The 31st Regata Illes Balears Clàssics came to an end this Saturday in the waters of Palma with a hard-to-beat storyline: five leaders from the first day and five champions at the end. Hallowe’en, Argyll, Rowdy, Clarionet, and Barlovento-Senda Azul turned the three days of competition into a display of absolute consistency, achieving three wins out of three and proclaiming themselves winners in their respective categories.
The final day once again tested a fleet accustomed to sailing with surgical precision. The organizers set up two courses: an 8.2-nautical-mile course for the Época Cangreja class and a 13.4-nautical-mile course for the other categories, starting off the coast of Ciudad Jardín, passing Illetes, and rounding a mark in the middle of the bay before returning.
The wind also added its own dose of excitement. The start, just after 12:00, took place with a southwest wind of about eight knots. The wind intensity increased to 12 knots before dropping to six knots towards the end of the regatta. In any case, it was enough to complete the program without any mishaps. The Recluta, built and skippered by Argentine designer Germán Frers, was the fastest boat of the day, with a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 9 seconds. A little over a minute later, Iñigo Strez’s Hallowe’en crossed the line.
Halloween: a perfect century
Some anniversaries are celebrated with a party, while others are celebrated with a victory. Halloween has opted for the latter. The historic cutter designed by William Fife III, which this year commemorates the century since its launch, delivered an impeccable performance in the large yacht category: three races, three victories, and just three points in the final standings.
Eilean, helmed by Stefano Valiente, finished second all three days and ends the regatta in second place with six points. Tim Hartnoll’s Cariad completes the podium. For Hallowe’en, this result means much more than a simple victory. A hundred years after its launch, the yacht continues to compete at the highest level in some of the Mediterranean’s premier classic sailing events.
Rowdy: three for three against the Crabs
El Rowdy, sponsored and owned by Donna Dyer, also left no room for surprises at Época Cangreja. The boat, built in 1916, won all three races and was crowned champion with three points.
The Gipsy, owned by the Spanish Foundation for Classic Sailing and skippered by José Luis Vilar, finished second with six points. Santiago Godó’s Bon Temps rounded out the podium with ten points after securing third place on the final day.
Argyll keeps up the pressure
At the Bermuda Race, Griff Rhys Jones’s Argyll once again proved it had no intention of ceding the lead this year. Three first-place finishes and three points secured the title.
Germán Frers’s *El Recluta* finished second with seven points, while Ricardo Albiñana’s *Islander* was third with eight. The battle for the podium remained open until the final day, although *Argyll* had already done most of the hard work.
Alex Bordessoule, skipper of the Argyll, attributed the result to a crew that stayed focused throughout the regatta. “We had a very good team, all the maneuvers went smoothly, and it was a pleasure to sail this regatta,” he explained.
The skipper singled out Recluta as the main rival and highlighted Argyll’s progress since last year’s event. “This year we’re very pleased to have won like this, sailing very well and making almost no mistakes,” he added.
Clarinet: the victory I had been waiting for for four years
The Clarinet, built by Andrew Harvey and sponsored by David Miles, achieved another clean victory in the Classics class. Three wins and three points secured the title. Mowgli 1965, owned by Patrick Harris and helmed by Vincent Harris, finished second with seven points, while Argos, owned by Barbara Trilling and helmed by Eduardo Méndez, came in third with eight points.
But behind this victory was a small story of sports revenge. Teresa Parry, a crew member of the Clarionet, explained that the team had been trying to beat the Argos for four years. “Three perfect days for us – three first-place finishes is a fantastic way to win a regatta,” she said. “We’ve been trying to beat the same boat for four years, closing the gap each year, and this year we finally did it.”
The strategy, according to Parry, was simple on paper but difficult to put into practice on the water: avoid risks and not make mistakes. “When you start first off the line, you’re a bit in the crosshairs of the other boats and, as always, we’re trying to stay out of trouble and have a good race – a good start without any mishaps – and then not make any mistakes,” he explained.
Barlovento-Senda Azul is freed from a nail in the watering trough
In the Spirit of Tradition class, the Barlovento-Senda Azul, skippered by Ricardo Zabell, also posted a perfect record: three wins and the title. The Galaxie, owned by the Young Sailors Foundation and helmed by Raimon Martínez, finished second with six points. José Luis Roses’s Veritas Dolç was third with thirteen points.
The victory also had an emotional side. According to Jerome Mainemare, it was the only title that had so far eluded the crew. “For us, it was the only regatta we hadn’t won, and we’ve finally gotten that thorn out of our side,” he explained.
The victory was also the result of work that began long before the start. “We’ve covered all areas when it comes to navigation, tactics, and the preparation of the boat and sails,” said Mainemare.
Three days, five champions and a bay of Palma full of history.
The 31st Regatta Illes Balears Clàssics, organized by the Club de Mar-Mallorca, brought together a fleet of classic and vintage yachts in Palma and successfully completed its entire regatta program. Three days, three races, and weather conditions that allowed the competition to proceed without interruption. And, above all, five boats that seized every single opportunity.
In a regatta where experience counts as much as speed, Hallowe’en, Argyll, Rowdy, Clarionet, and Barlovento-Senda Azul proved that, in classic sailing, winning once can be a matter of luck. Winning three times in a row is a whole different story.
