Racing in Palma de Mallorca. Day One.

More than a hundred boats among which some of the most magnificent vessels of the world are competing - until Sunday, April 24th - in the Mapfre PalmaVela regatta, off Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Twelve classes will join competition gradually during the four racing days. A total of 120 boats, 1000 sailors, 15 divisions and 15 countries will compete distributed in four racing areas.
The Maxis are expected to run six races: they were the first ones to go “on stage” today.
Fourteen maxi yachts are racing in Palma. The fleet has been split in a Maxi Wally division (8 boats) and in a Maxi class division (6 boats). British Magic Carpet 2 will be the defending champion in compensated time. Italian Esense is one of the most spectacular Maxi Wallies, thanks to its 143 feet length which makes her one of the favorites in real time. Magnificent 107 footer Kenora is also among the largest vessels of the fleet. 2010 Mini Maxi champion Alegre and Maxi Swan champion @robas will race in the same division. IMA president Claus Peter Offen is racing aboard his Y3K.

The start gun of the Mapfre PalmaVela 2011 was fired today in the bay of Palma in easterly winds of 14 to 16 knots. The majestic Maxi Wallies and Maxis, both of which racing in compensated time, and the competitive TP 52's, which run in real time, were the first fleets to go on the water where a course of 8,6 nautical miles was set up for each of them.
Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones' Maxi Wally Magic Carpet 2 signed a first and a second place, thus currently leading her class, with one point of advantage upon also english Open Season of Thomas Bscher, which finished third and first with Michael Atkinson at the helm. Claus-Peter Offen's Y3K is provisional third after finishing first and second, tied on eight points with two other boats, italian flagged Inti of Lauro Buoro and Jean Charles Decaux and Piers Richardson's J One. The largest boat of the fleet, Lorenza Guerra's Esense (ITA) was first in real time but could only manage seventh in compensated time.
Andrés Soriano’ Alegre comfortably won today's two opening races of the Mapfre PalmaVela. Monaco flagged Highland Fling XI, owner Irvine Laidlaw – and skippered by Xavier Mecoy - was third and second, whereas Sir Peter Odgen and Stuart Branson's Jethou (GBR) finished second and third. Both are now tied on five points and placed second and third respectively. Four points away from the podium is now danish Vertical Smile of Peter Lerbrandt after signing a fourth and a fifth place.