After three days of racing at the Superyacht Cup Palma, the 24-metre Wally sailing yacht Rose was crowned overall winner, becoming the first Wally to win Europe's longest-running superyacht regatta.
With two wins in Class B already on account, Rose began the final day of racing in pole position and secured the final win for a perfect scoreline — but only by five seconds on corrected time with Swan 100 Onyx and crew nipping at her transom, finishing second in class.
Speaking at the prizegiving ceremony held on the terrace of the Real Club Náutico de Palma, Rose's tactician Jesper Radich said: "This year was amazing for us — at times it was difficult but by the end we had super conditions. It was windy, it was sunny, it was shifty, so not a straightforward course and you really had to make decisions on every leg. We only won by five seconds, and it doesn't get any closer than that after two hours of racing. I've done a lot of match racing and that was what it was like out there, a lot of fun."
Three of the five yachts competing in Class B were making their Superyacht Cup Palma debut Close competition, including Onyx, Lady M and 2021 Millenium Cup winner Miss Silver.
Class A saw close contest too with the J Class classic Velsheda claiming victory with two race wins, finishing a point ahead of her J Class rival and former class winner Svea, who posted a 2-2-2 scoreline. Both were clear of Vitters sailing yacht Ribelle — who won day two — and Pattoo.
"We have just come out of a major refit, so it was great to be here, one hundred per cent," said the skipper of Velsheda Barney Henshaw-Depledge. "We had a good first day and then the second was more painful as we were OCS, but today I guess we got lucky. We have had ups and downs in Palma but it's great and the conditions are so good. It's been great."
The Superyacht Cup Palma 2024 will be held from 19 June to 22 June.