Ready and waiting to start the 16th Sail Racing PalmaVela

The presentation of the 16th Sail Racing PalmaVela was hosted today in the Sala Magna of the Real Club Náutico de Palma, representing the official start of the event, which begins on the water at midday tomorrow. The Prize-giving ceremony will conclude this year’s edition on Sunday 12th May.
 
The presentation was attended by Javier Sanz, President of the Real Club Náutico de Palma; Juan Besalduch, Commodore of the RCNP; Manuel Fraga, Sporting Director of the RCNP; Susanna Moll, Education and Sports Councillor for Palma Town Hall; Erik Martinsson, representing Sail Racing, the event’s principal sponsor; Joaquín González Devesa, President of the Federación Balear de Vela (Baleares Sailing Federation); and Elena Roig, painter and creator of the trophies for the 16th Sail Racing PalmaVela.
 
Manu Fraga moderator for the act, emphasised his gratitude,
“to everyone who has made it possible for us to enjoy this magnificent sporting event another year round. Over the next few days it hosts 123 boats, close to 1500 sportsmen and women, a representation of 23 countries, and over 150 people working, both at the club, and on the water.”
 
Sail Racing PalmaVela is considered the first major event in the Mediterranean regatta calendar. A multi-class and markedly international event, as is evident with 23 countries competing in the 16th edition, the boats range from 3.03 metres, (the Disabled Sailing’s Hansa 303 class), right up to the 30.50-metre Wally Cento, Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones’ Magic Carpet Cubed.
 
This year’s fleet is distributed across 15 classes: the IRC, TP52, Mallorca Sotheby’s ORC (divided into groups 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4), J80, Dragon, Flying Fifteen, Viper, Vintage/Classic, Spirit of Tradition, and the Hansa 303 Individual and Double. First up to compete will be the IRC and TP52s.

  
“Of all the different events organised by the RCNP, this one is special, and sentimental,” explained Javier Sanz, President of the RCNP,
“The regatta was established 16 years ago, and the aim of the RCNP was to organise something different. We wanted to create an open regatta, including boats of all sizes, that would be the first international regatta in the Mediterranean season. Our “baby” has grown into a teenager, and has a consolidated place within the Mediterranean circuit, as participant numbers clearly demonstrate.”
 
Sanz also added an affectionate show of gratitude to Palma’s Education and Sports Councillor, Susanna Moll, who will shortly be moving to Madrid to undertake her new role as senator,
 “My feelings are a mixture of happiness and sadness. On behalf of all the team, I would like to thank you for your dedication and involvement with the RCNP. I hope that in your new role as senator you continue to stand behind culture, sports and equality, and the many other things that I know you will defend.”
 
Moll responded by explaining that one of her first events as councillor was the PalmaVela, and as such this year’s event is a fitting conclusion,
 
“This will be one of the last acts for me in my role here, and I would like to bid farewell by thanking the RCNP, the Federation, and especially Javier Sanz and all his team, for their great sense of social consciousness over the years, with so many activities and projects. And for such an exquisite and affectionate relationship with you all. I wish you fair winds and fair sailing, literally and figuratively.” 
 
The 16th Sail Racing PalmaVela is organised by the Real Club Náutico de Palma, with the endorsement of the Real Federación Española de Vela (Spanish Sailing Federation), sponsored by Sail Racing, and with the institutional support of the Govern de les Illes Balears (Balearic Island Regional Government) and the Ajuntament de Palma (Palma Town Hall), as well as the collaboration of the Federación Balear de Vela (Balearic Islands’ Sailing Federation), Club Náutic S´Arenal and the Autoridad Portuaria de Baleares (Balearic Islands’ Port Authority).