The 30th Superyacht Cup Palma got underway in ideal conditions on Thursday, with a steady sea breeze delivering competitive racing across a record five classes in the Bay of Palma.
The opening race day featured close finishes throughout the fleet, including the debut of both the new Multihull Class and the Y-Yachts Class.
The inaugural multihull contest was won by Highland Fling, with Layla taking second by just two seconds on corrected time ahead of Allegra. Gaea finished fourth.
First multihull winner Highland Fling powers around the course during the opening day of the Superyacht Cup Palma, claiming victory in the inaugural Multihull Class race. Photo: Sailing Energy
"It's super exciting to be able to race here for the first time," said Highland Fling tactician Ned Collier Wakefield. "There was some great wind, and we were ripping around at more than 24 knots." He added, "We would love to build on the multihull fleet. The racing is already excellent, and hopefully more owners will join in future."
The new Y-Yachts Class was won by Beati on the yacht's first regatta appearance. Distancia finished second ahead of Makai. "It was super good today," said Beati skipper Vicente de Cecilio Alcantarilla. "This was the first time the boat has raced; it went well, and the owner is happy."
Separate windward-leeward racing for the J Class saw Svea defeat Rainbow in both opening races, taking an early advantage.
In Superyacht Class A, Win Win edged out the Swan 88 Spiip by just 19 seconds after more than two and a half hours of racing. Point Counter Point and Inco completed the class standings.
Two-time overall champion Win Win races to a narrow Class A victory on the opening day of the Superyacht Cup Palma, finishing just 19 seconds ahead after a closely fought contest. Photo: Sailing Energy
"The difference between first and second today was all about the right sail choices," said Win Win crew boss Jann Neergard. "We've won here twice before, but as we've seen today, it can come down to just one or two minutes."
Class B was won by Cervo ahead of Archelon, Atalante 1 and Burrasca. Racing resumes on Friday with the 30th Anniversary Race Day.
