One of the most attractive offshore regattas in the Mediterranean —due to its route through the Balearic archipelago and its timing in the calendar, scheduled for the last days of April— is reaching an impressive level of competition and registration numbers. This suggests that the 5th edition of La Larga, part of the Sandberg PalmaVela at the Real Club Náutico de Palma, may be the most fiercely contested in its history.

A highly diverse fleet
From the 100-foot British Maxi “Tilakkakhana” by Pascale Decaux to the 36-foot Palma-based “Mestral Fast” by Jaime Morell, the fleet includes both fully crewed boats and those competing in the A2 category (two-person crews), such as “Modul” with Felix Comas and “Smerit” with Tito Moure. All are already registered and preparing their boats for the start of La Larga on 26th April in the Bay of Palma, embarking on a journey through the Balearic archipelago, expected to last approximately 36 hours, before returning to the finish line in the same bay.

Gaspar Morey, principal race officer of RCN Palma, stated, “It is always a challenge to design and determine the best course for La Larga based on weather forecasts. We rely on various prediction models, along with the extensive experience of our team, to interpret what will happen hour by hour out there over the course of a couple of days.”

Morey also emphasized that “one of La Larga’s key successes is our ability to adapt within the archipelago, allowing us to choose a route that is both meteorologically favorable and full of sporting excitement, always aiming to avoid monotony and calm zones.”