BACK ON TRACK
SUPERYACHT RACING IN ALL ITS GLAMOUR LOOKS SET TO RETURN THIS JUNE FOR EUROPE’S LONGEST RUNNING SUPERYACHT REGATTA, WRITES TOBY HODGES
Staged from the heart of Palma, Europe’s superyacht capital, the Superyacht Cup is one of the most spectacular events in the world. It enjoys the ideal playground that is the Bay of Palma with its reliable sea breezes that you can set your watch to. Many yachts are based there, their professional crews live on the island, it boasts leading superyacht services, a buzzing city and an international airport just a short taxi ride away.
It is also a regatta that has always adapted to the times and its ability to do so, this year in particular, is helping to ensure it can go ahead. The Superyacht Cup has always been an event for the sailors and owners. By focussing on this and the racing aspect above any shoreside activities, the organisers are confident of putting on a safe and enjoyable regatta. Indeed it looks set to be one of the first big boat regattas in the northern hemisphere in the last 18 months, in what
is also a milestone year for the event itself.
For 2021 is the 25th anniversary of the Superyacht
Cup, an event which started in 1996 as a low-key end of season party for yacht crews waiting to cross the Atlantic. Originally formed by sailmakers Patrick Whetter and Spike Thompson from the Vela 2000 loft, the first pursuit-style Superyacht Cup was won by the 33m Dubois sloop Imagine.
Event director Kate Branagh has been on board for the last 20 years and has overseen its growth in stature and repute, from a handful of boats to a record-breaking 52 entries, while governing the transition into a safer, fairer and more professional racing programme. Her Aquamarine Events company took over in 2013, making this the only privately owned and managed superyacht regatta. Branagh previously worked with the Whitbread Race so had experience of working with sponsors and was keen to get big brands on board in the early 2000s, some of which, including Pantaenius and Astilleros de Mallorca, are still involved today.
Another long standing alliance was formed with New Zealand in 2005, which remains the destination partner.
25 YEARS OF RACING
In 2007, the year of the America’s Cup in Valencia, the Superyacht Cup partnered with New Zealand’s Millennium Cup to attract a record-breaking fleet of over 50 superyachts. The New Zealand contingent organised dub band Fat Freddy’s Drop to play a gig during the regatta: “To organise a superyacht event with a rock concert in the middle of it was extraordinary,” Branagh recalls.
The scale of that event and the number of entries also brought a lot of change to the management of the regatta, says Branagh, “including better ratings, rules and the need to develop our own class.” The safety and insurance implications became much greater, which heralded the emergence of the Superyacht Racing Rule and the development of the ORCSY rating system.
“The progression from 2007 onwards has changed things quite a lot, with a big drive safety-wise, but also on an organisation side,” Branagh continues, adding that they wanted to bring the regatta up to the standard of other Grand Prix events.
It’s a recipe which is continually updated to keep racing fair and enjoyable. Branagh’s fondest memories of the regattas are when there is a combination of family cruising boats, racing yachts and the J Class. “When you can get a good grouping like that, that’s the best.” Such a year was in 2018, with two Js and a varied fleet racing, while Branagh vividly recalls the grandeur of seeing six big-class schooners assembling for a parade of sail in 2016, with four taking part in the racing.
The ongoing travel restrictions have made it a challenge too far this year for the classic yachts and those
‘We’ve had to remain flexible but focus on the racing’
with large and very international pro crews such as the Js to commit.
Covid restrictions have also forced some organisational changes: “We’ve really had to plan this event in a very different way, because it’s had to remain flexible… things will be missed, but let’s focus on the racing,” says a determined Branagh.
VENUE CHANGE
The Superyacht Cup moved to the STP and Moll Vell site in 2009 where it could stage its own event village and
fulfil sponsor requirements. However, this site still needs to be reserved a long time in advance to clear the space. Branagh felt that was too risky to do last year and that it made more sense to use the facilities on hand at the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP – a stone’s throw across the water from STP).
The RNCP has been responsible for the professional race management for the last 10 years. “It’s a perfect match because they have all the protocols in place and have been running dinghy events there this year,” says Branagh.
The 2021 Superyacht Cup entry list involves several local yachts, which can return to their own berths and social bubbles, while there are eight berths available outside the yacht club. Unless rules change, there is no social programme planned this year, however hosting the regatta at the yacht club allows for a certain degree of flexibility should restrictions be lifted.
“We thought it important to have a continuation of the event,” Branagh comments, “...to be as positive as possible and work within the constraints we’ve got.”
The Superyacht Cup involves three race days with 20to 30-mile courses around the bay. Its two superyacht classes are divided into those racing with and without spinnakers, using staggered starts based on the superyacht ORCSY handicap, with the slower boats first off so all competitors can enjoy the best of Palma’s seabreeze conditions.
A performance class has been offered for the first time to try to encourage some of the more race-oriented yachts, which typically sail in Maxi-type events. This would entail a fleet start on a separate course, as opposed to the arguably safer and more typical pursuit starts of superyacht racing. However, it would require at least three or four yachts in the class to make it competitive.
Looking at the provisional entry list suggests a mixed yet competitive fleet, which includes three Frers designs, and two each from the renowned boards of Reichel/pugh and Malcolm Mckeon. The two Wallys and Swans entered typify the type of dual-purpose cruiser-racer designs that compete in superyacht regattas today.
The entries include many experienced crews and returnees such as Nilaya, Saudade and Ganesha. The latter pair promises an enticing battle of the big 45m sloops. Ganesha is always keenly sailed. I was lucky enough to join her for a race at the Bucket a few years ago and recall her designer telling me how well she plays the dual cruiser-racer role – and that part of the owner’s original brief was that she could transform from family relaxing to sailing mode within the seven-minute duration of the dishwasher programme!
The entry of Saudade, meanwhile, was still a doubt as we went to press, but she has spent some time training with Deckchute’s latest iteration so if present should prove sprightly around mark roundings. This system, which has found favour on many superyachts and J
Class in recent years, uses a sock on deck into which the kite can be pulled rapidly by attaching high-speed drop lines to the tack and belly of the sail. The result allows for Grand Prix-style hoists and drops of proper downwind kites with a full crew, says founder Henrik Bartholin, or safe drops when cruising or racing short-handed. He produced a video showing Saudade’s regular crew sucking their 1,400m2 kite into the sock and being ready to turn upwind in less than a minute. Such snippets of action whet the appetite for what’s in store.
Volvo Ocean Race veteran Bouwe Bekking, who regularly calls tactics on Nilaya, says the Superyacht
Cup offers “as close to guaranteed sailing as you can get anywhere, so it’s not surprising that owners – and crews – look forward to returning year after year.” And 2021 will see these sailors itching to get back on the race course more than ever.
“There’s a lot of pent-up passion for getting back on the sea,” Branagh agrees. Bring on June 23.
‘A new performance class has been offered’