22nd Sandberg PalmaVela Overall
by Sandberg PalmaVela 2026 3 May 13:21 PDT
23-27 April & 29 April - 3 May 2026
A torrential morning storm bringing spectacular thunder and lightning to the Bay of Palma was then followed by a prolonged calm which prevented racing on the final day of 22nd Sandberg PalmaVela. Cumulative results from Saturday stand and the showcase first regatta of the Mediterranean racing season crowned winners in the 13 classes this Sunday afternoon.
The German flagged crew on Sven Wackerhagen's Wally 80 Rose may have considered themselves underdogs when compared to the mighty wally 100 footer Tilakkhana II but they found some extra speed on the Bay of Palma and sailed smart to win four of their five races to win by three points ahead of Pacale Decaux's crew who took second.
Tactician Jesper Radich Rose was delighted at their success, "It feels amazing to win. We were fighting against really high quality opposition in Tilakkhana II, they are tough competition, a nice team with a well proven boat. I saw us as second in line for the win, we would have been happy to be just pushing them. But suddenly we found ourselves competitive. So that was amazing. What we did well this year is that we got together early as a team and were able to practice, we did one extra training day. We did some fine tuning on the rig and that gave us a big jump. I would give high marks to the team who sailed the boat really well, and to our owner who did a great job."
The 13 strong TP52 class were poised to complete their series, looking to maximise their racing and training time ahead of their first 52 Super Series regatta of the season which starts Tuesday on these same waters. But with no competition possible 22nd Sandberg PalmaVela is the first regatta win for Dutchman Pieter Heerema and his No Way Back team, most of whom won the 2025 Super Series title as Quantum Racing.
The new owner-driver smiled, "It feels really good. It is very unexpected to win this regatta. You can train all you like but the pressure in a real race is so very different. These last two days have been very good, it different now you are racing as the concentration is different, the intensity is different but the result is very good. We are where we are. So I have been learning to concentrate so mic more, to really stay focused and to keep on watching the speed and the angles. You get so much information and as the helmsman you have to filter it, sometimes you filter out the wrong things and you get told in no uncertain terms! I had no expectations here, I am new to the class and I am not 35 any more. You have to be humble. But I have enjoyed winning, but this is a great team to be with, not only are they super good sailors but they are nice people to be with."
Brasil's Crioula, owned by the Plass brothers Eduardo and Renato, took second place with the Italian team on Alkedo Vitamina led by Cameron Appleton finishing third.
The key ORC Classes Zero and 1 had already been won with a day to spare by James Neville's Ino Veritas, a TP52 with Dean Barker calling tactics and Brit Jack Trigger as navigator. Double Olympic 470 silver medallist Nick Rogers guided the blue hulled Carkeek designed Fast 40 Nola to win ORC Class 1.
In ORC Class 2 David Green's Formula X, an X41 won the nine boat division by just one single point whilst in ORC Class 3. Oscar Chaves and the Hyatt Hydra Youth team took the victory in ORC 4 in a Melges 32.
Regular winners at PalmaVela and Copa del Rey Scott Beattie and the British crew of Just the Job, a J/97 prevailed in ORC 4 and 5. South African Palma based America's Cup sailor Mark Sadler won the Sportboat class with his son Nicolas in a Melges 24 Abracadabra. In the Spirit of Tradition class David Grylls British flagged Flight of Durgan took the top prize.
From a strong, 10 boat Dragon class it was Ben Kolf's Jupiter which composed an unbeaten string of four firsts and in the Flying 15s the PalmaVela title went to Victor Pérez and Mark Branagh on Femme Fatale.
Find out more at www.palmavela.com