The 2024 Barcelona Superyacht Regatta, a three-day racing event, took place alongside the 37th America’s Cup from 4 to 6 October 2024 and saw winners V and Halekai take the crown in their respective Performance and Cruising Class races. Organised by the Real Club Nàutic de Barcelona (RCNB) and BWA Yachting, the race was affiliated with, and sanctioned by, the SuperYacht Racing Association (SYRA).
The Barcelona regatta is part of the Premier Regatta Series, a series of competitions running in parallel to the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup, and is organised in conjunction with America’s Cup Events (ACE).
BOAT looks back at the regatta highlights...
Race Day One
The starting line for the Barcelona Superyacht Regatta 2024 was located just a couple of nautical miles from the Louis Vuitton Cup Final and excitement was palpable the night before, with some senior crew joking at the Skippers Meeting that they would be having one eye on the television while they were racing. The America's Cup was the main reason why many of the boats were there. "It's a big draw for the whole sailing community," Jasi's Captain Toby Clarke said.
As the superyachts took to the course, INEOS Britannia beat Italy in an intense battle to qualify for the America's Cup for the first time in 60 years. Back at Port Vell, the party went on into the small hours.
The star of the first day was undoubtedly Halekai. New to the regatta scene, she overcame late-night technical issues to lead the Cruising Class - impressive sailing for a first-timer. "We were kind of dreading the switch from the offshore breeze to the onshore breeze, but we got quite lucky with a nice south westerly sea breeze," said her navigator, Jonny Malbon after the race. In the Performance Class, V won the day, followed by Nefertiti and Jasi.
Race Day Two
Superyacht Regattas are perfect for adventurous owners who want to test out their boats and use them in a different way than they would normally do. Most of the yachts in the race were owner driven, or at least in part during the race, and many of the yachts hired in professional crew who blended seamlessly into the original crew's choreography. Good captains know that chemistry is key.
The bulk of the morning was spent patiently waiting for the wind – and when it came, it challenged the boats with a 12-14 knot breeze in two different directions along the course. The Performance Class took it in their stride, with V, coming top for the second day running, followed by Jasi, which moved up the leaderboard over Nefertiti . The Cruising Class saw Halekai clock in at two hours 28 minutes.
But the changing conditions weren't quite so straightforward for Esense, who failed to sail the correct course and recorded a NSC, and Fidelis, which ended the race with an RET. Fidelis captain Jono Johnston observed later, "When you are racing a 56-metre Perini Navi, you have to take it as fun!"
Race Day Three
Although all the boats were hoping for breezier conditions, the wind didn't play ball and the race was eventually cancelled at 2.30pm. The Prize Giving was brought forward by an hour so the crews could gather back in the Race Village and enjoy their wins.
The winners of this year's Barcelona Superyacht Regatta were:V, followed by Jasi and Nefertiti (Performance Class). In the Cruising Class, Halekai scooped the big prize, followed by Esense and Fidelis. Of course, in superyacht racing, everyone's a winner – and owners and crew not only each took home a shiny commemorative cup for their mantelpiece but also memories of playing their part in one of sailing's most historic events.
Read More/All the highlights from the Barcelona Superyacht Regatta at the 37th America's Cup