Palma de Mallorca, Spain
The sudden increase in Palma’s temperature over the last couple of weeks reminds everyone summer is well on the way and as yachts return from the Caribbean the shipyards and marinas are filling up as everyone prepares for the new season. With a fleet of twenty or more spectacular yachts participating in the four-day regatta the competition is likely to be closer than ever. Real Club Nautico de Palma (RCNP) are planning some new course options to keep everyone on their toes and maximize the enjoyment of sailing in the striking and picturesque Bay of Palma.
The latest entry to confirm is the recently delivered phenomenal 60m Perini Navi, Perseus^3. Their astounding 75.8m carbon mast built by Future Fibres is one of the tallest ever built and with a boom of over 24m her total sail area racks up to over 10,000 m2 which will be handled by a crew of at least 30. Perseus^3 has chosen the Superyacht Cup as their regatta debut and it will be their first time to sail fully crewed around a racecourse. She will no doubt draw a great deal of attention from on-lookers, although with five other competing yachts over 45m, scale can be somewhat deceiving. The six yachts, Persueus ^3, Clan VIII (Perini Navi/Ron Holland 45m), Ganesha (Vitters Shipyard/Dubois NA 46m), Marie (Vitters Shipyard/Hoek Design 55m, Saudade (Wally Yachts/Tripp Design 45m) and Visione (Baltic Yachts/Reichel Pugh 45m) add up to almost 300m in length overall.
The SYC’s social programme is also heating up with top DJs and international musicians taking to the stage in the SYC tent each evening after racing. Collaboration with world famous Pacha Mallorca promises to liven up the race weary crew but late nights on the dance floor will have to wait until Saturday night when the racing is all completed! Winners of the best dressed crew at the Thursday night disco themed Dock Party win VIP passes to Pacha’s famous Palma club with a bottle of champagne to celebrate the end of the regatta on Saturday night.
Amongst the new sponsors to welcome this year is 100% Pure New Zealand. “While the Superyacht Cup Palma attracts yachts with a thirst for exceptional racing, New Zealand attracts yachts with a penchant for adventure and the 100% Pure New Zealand team are looking forward to sharing that message with the participating yachts, sector partners and visitors. New Zealand’s ties with the Superyacht Cup Palma go back many years, with the Pacific nation once staging the New Zealand Millennium Cup regatta in tandem with this event. The 100% Pure New Zealand team looks to present the country as a place that not only offers one of the world´s greatest natural playgrounds but a place to get first class build and/or refit work done and hopes to forge even closer ties with the Superyacht Cup Palma ahead of the New Zealand Millennium Cup Regatta which kicks off in January 2016” explained Chris Metcalf of the New Zealand Embassy in Madrid.
Read more here: Turning up the Heat in Palma