Orange alert in Ibiza and Formentera keeps Ibiza JoySail fleet in port

The organizers monitored the weather conditions until 1:30 p.m., when they announced the cancellation of the opening day.

The sixth edition of the Ibiza JoySail was due to get underway this Thursday, with a total of 19 superyachts taking part in the event, which will be held in the waters of Ibiza and Formentera through Sunday, September 20th.

The day began calm and sunny, but with an orange weather alert issued by the Balearic Government. The Race Committee closely monitored the development of the weather, as forecasts indicated that a powerful front, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, would arrive after midday.

As a result, the scheduled start time was postponed, first to 2 p.m. and later to 3 p.m. The forecasts ultimately proved accurate, and the organizers officially decided to cancel the day. At 1:24 p.m., mobile phones across the fleet simultaneously received the Es-Alert emergency warning issued by the Directorate General of Emergencies of the Balearic Government, which had maintained the orange alert in the Pitiusas due to the arrival of a front bringing rain and thunderstorms, with rainfall of up to 80 litres per square metre forecast within two to three hours.

Ibiza JoySail director Nacho Postigo explained: “Everyone was very keen to get out on the water, but the situation was not looking good at all. In addition, the orange alerts made things even more complicated. Gaspar Morey, the president of the Race Committee, made the decision to cancel, and it was absolutely the right call. It is a shame, but the conditions were not ideal.”

Postigo added: “It is not so much that superyachts cannot sail in strong winds, but rather that they are very large vessels, and berthing and unberthing in these conditions can affect them enormously. With 19 boats here, safety also has to be taken into account, as the conditions could have created problems for both the boats and the sailors.”

The Ibiza JoySail is scheduled to resume on Friday, although this will still depend on how the weather develops, as thunderstorms are expected early in the morning. The program currently calls for the regatta to start from 12 p.m., although the organizers will provide an updated assessment during the morning briefing with the participants.