Over one hundred teams registered for the largest edition of PalmaVela to date
18 March, 2024 - Palma, Mallorca, Spain - Over one hundred teams from 20 nations have confirmed their participation in the 20th edition of PalmaVela, to be held at the Real Club Náutico de Palma from 26 April to 5 May. The event will include three acts: the Offshore Race, the opening event of the 52 Super Series 2024, and the traditional multiclass PalmaVela regatta.
PalmaVela 2024 will be remembered for the three competitions making up its 20th anniversary as the first great regatta in the Mediterranean calendar.
Since the first edition in 2004, the essence of PalmaVela has always been its multiclass nature, ranging from the ORC in their corrected time categories, to the small and large monohulls (such as the 52 Super Series in this year’s event), along with the Maxis, classical and traditional yachts. The Offshore Race, incorporated in 2021, means teams will also compete offshore through the Balearic archipelago, both with the full crew and in a double-handed format.
“The registration period has been going really well,” confirmed Manu Fraga, the Regatta director. “There are now 107 boats registered in all the fleets, including the ten from the 52 Super Series, and even though there are still three weeks until the registration date expires on 28th March, it is promising to be one of the largest editions in this event's 20-year history, with a very high registration rate.”
The perfect setting
With less than two weeks until the registration period expires, 35 teams are confirmed to participate in the Offshore Race. This means that the fourth edition of the event promises to be better than last year's record participation of 35 teams.
The setting and spectacular backdrop for the PalmaVela offshore race is perhaps one of the most attractive in the Mediterranean due to the great variety of sailing conditions to be found on the predetermined routes: approximately 350 nautical miles for the biggest boats in the fleet, and 225 nautical miles for the smaller length boats. Both routes take the fleets through the islands of the Balearic archipelago. They are designed for their local weather conditions, racing between the islands of Ibiza, Formentera, Menorca and the islands off Aire, Dragonera, and Mallorca, with the start and finish of the fleet in the Bay of Palma.
The 52 Super Series joins PalmaVela
While the Offshore Race fleet is still arriving in the Bay of Palma on Sunday 28th April, the yearly circuit of the 52 Super Series will start its season here at PalmaVela Sailing Week. Ten professional teams onboard the most modern TP52s in the world will bring the Bay of Palma to life for five intense days of competition up until Thursday 2nd May.
The multiclass fleet - the final climax
From Thursday, May 2nd, onwards, coinciding with the end of the first event in the 52 Super Series, the traditional multiclass PalmaVela regatta will see big boats such as the Maxis sharing the bay with the ORC, 6-metre, Dragon, and J/70 classes, as well as the beautiful fleet of classic boats.
