Marie 55m (Photo courtesy of The Superyacht Cup

Preparations are well underway for the 2011 Superyacht Cup regatta from 22-25 June in Palma.  So far, 16 yachts have registered for the event including five brand new entries that have never competed in the event before. Space at the Muelle Viejo only allows for a maximum of 20-22 entries.

 Returning to defend their 2010 title is the 29m Tony Castro designed Jongert ‘Scorpione dei Mar’. Other past Cup competitors coming back to Palma in June include Ganesha (39m Dubois), Saudade (45m Tripp), Tenaz (39m Dubois), Drumfire (24m Hoek) and Gliss (35m Phillipe Briand). Gliss won the 2009 Palma Superyacht Cup and returns this year under new ownership.

 This year also sees the biggest number of first-time entries to the event. Joining the fleet are two stunning modern classics, the 55m Adela built in 1995 by Pendennis Shipyard, and Marie, a 55m Hoek design launched last year by Vitters Shipyard in Holland.  Other newcomers are Genevieve (37m Dubois), Nilaya (34m Reichel Pugh/Nautor), Nefertiti (27m, Nautor), and Heartbeat (35m Hoek).

 Now in its 15th year, the ever-popular Superyacht Cup is the longest running superyacht regatta in Europe and is a favourite event with Owners and crews at the start of the summer season in the Mediterranean.  Famous for its relaxed atmosphere and fabulous sailing conditions in the Bay of Palma, the Superyacht Cup is very much a family affair with its trademark barbecues, dockside parties, and a spectacular outdoor gala evening overlooking the Bay of Palma on the final evening.

There are also plans for a Superyacht Cup Golf Day this year, on the day following the event, Sunday 26th June.

 “Its fantastic to see so many new yachts coming to the event this year,” commented new 2011 Event Director James Pleasance. “We look forward to welcoming these and all the other competitors to Palma in June and showing them what the Superyacht Cup is all about!”

 For more information and images from previous Cup regattas in Palma and Antigua, visit www.thesuperyachtcup.com

Muelle Viejo Palma (Photo courtesy of The Superyacht Cup)

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Winner Day 1 , Scorpione Dei Mari (Photo Courtesy of Clairematches.com)

Day 1 of The Superyacht Cup Palma 2010 dawned clear, bright and ominously still. Nevertheless, the diverse fleet, which features this year many yachts familiar to superyacht racing fans, representing yacht builders worldwide, including Holland Yachtbouw Shamoun, Fitzroy’s Salperton IV, Royal Huisman Gliss, Wally Saudade, and of course, the unmistakable Maltese Falcon, built by Perini Navi, joined by her baby sister, P2, left the port before mid-day, hoping for the usual daily afternoon breeze to kick in. Yet in the end, the Wind Gods did not disappoint, so with only a short delay, the racing kicked off at 13:30, as Drumfire led the fleet with a clean start.

It was a long day on the course, with all of the yachts bringing home their tired sailors long after cocktail hour should have started, yet once again, Jim Teeters proved he’s at the top of his personal game, with finishes for the fleet of 21 yachts coming in within only a sixty-three minute gap. The race was called by SYC’s newest star, the well-known American sailor Peter Craig, who took to the airwaves as professional Race Officer, having participated in the SYC 2007 onboard Meteor.

The story of the day was Castro designed, Jongert built Scorpione dei Mari, a veteran of many large yacht races worldwide, whose expert crew onboard cumulatively boasted a phenomenal fifty Superyacht Cup races. Proving that experience does apparently count, Scorpione bit into her first ever race win, coming in a few minutes ahead of Anny, and taking First Place in both Cruising Class as well as the top spot overall. Her elated owners Kim and Shirley Schindelhayer commented that for him, “it finally all came out right!”

The entire crew of Scorpione dei Mari, clad in their distinctive acid-green shirts augmented by a variety of Cowboy and Indian paraphernalia, joined the large group of fellow Superyacht Cup racers, sponsors and press to celebrate long into the night with The Yacht Report Group and MTN Satellite Communications sponsored Western-themed barbecue, which was enjoyed by one and all. Once again, the newest location of the SYC Palma proved a roaring success, as cowboys and cowgirls, sherrifs and indians danced up a storm under the tent, illuminated by bright moonlight.

By Norma Trease

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Hello Little One (Photo by Rawphoto.co.uk)

Confirmation of three more yachts in the last few days brings the total entries for The Superyacht Cup 2010 to 19; the maximum number that can be berthed at The Superyacht Cup Village in the centre of the City. Additional yachts may take part in the event, but they will need to find a berth in the Port’s marinas or at STP boat yard – immediately adjacent to the SYC site.

A new development for this year is the appointment of a professional Race Officer, Premiere Racings founder, Peter Craig from Marblehead, USA. Peter has a huge wealth of experience with top-level international regattas, including the Bucket Regattas and the Perini Navi Cup, the Maxi Rolex World Cup, the Swan World Championships and the Volvo Ocean Race. Peter understands the need for adapting the racing approach for superyachts, and his knowledge and expertise will be invaluable in moving forward the new Superyacht Racing protocol; the aim of which is to provide the best possible format for safe and exciting racing for large yachts with very different design and manoeuvrability characteristics. “I had a great time competing in the Superyacht Cup Palma on the schooner Meteor back in 2007,” said Craig. “I’m really pleased to be back in the capacity of PRO and look forward to being a part of this renowned superyacht event.”

Gliss (Photo by Rawphoto.co.uk)

Among the fleet this June will be the winner of The Superyacht Cup in 2009, Gliss. The bright turquoise 32m sloop, designed by Philippe Briand and built by Royal Huisman, made her racing debut at The Superyacht Cup in 2006, soon after being launched in Holland and has been racing successfully ever since. Konkordia (formerly Kokomo), the Dubois designed sloop built by Alloy Yachts in New Zealand in 2006, has arrived back in Palma from the Caribbean and will take part in their first regatta with the new owner this June. A new comer to this year’s event is Saudade, an elegant and powerful yacht, designed by Tripp and built by Wally Yachts. Saudade recently took part in the St Barth’s Bucket and is currently heading to the Mediterranean for the summer season.

In the past few days, Palma has seen a huge influx of yachts returning from Antigua and other parts of the Caribbean. As the docks fill up, and the contractors enter their busiest month of the year, everyone knows it is approaching Superyacht Cup time. All of the yachts are undergoing refit work, general repairs and maintenance and preparing for the season ahead.

Cosworth At Guard (Photo by Claire Matches)

 LIST OF ENTRIES

Hyperion (Photo by Rawphoto.co.uk)

 For more information about the Palma Superyacht Cup 2010 click HERE

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