A windy start for the PalmaVela Offshore Race fleet out of the Bay of Palma to Formentera

The 20th edition of PalmaVela is underway. A total of 35 boats set off today from the Real Club Náutico de Palma at the start of the Offshore Race, the prologue to the first major competition in the Mediterranean calendar.

The Offshore Race fleet is divided into four categories (ORC 0-1, ORC 2-5, A2 0-3 and A2 4-5). Early this morning, having studied the latest meteorological conditions for the race, the Race Committee finally opted for the 208-mile course for the larger boats, with a compulsory pass via Cabrera, Formentera, Ibiza and Cala Figuera, and a 185-mile route for the other divisions, who must complete a similar course, but firstly passing Cabrera.

The start gun sounded shortly after 12:00h with southernly winds of between twelve and thirteen knots in the Bay of Palma. The first boat out of the bay and heading to Cabrera was German team “Stoertebeker,” the Carkeek 47 skippered by Torben Muhlbach, that is currently sailing with a little more than half a mile advantage over of the rest of the fleet.

At 18:30h, the distance in real time ahead of their closest competitors, Valentin Oreu’s “Lion´s Story,” and Frans van Dijk’s “Caveman IV” was more than a mile and a half. However, with more than 24 hours of racing remaining, it is early days to know the definitive results in compensated time.

As for the ORC 2-5 divisions and the two A2 categories, the whole fleet headed toward Formentera where they will take their first compulsory passage on the route.
Diego Colón’s “Gudrun VII” along with Joan Balaguer’s “Korrigan 4” and Juan Lalelmand’s “Guaguanco IV,” are currently the three teams leading the fleet in their respective divisions in real time.

Predictions are showing that the first boats may cross the finish line tomorrow morning (Sunday) and into the afternoon, depending on the evolution of the present meteorological conditions.

Sunday 28th April, day one of the 52 Super Series
Meanwhile the Bay of Palma had its first contact with the fleet of the 52 Super Series. Following the training event held this afternoon, the competition for the TP52s will kick off on Sunday at 13:00h with ten teams from seven nationalities battling for victory in the first competition of 2024.