A Festive Breeze and 20 Superyachts to Blow Out 30 Candles
Thirty years after its creation, the Superyacht Cup Palma, now with Richard Mille as title sponsor, continues to prove that it holds a unique place on the international calendar as the oldest and largest superyacht event in the Mediterranean. Twenty exceptional yachts (including two Swiss entries) went head to head in ideal sailing conditions, while cultivating the spirit of conviviality that has always been the event’s hallmark.
Text: Brice Lechevalier
Photos: Sailing Energy
Fully renovated, Club de Mar-Mallorca played a major part in creating this atmosphere as the regatta’s home port. For the first time in several years, the entire fleet was berthed in a single secure area, allowing owners, crews, guests and partners to extend each day of racing around the pontoons, between happy hours and daily prize-givings. This return to the event’s roots was welcomed by all. “On the water, everyone wants to win. Ashore, everyone shares a drink together,” sums up event director Kate Branagh.
A Breathtaking Parade
And so, the show began on the dock itself. Two majestic J Class yachts, Rainbow and Svea, offered a fascinating duel between America’s Cup giants. The 58 m Perini Navi ketch Burrasca made her debut alongside the Wally Inco and the elegant Swan 100 Point Counter Point and Swan 88 Spiip, while loyal regulars Win Win, Archelon, Cervo and Atalante 1 (SUI 777) returned to waters they know perfectly.
This 30th edition also marked a major development with the creation of the YYachts class and the arrival of a new multihull-only division, which was also part of the International Maxi Association’s Mediterranean Maxi Multihull Challenge. Two of the four catamarans were formidable Gunboats, but Allegra (SUI 888), helmed by the highly experienced Adrian Keller, was also among the favourites.
On the water, the diversity of the fleet (two thirds of the yachts were taking part for the first time) produced racing that was as varied as it was thrilling. In Class A, Win Win confirmed her status as the benchmark. Already a two-time winner of the event, the 33 m Baltic showed remarkable consistency, winning all three races sailed. Yet the margins remained razor-thin, particularly on the first day, when just nineteen seconds separated Win Win from the Swan 88 Spiip. This dominance earned the yacht a historic third title, making her a member of the very exclusive club of three-time Superyacht Cup winners.
Class B delivered a more open contest. Cervo took the first race before Atalante 1 struck back the very next day in a stronger breeze. In the end, it was Archelon that won overall ahead of Atalante 1 and Cervo, proof of how evenly matched these large yachts were.
The new classes also lived up to all their promise. In the YYachts class, the brand-new Beati made an immediate impact with three wins from three races, ahead of Distancia and Calabash. It was the same story among the multihulls, where the Gunboat 80 Highland Fling proved untouchable, while Allegra and Layla fought an extremely close battle, at times separated by just a few seconds on corrected time.
As for the legendary J Class yachts, they put on a breathtaking show all of their own. Sailing on their own windward course, Rainbow and Svea engaged in a genuine three-day match race, true to the tradition of these historic giants and their clusters of crew. More consistent, larger and highly seasoned, Svea eventually won three races and claimed this eagerly awaited showdown. Rainbow, after all, was racing for the first time following two years in the yard, to the great delight of her new owner, Peter Harrison, head of Richard Mille for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (see box).
A Format That Wins Everyone Over
Beyond the results, it is above all the Superyacht Cup’s identity that continues to win people over. Unlike many major international regattas, where crews scatter once racing is over, Palma encourages interaction. All the yachts stay together in the same marina, and crews meet up at the daily prize-givings, then at evening parties on the docks or at the St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca for the owners’ dinner celebrating the event’s thirtieth anniversary. This closeness strengthens the bonds between owners, sailors and partners, while giving guests a privileged, immersive experience in the world of the most beautiful sailing yachts on the planet. Good news for sailing as a whole?
Kate Branagh, who heads the Superyacht Cup, shares the ingredients of this successful recipe: “I think it’s the combination of top-level, perfectly organised racing and a convivial programme ashore where everyone comes together after the races. The sailing conditions in Palma are also hard to match: the afternoon thermal breeze and relatively flat water make it an exceptional sailing venue.” This is also what convinced Peter Harrison to sponsor the event: “I chose to become a partner of the Superyacht Cup Palma because I like the racing format and I love sailing in the Bay of Palma.” Looking ahead to the next edition in late June 2027, Kate Branagh says: “We were delighted with the success of the new multihull class, which should grow even further. The J Class are considering coming with four or even five yachts, and the YYachts have already confirmed they want to return. Everything suggests we’ll have an even bigger fleet next year.”
A Committed Swiss Owner
A member of the Segel-Club St. Moritz and known for his support of elite young sailors, Adrian Keller was taking part for the first time with Allegra, a 24 m, 30-tonne catamaran designed by Nigel Irens. Second in the Superyacht Cup, he regularly topped 20 knots, though still well short of his record of 36 knots set during a regatta in Scotland. Adrian Keller has sailed with the same crew for eight years, taking on the great offshore races from Porto Cervo to the Middle Sea Race and the Aegean 600. Not to mention “his” regatta, the Multihull Cup, which he has organised for ten years in Palma, Allegra’s home port. He previously owned a J/145, and switched to two hulls in the hope that his wife would join him on board more often. A top-flight racer himself, he too greatly enjoys everyone gathering in the same place after racing, and the chance to meet other owners and sailors in such a friendly spirit.
This alchemy of top-level competition, an exceptional fleet and a relaxed atmosphere no doubt explains why, thirty years after its creation, the Superyacht Cup remains an essential benchmark of prestige sailing.
