The second day of the non-Olympic classes at the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels saw the four ORC fleet classes in handicap racing take to the water for two races.

The One Design categories added three races to the two held the previous day. The strong winds ensured a spectacular show in the Bay of Palma.

The wind blew from the west, with speeds of between 15 and 20 knots, remaining very steady throughout the day. The forecast for Sunday, the final day of competition, is for very tough conditions, with a northerly wind that could easily exceed 30 knots.

The German yacht Haltbroken leads the ORC 0-2 overall standings, with 12 boats competing, after winning both races of the day. This currently gives it a three-point lead over its closest rival, the German yacht Desna, owned by Johannes Wackerhagen (2+3), and a four-point lead over the Spanish yacht Viking XI, owned by Erik Tejedor.

55th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels – Day 2 – photo © Laura G. Guerra

In ORC 3, Bitxet, skippered by Menorcan Antoni Cavaller, secured a first and a second place, putting it at the top of the provisional standings. It is followed by just one point by the British yacht Just the Job, skippered by Scott Beattie, and two points behind by El Tris Tras, skippered by Joan Lladó. The fleet in this class comprises seven boats. Cavaller described the day as “spectacular” and was very pleased with his crew’s performance: “We’re from Menorca and don’t usually sail in the Bay of Palma. There were gusts of 20 knots, choppy seas and plenty of swell. We’ve really enjoyed ourselves and are delighted to be in first place, as we had no prior experience of the fleet.”

Lampo Rosso, skippered by Joan Jofre, and Tres Mares, skippered by Joan Escandell, both based in Mallorca, are tied on three points at the top of the ORC 4-5 standings, which features nine boats. The overall standings favour Jofre’s team, winners of the day’s second race. Indigo, skippered by Pedro Siquier, slightly further back, rounds off the provisional podium with seven points. On returning to the Real Club Náutico de Palma, Jofre noted that the conditions, although ideal for racing, proved tougher than expected: “There was more wind than expected and, above all, rougher seas. We like to compete, but we don’t want to break anything.”

In the ORC Sportboat class, Mark Sadler’s Abracadabra leads the standings comfortably thanks to the two victories secured today.

The other One Design classes added three new races to the two contested yesterday, allowing the worst result to be discarded.

55th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels – Day 2 © Laura G. Guerra

Joakim Sundberg’s Swedish team on the GBR-flagged Trinity is the new leader of the Cape 31 class (7 entrants). Trinity has America’s Cup winner Ed Baird as tactician. The one-design class is causing a sensation in this first phase of the 55th Princess Sofia Trophy Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels. With two race wins and a second place in the final race of the day, Trinity made up for their lacklustre scores of the previous day, when they did not finish higher than fifth.

In the 6-Metre class, Virginia Álvarez’s Stella retains the lead thanks to her four race wins and the discarding of the other result (a fourth). In the Dragon category, Pete Cooke’s British Meteor Racing, with four first-place finishes and a second-place finish which it discards, is already the virtual winner of the 55th Princess Sofia Trophy Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels in its class.

55th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels – Day 2 ©Laura G. Guerra

Third day of adapted sailing

Adapted sailing contested its third day, returning to Port d’Andratx with four more races under its belt. The current world champion and runner-up, Poland’s Piotr Cichocki and Portugal’s Joao Pinto, shared the top spots and lead the standings in that order, with a three-point gap between them. Completing the provisional podium, now at an insurmountable distance on the final day, is the Mallorcan Pau Toni Homar, from the Club de Vela Puerto Andratx, the host club for this category in the major Balearic competition.

55th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels – Day 2 – photo © CVPA / Luca Monzani

If the tough wind conditions forecast for tomorrow allow, this Sunday 29 March will see the final day of the Sofía Trophy for non-Olympic classes, followed by the joint prize-giving ceremony at the Real Club Náutico de Palma.

The 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels is organised by Bahía Activa (the foundation formed by the Real Club Náutico de Palma, the Club Nàutic Arenal, the Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa and the Balearic Sailing Federation) and is supported by World Sailing. The event is co-financed by the Balearic Islands Government’s Sustainable Tourism Tax fund and sponsored by the Mallorca Responsible Tourism Foundation.

Find out more on the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels website here.

55th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels – Day 2 – photo © CVPA / Luca Monzani

by Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía