th Sail Racing PalmaVela, the first test of the season of great regattas of the Mediterranean. The results of ClubSwan 50, Swan 45 and ClubSwan 42 classes score for the Nations Trophy Mediterranean League of Swan monotypes.

The 15th Sail Racing PalmaVela is organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, with the sponsorship of Sail Racing, the institutional sponsorship of the Balearic Government and the City Council of Palma, and with the collaboration of the Balearic Sailing Federation, Club Náutic S’Arenal and the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands.

Source: http://www.palmavela.com