Oyster Yachts Regatta at Palma
by Oyster Yachts 3 Oct 2024 06:57 BST
21-25 September 2024
Oyster Yachts, a luxury British bluewater sailing yacht builder, returned to the Mediterranean waters of Palma de Mallorca last week for their 47th Oyster Regatta, the 17th held on the island.
Hosted in one of Mallorca's most luxurious marinas, Port Adriano, 17 Oyster Yachts gathered for a week of sailing and socialising together. The six-day event included a packed schedule with four days of racing, evening social events, expert masterclasses run by event partners B&G, Lewmar, Dolphin Sails and Cathelco, and a gala prize-giving dinner to close out the week.
Conditions out on the racecourse varied throughout, as the 17-strong race fleet was subject to everything from light breeze to 17 knots of wind and big swells, huge downpours and the eye of a thunderstorm. The fleet participated in five races of different formats - around the cans, windward/leeward and two pursuit races - with results contributing to the overall series and the Oyster Cup.
Oyster 495 Mayfly celebrated an incredible second regatta with an intense battle with the recently delivered Oyster 495 Starr in Class 3. Mayfly reigned victorious, claiming glory in four out of five races, with some of the closest finish-line battles of the week. Oyster 885's Lush and Karibu displayed a similar battle at the larger end of the fleet in Class 1, each winning two races, but it was flagship Oyster Lush who took home first place on countback.
Brand-new Oyster 595 Carina made an epic debut in regatta racing, winning the first race on Race Day 1, her first-ever competitive race. Owner Andy Heppel said: "It's been amazing! The boat's beautiful, she sails really well... we've really really enjoyed it." In Class 2, they were ultimately bested by Oyster Regatta veterans 655 Blow, who took the Class honours alongside the overall Oyster Cup for the second time since its inception. Owner Henrik Jansen said: "We were quick, the conditions were to our favour so we had luck!"
Ashley Highfield, CEO of Oyster Yachts, said: "The Oyster Palma Regatta was an unforgettable week for everyone involved. It was great to see so many Oyster yachts, old and new, sailing together - that is what we are all about, the Oyster family enjoying time together."
The final evening and prize-giving were held at the stunning Ses Cases de sa Font Seca, a 17th-century Mallorcan estate, with guests enjoying a three-course dinner, an awards ceremony and an evening of live music to close out an incredible week.
The next Oyster Regatta will be held from 7-11 April 2025 in Antigua, Caribbean.