Palma, all set for a classic regatta

The Conde De Barcelona sailing regatta will be held out of Palma from the 22nd to the 26th of August. The prestigious sailing event will feature yachts from all over the Mediterranean in two different classes - the period yachts and the classic yachts. During the regatta, the competing yachts will be moored alongside the quay on the Paseo Maritimo. Visitors can watch the crews as they prepare their vessels for the four days of racing. Yachts which were built before 1949 will be competing in the period class. Those boats built between 1950 and 1974 will be racing in the classic class. The rules allow replica yachts to enter the regatta, but they must have been built using materials and techniques which are true to the era of the intended vessel. Last year the regatta was won by the classic yacht “Rossendo”. The Conde de Barcelona is purely a regatta for classic yachts and one of the competitors will again be Creole, based in Palma. Creole is owned by the Gucci family and was originally launced in 1927. She is the only survivor of a group of similar yachts to be built by Camper and Nicholson and has been altered and renewed throughout the years until now restored back to her former sailing glory. Another entrant will be the Palma based Isla Ebusitana. One of the oldest working yachts in the Mediterranean, she was previously a salt trading ship between the Balearics and mainland Spain. The regatta has been won by many different yachts from various countries over the years. In 1991 “Santa Rosa” from Peru came away with the trophy, in 1995 the British “Solway Maid” won and in 1997 Britain triumphed again with “Mariette of 1915”. After “Rossendo” won last year, the bets are on for this season's champion. The last two months have seen a succession of high profile sailing events held on Majorca. The Breitling Regatta and the Copa del Rey were both attended by the Spanish Royal Family, who compete every year in Majorca's regattas. Prince Felipe of Spain won the Breitling and his father King Juan Carlos took part in “Bribon”.