The Nautico de Palma retakes the competition with a journey in which the lack of wind has tested the patience of the crews of the more than 30 participating boats (Photo Laura G.Guerra)

The first Clem of the shipowner Jaime Olazábal has taken the triumph in the seventh edition of the Volta to Mallorca A3... the Swan 56, which has had the ocean pattern Guillermo Altadill on its crew, has been the fastest of a test that has been more complicated than expected by the lack of wind.

The Real Club Náutico de Palma has resumed this weekend the organization of regatas after three months of forced stop by the Covid-19 pandemic and has done so in the best way, with a fantastic participation and a journey around the island that has had an important tactical component.

A total of 33 cruise ships took the exit last Friday from the Volta to Mallorca A3.. On this occasion, the organization chose to make the journey in the opposite sense to the waters of the clock. In this way, after a long close to Palma Bay, the participants set out for Cabo Salinas.

Most of the journey has been carried out at an acceptable pace and the Nadir and the Clem First have led the fleet from the first steps. However, when the ships faced the northern coast of Mallorca the wind has completely disappeared. A glow to the height of Sóller has left the boats completely stopped.

The Smerit has been the first to announce his withdrawal, then the Minimon, the Jabadaba and the Noctilua have done so. In total, more than a dozen units have decided to turn on the engine and set a port course in the face of the impossibility of moving in the middle of a strong heat.

The most tenacious have waited for the wind and been able to advance with light breeze. The Clem First has reached the finish line after more than 31 hours of race. He was followed by the Nadir de Pedro Vaquer, who crossed the line of arrival located in the Bay of Palma an hour and a half later.

The rest of the fleet has managed to complete the journey along the night of Saturday and the morning of this Sunday. L'Esquitx of Felipe Poblador, one of the smaller ships, has been the last to finish the test and has needed almost 46 and a half hours.

Once times have been compensated, the victory of Clem First has been confirmed in the group ORC 0-2. The second position has been for the Mestral Fast of Morell & Manresa, while the Blue Flag of Neus Poncell has occupied the third place. In addition, the boat of Jaime Olazábal has won in the joint general classification... in ORC 3-4, the Pelikanos of Olympic medalist Iker Martínez has been imposed, the Blaumarina of Miquel Tejat has won second place and the Attila of Mark Sadler has finished third.

27 / 06 / 2020: Start "La Volta a Mallorca A3" with record of ships and quality of crews

The exit of "La Volta" was accompanied by south-east winds of about 16 knots

The seventh edition of the Volta to Mallorca A3, organized by the Real Club Nautico de Palma, sailed today with a record participation of 31 boats and the highest level of its history... the fleet set out to Cablo Blanco at 3.05 p.m.

The wind will blow from the south-east, from the exit to the Cape of Formentor, on the northern edge of the island of Mallorca, where a long waterfall is expected to last until 3 a.m. on Saturday. At that time, a light breeze of the poniente is expected to enter.

The Nautico de Palma regates with this race its calendar of competitions of the cruise class after the long stop caused by the crisis of the Covit-19. This is the first time that the Volta to Mallorca A3 has brought together more than 30 boats and has the participation of teams from the Peninsula.

The race is expected to be very difficult and no one dares to talk about favorites, playing the ballast fleet with the advantage of getting a better understanding of the route, but the ships from the peninsula (Masnou, Cambrils, Blues and Sitges), all of them members of the Association of Mediterranean High Navigators, have a lot of experience in long journeys. The list of participants includes great figures from the world sail, such as Olympic champion Iker Martínez, the Pelikanos patron, a Dufour 34 who competes in the class ORC 3-4, or ocean navigator Guillermo Altadill, who is part of the Clem crew, a Swan 56.

The great concentration of ships has led to the unpublished meeting of three designs of the naval architect Ronaldo Campos, already deceased, an anecdote that has not escaped the scrutiny of Vivi Mainemare, the sports coordinator of the RCNP: "It seems incredible, but the Gudrun VIII, the Hilbo (ex Cyrano) and the Petrouchka III, winner of the last edition of the Volta to Mallorca patronado by our old Jaime Binimelis, had never been together in a race mist.